Xenical® 120mg tablets

What is Xenical®?
Xenical® is a popular medical weight loss treatment that works by reducing the amount of fat your body can absorb from food. Xenical is the branded version of the drug Orlistat.

Does Xenical® work?
In clinical trials, 37% of patients on Xenical® were able to lose at least 5% of their body weight after twelve weeks.

How can Xenical® help me lose weight?
Xenical® tablets help you lose weight by preventing 1/3 of the fat you eat from being digested. This is combined with a healthy lifestyle, balanced diet and regular exercise.

How does Xenical work?

You may have been recommended them as a part of your weight loss journey, but how does Xenical work? This is the process, from food to fitness:

• Take Xenical® with water three times a day immediately before, during or up to an hour after your meal
• Eat as normal
• Once the food is in your digestive system, Xenical prevents your body breaking down nearly a 1/3 of the fat that you eat. It does this by blocking an enzyme in your body that is normally used to break down the fats you eat
• The undigested fat is not absorbed into your body and is passed out with your stools (faeces)
• Xenical® is not a direct cause of weight loss – it stops fat from getting into the body. Combine using Xenical® with a healthy lifestyle. Eat well and exercise!
• Continue to the end of your treatment or you have lost your goal weight

Is Xenical effective?

Xenical should be taken three times a day, usually over 12 weeks, during which time you should aim to lose about 5% of your weight. However, the speed and quality of its effects depend on aspects of your lifestyle.

While Xenical does help reduce the amount of fat your body absorbs, it is only effective if you make complementary lifestyle changes. These include increased exercise, moderating calorie intake, eating a balanced diet, and reducing alcohol consumption. The results are also dependent on your personal commitment and motivation to losing weight.

“Xenical® works best with a healthy lifestyle to help you get the most out of your treatment” – Dr Bhavini Shah

How to take Xenical® for the best results

Make sure you consider the following to optimise your weight loss journey on Xenical:

• Take your capsule consistently (three times a day with each meal)
• Xenical® only works in the presence of dietary fat. If you miss a main meal or if you have a meal containing no fat, you do not need to take a Xenical tablet
• The recommended diet for Xenical® is rich in fruit and vegetables and contains an average of 30% of the calories from fat
• Minimise snacking on fatty foods (biscuits, chocolate, etc.) between meals
• NHS dietary advice recommends that you eat foods with less than 5g of fat per 100g
• Xenical® works best when combined with a healthy lifestyle. Try to get enough exercise – that’s 150 minutes of moderate activity (walking, riding a bike) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (running, swimming) a week

Managing Xenical® side effects

Side effects could include pain or discomfort in your stomach, and flatulence (wind) with an oily discharge. You may have a sudden need to open your bowels, and stools may be oily, liquid or fatty in texture. These side effects are more prevalent if you take Xenical® following a fatty meal.

For full information on side effects and correct use, see the patient information leaflet. If any side effects concern you, contact us via your Patient Record.

Who can take Xenical®?

Xenical is suitable for people who are medically overweight. We can only prescribe it if you have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 and over (28 and over if you have any other associated risk factors).

You will not be suitable for this treatment if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Orlistat vs Xenical®: What’s the difference?

Xenical® is the branded version of the treatment Orlistat. There is no difference between the two treatments aside from the branding. Both treatments contain the same size and number of capsules and will work in the same way. If you were to switch from Orlistat to Xenical, you would remain on the same dose you were on for your current treatment.

However, it’s important to talk to your GP if you’re intending to switch your weight loss treatment. They will recommend the most suitable treatment for you.