According to a research carried out by the International Association for the Study of Obesity, about 53 percent of Europeans are either overweight or obese. This is an alarming statistic since obesity is known to cause several life-threatening conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type II diabetes and even strokes. To prevent overweight people from becoming a victim to any of these obesity related conditions, doctors recommend wholesale lifestyle and dietary changes and regular physical exercise. For obese patients and for those who are on the verge of obesity, but are unable to lose a significant amount of weight with dieting and exercise alone, doctors are increasingly recommending FDA approved weight loss pills such as Reductil and Xenical.

Reductil (sibutramine) and Xenical (orlistat) are prescription-only weight loss pills approved by the FDA. Both the drugs have undergone rigorous clinical trials before they were approved for sale in the UK market. These weight loss pills have helped millions of obese patients lose a significant amount of weight and lead healthier lives. However, Xenical and Reductil don’t claim to be miracle drugs. These weight loss pills work only in people who are committed to lose weight and are ready to use these drugs in conjunction with dieting and regular physical exercise. Given a few months time, Xenical/Reductil can help you lose more weight than what you could have managed through dieting and exercise alone.

Xenical
Manufactured by Roche Pharmaceuticals, Xencial orlistat was approved as a weight loss pill by the FDA in April 1999. Xenical works as a fat absorption inhibitor weight loss pill and works on the digestive system only. It helps you lose weight by inhibiting the absorption of dietary fat and thereby reducing your calorie intake.

The active ingredient in Xenical is called orlistat; it works as a lipase inhibitor. The drug molecules act in your stomach and in the small intestines to prevent normal metabolism and digestion of fat. In the normal course, lipases – the enzymes in the digestive system help breakdown fat in the stomach so that it can be easily digested. The action of Xenical however, inhibits this action of lipase. Orlistat attaches itself to the lipases and blocks those from breaking down some of the fat you consumed with your meal. The undigested fat can therefore not be absorbed into the bloodstream and is then excreted in the faeces. Xenical thereby prevents about 30% (one-third) of the dietary fat from being digested. By reducing your fat absorption, Xenical helps you lose significant amount of weight in a few months time.

Xenical works best only when used in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet and proper physical exercise. If you take Xenical with a high fat meal you may have to face adverse Xenical side effects such as oily or fatty stool, oily spotting, gas with discharge, increased number of bowel movements, poor bowel control etc. Always take Xenical after consulting with your doctor and in the prescribed dosage. As Xenical affects the absorption of certain fat-soluble vitamins, your doctor should also recommend extra fat-soluble vitamin supplements along with Xenical.

Reductil
Manufactured by Abbott Pharmaceuticals, Reductil is one of the most prescribed weight loss pills approved by the FDA in 1997. The active ingredient in Reductil is called sibutramine. The drug is sold by the trade name Meridia in the US and Canada while in Europe and most other countries sibutramine is sold by the brand name Reductil.

Reductil works as an appetite suppressant weight loss pill. The drug works on the appetite centres in your brain. When we eat enough, our brain releases two naturally occurring chemicals called noradrenaline and serotonin. When these chemicals reach a certain level, we get the feeling of being full and we thus stop eating. Sibutramine works by preventing these enzymes from being reabsorbed back into the nerve cells. Thus, Reductil helps to maintain the level of noradrenaline and serotonin free to act in the brain. The increased levels of these chemicals enhance feelings of fullness. Reductil therefore makes you eat less, stops your craving for snacks in-between meals and thereby controls your calorie intake. Gradually, you are able to lose a significant amount of weight.

Reductil is an ideal weight loss pill for obese patients who are unable to curb their urge to eat. Besides, Reductil also helps to increase your metabolic rate and helps you lose weight faster. Always take Reductil after consulting with a doctor and in the prescribed dosage to avoid undue side effects.