Local doctors applauded the approval of diet drug orlistat for over-the-counter sales, but cautioned about possible minor side effects.
“It?s the only diet drug I would prescribe,” said Dr. Jonathan Rich, an internal medicine doctor on staff at Mercy Medical Center. “I like it because it?s not systemically absorbed. It stays in the gastrointestinal tract as a fat blocker.”
Orlistat was initially approved in 1999 as a prescription drug to treat obesity, and remains a prescription drug at higher doses, according to a Federal Drug Administration release. The over-the-counter version is indicated for use in adults along with a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet and exercise program.
The drug is not appropriate for those having trouble absorbing foods and people who are not obese, the FDA warns. Side effects can include diarrhea and deficiencies of some fat-soluble vitamins.
The 60 miligram capsule ? taken three times a day with meals ? cuts the intestinal absorption of fat. Positive side effects could include better health for life, FDA doctors say.
“We know that being overweight has many adverse consequences, including an increase in the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Douglas Throckmorton, deputy director for FDA?s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research in a statement. “Orlistat, along with diet and exercise, may aid overweight adults who seek to lose excess weight to improve their health.”
There is such a thing as too thin.
“You need to have some fat in your diet,” Rich said. “Our bodies still need fat to some degree just for life.”
