Is Xenical the Over the Counter Weight Loss Miracle ?

Xenical, a medication that may help you lose weight by decreasing your body's absorption of fat. Is it a miracle weight loss drug? Many seem to believe it is what overweight people have been looking for.

If you eat an excessive amount of fat or calories, the excess is stored as fat by the body, this results in weight gain. When you eat fat, your body breaks it down in its simplest form so it can be digested. Unlike many other medications you have heard about Xenical works in your digestive system to block about one-third of the fat in food you eat from being digested. Most other weight loss drugs act in the brain or central nervous system to suppress appetite or speed up your metabolism.

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recently has approved Xenical in a reduced strength version that can be sold over the counter. It is intended for people over the age of 18 to use in association with a reduced calorie, low fat diet, and exercise.

To use Xenical you should:
· Talk with your family physician first.
· Follow the recommended dosage on the package.
· Eat a reduced calorie diet, which contains no more than 30% of its calories from fat.
· Take a multivitamin daily.
· Set realistic weight loss goals.

One important thing to keep in mind is Xenical decreases the absorption of fat. This will also decrease the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as D, E, K, and beta-carotene. Therefore, it is important to take a multivitamin when using Xenical that contains these vitamins.

The FDA has stated that the most common side effects of Xenical are a change in bowel habits that can include loose stool and some oily spotting. If you eat a low fat diet, it will reduce your chances of these side effects.

The over the counter product is half the dose of the prescribed capsules. The pharmaceutical company producing Xenical estimates that 5 to 6 million Americans a year will buy the drug over the counter.