Fat is heavy on the calories --- this is perhaps the best reason to restrict this nutrient in your diet. Dietary fat has nine calories per gram, more than twice the amount you'd get from protein and carbohydrates. Many weight supplements claim to have fat-blocking properties. However, fat blockers that work are those that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for the purpose of weight loss.
Orlistat
There are few prescription drugs approved by the FDA for the express purpose of weight loss. According to the Weight-control Information Network, most of these function as appetite suppressants; these drugs can be used only by adults and only for a short period of time --- 12 weeks or less. However, orlistat is in a class of anti-obesity drugs that functions differently than appetite suppressants. Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor; it doesn't affect your appetite. This medication blocks the enzyme in your body that breaks down dietary fat; rather than being absorbed by your body, the fat is eliminated through bowel movements, along with all of the calories it contains. The prescription version of orlistat, sold under the trade name Xenical, can block up to one third of the dietary fat you consume. One benefit of this fat-blocking medication is that it can be safely used for up to a year.
Nonprescription Orlistat
The FDA approved an over-the-counter version of orlistat in 2007 for use by people 18 years of age and older. This medication, sold under the trade name Alli, is simply a less potent version of prescription orlistat, according to Mayo Clinic doctor Donald Hensrud, M.D. Both prescription and nonprescription orlistat yield modest results. According to Hensrud, if you take nonprescription orlistat, you might expect to lose three to five more pounds a year on top of the weight you'd lose through a reduced calorie diet and regular exercise. Prescription orlistat may yield five to seven additional pounds of weight loss.
Other Information
Prescription and nonprescription orlistat are definitely fat blockers that work when used correctly. To achieve weight loss with these medications, you have to pay attention to the number of calories you eat per day, and get regular physical activity. These medications can have unpleasant side effects such as gas, oily spotting on your underwear, difficulty controlling bowel movements, loose stool and stomach pain. Side effects are more likely when you eat a diet high in fat. If you take these drugs, less than 30 percent of your daily calories should come from dietary fat. According to MedlinePlus, orlistat doesn't just block fat; it can block essential nutrients, as well. Dieters who use this medication are advised to take a dietary supplement that contains vitamins A, D, E, K and beta-carotene.
Cautions
Some dietary supplements lay claim to the title of "fat blocker." However, one thing you should know about these pills is that they aren't drugs; they need no pre-market approval by the FDA before they're sold to consumers. The FDA monitors these dietary supplements to make sure that they don't result in any adverse effects --- and also to make sure that supplement marketers aren't making unproven claims about a product. In the past, the FDA has issued warning letters to marketers of "fat blocking" supplements that contain chitosan because there's no "reliable scientific evidence" to support that this ingredient is effective. Similarly, the Federal Trade Commission has charged marketers of similar supplements for making false and misleading claims. Orlistat isn't the right fat blocker for everyone; Hensrud notes that you shouldn't take it if you're not overweight, have had an organ transplant, take the medication cyclosporine or if you have difficulty absorbing food. Please talk to your treating physician before you take nonprescription orlistat or a weight loss supplement.
References
- MedlinePlus Drug Information: Orlistat; August 2010
- Weight-loss Control Network; Prescription Medications for the Treatment of Obesity
- MayoClinic.com; Alli Weight-loss Pill: Does It Work?; D. Hensrud, M.D.; June 2010
- U.S. Food and Drug Administratio: Warning Letter ..."Zone Fat Blocker"; November 2009
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission: Canadian-Based Company and its President Agree to Settle FTC Charges; July 2003
- Cleveland Clinic: Fat and Calories
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