The weight loss drug is Orlistat. You may know it as Xenical or Alli. It has
been available by prescription since 1999 and over the counter since 2007. A dieter is to take the medication at meals
that contain fat. The drug blocks the
absorption of fat and allows it to pass undigested through the intestines. The fat, grease, oil passes through the
intestines…and out your back end….Side effects include steatorrhea (oily loose
stools), excessive gas/flatulence, fecal incontinence, as well as frequent and
urgent bowel movements. Yep. The average weight loss taking Alli is 3-5
pounds/YEAR.
Weight loss is supposed to occur from not absorbing the fat
calories and from behavioral modification.
Embarrassing stool “leaks” and major gas should teach a dieter to eat
less fat…or else.
With that said, I’m embarrassed to report Dr. Hollywood and
Dr. Ogden’s (University of Surrey) research presented in Liverpool this week.
The doctors interviewed 10 women who gained weight while
taking the drug Orlistat for 18 months.
Although the women attributed their failure to lose weight to the
mechanics of the drug and talked about other weight loss methods that did not
work for them, the doctors had a very interesting “take” on their comments.
Dr. Hollywood
interpreted their weight gain as a “self fulfilling belief” that they would not
lose weight. and went on to say that “unless we get
the psychology right and change people’s
beliefs about themselves, their eating and the way the drug works, this
medication is often going to produce disappointing results.
So…the dieter is blamed for not losing weight while taking
Orlistat…and in fact gaining weight.
It’s not the failure of the medication, it’s consumer failure.
Truth be known, the reason people don't lose appreciable
weight while taking Orlistat is that the drug DOES work...it does cause
malabsorption of ingested fat. Yes, the
drug does what it is supposed to do, and dietary fat intake will cause nasty
anal leakage of fat as well as gas and oily stools. The modus operandi of the drug is two
fold...malabsorb fat and cause behavioral modification. In an effort to stop the embarrassment of
leaking fat...people are supposed to eat less fat. They should eat less fat and the fat they do
consume should be malabsorbed.
Messy...but it should work for weight loss, right? WRONG.
Here’s where the doctors Hollywood and Ogden got it wrong….
The problem with Alli or Xenical is that they target fat
intake. The reality is that for over 60%
of the population, weight issues are not caused by fat intake...they are caused by excess carbohydrate
intake. Over 60% of the population
has the genes for metabolic syndrome with its characteristic over-release of
the fat- gain hormone insulin in response to eating carbohydrate foods.
If the millions of people with insulin imbalance (I call
this Metabolism B) dutifully pop their Orlistat...and avoid obvious high fat
foods to avoid nasty anal fat leakage and gas, they will still consume
carbohydrates. Even healthy
carbohydrates like whole grain breads, fresh fruit, legumes, fat free yogurt
and milk cause blood sugar to rise and insulin to release. Over 60% of the population becomes
"fat" from over-processing carbohydrate due to an imbalance of the
hormone insulin.
The medicine Orlistat can’t help this situation... this
medicine will never solve the underlying
problem.
We need to recognize "Metabolism B"(aka metabolic syndrome). Spread the word that most overweight people
have insulin imbalance. They WILL lose
weight, keep it off, have energy, cut medication needs for blood sugar,
cholesterol, blood pressure, and maintain excellent health following a
lifestyle that matches their metabolic needs.
The lifestyle program written expressly for the millions
with insulin imbalance (Metabolism B) is in The Metabolism Miracle. Read more at www.themetabolismmiracle.com.
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