Xenical
® (
orlistat) is a medication commonly used as a weight loss aid. You cannot get this product without a prescription, as the drug is available by prescription only. There is, however, a non-prescription version of Xenical, sold under the name
Alli™. Although these medicines are similar and are both FDA-approved, Alli is a lower strength (containing half as much orlistat as Xenical).
Xenical is approved to help people lose weight and to prevent weight regain in people who have already lost weight. Studies have shown that after six months of taking the drug while dieting, people lost an average of 12.4 pounds and 13.4 pounds after a year. In another study, 52 percent of people not taking Xenical regained the weight they had lost, compared to just 26 percent of people who took the drug.
(Click Xenical for more information on whether you can get this medicine with no scrip, for Xenical dosing guidelines, and to learn about the warnings and precautions associated with this weight loss aid.)
