Is it true that Orlistat is the only safe diet pill?

Is it true that Orlistat is the only safe diet pill?

When it comes to obesity, I believe that many of our partners must have heard of the "Netflix" orlistat of the weight loss circle. Today, let's take a look at this "Netflix" diet pill.

Rumors

Orlistat is known as the "oil pill" on the Internet, and many people say it is the only safe weight loss pill - you can eat when you want, no dieting, no rebound.

Refutation

Orlistat is a lipase inhibitor that acts on the gastrointestinal tract, mainly inhibiting gastric lipase and pancreatic lipase in the lumen of the small intestine, thus inhibiting the breakdown of ingested fat (mainly triglycerides), so that undigested triglycerides are not absorbed by the body and excreted directly, thus achieving the effect of weight control.

Safety

• 1. Orlistat is available in 60 milligrams (mg) and 120 mg sizes. Only the 60mg is approved for sale as an over-the-counter (OTC) drug in the U.S. and Korea, meaning that it does not require a doctor's prescription for purchase, while the 120mg requires a doctor's prescription for purchase. Domestic orlistat is mainly a Class A OTC and needs to be used under the guidance of a pharmacist.

In May 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released the information that "orlistat may cause rare but serious liver injury". In September of the same year, the former State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) requested a revision of the instruction manual to include "Occasional allergic reactions to orlistat have been reported. The main clinical manifestations are pruritus, rash, urticaria, angioneurotic edema, bronchospasm and anaphylactic reactions.

• 2.Rarely, cases with maculopapular rash, elevated hepatic transaminases and alkaline phosphatase, and rare cases of severe hepatitis and pancreatitis have been reported. A causal relationship between hepatitis, pancreatitis and orlistat has not been established," updated to "Rare cases of elevated transaminases, elevated alkaline phosphatase and severe hepatitis have been reported with orlistat, as well as cases of liver failure, some of which required liver transplantation or could lead directly to death. Rare allergic reactions have also been reported with orlistat, with the main clinical manifestations being pruritus, rash, urticaria, angioneurotic edema, bronchospasm and anaphylactic reactions, with the rare occurrence of maculopapular rash. Post-marketing surveillance has also revealed reports of pancreatitis."
• 3. the UK drug regulator issued a risk warning for orlistat in 2014: it may cause hyperoxaluria and oxalate nephropathy.

In summary

Orlistat is not an absolutely safe drug

Effectiveness

• 1. Orlistat can inhibit the absorption of triglycerides, but it cannot break down the fat already synthesized in the body, and it can only prevent the absorption of 30% of the fat. The drug is useless if no fat is consumed in the diet. And orlistat does not block the energy conversion of carbohydrates, proteins and other substances, so it is not scientific to rely solely on orlistat to lose weight.
• 2. The core principle of weight loss should be lifestyle modification, which includes diet adjustment, increased physical activity and related behavioral therapies. Medication is not the primary method of weight loss.

Uniqueness

At present, in addition to orlistat there are some prescription drugs with weight reduction effect in Chinese market, such as glucose-lowering drugs metformin and liraglutide. Liraglutide is the main glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist on the market today, which has a hypoglycemic effect and can work centrally through neuronal pathways in the hypothalamus to promote satiety. However, the use of glucose-lowering drugs for the purpose of weight loss is not recommended.

Other

• 1. Long-term use of orlistat can affect the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K.
• 2. Orlistat can also interact with other drugs. If taken with amiodarone, levothyroxine and other drugs, you need to consult your physician and pharmacist.