Xenical, a medication approved to help people lose weight has also been proven to help those at high risk of heart trouble.
Highlights of the Dieting Study:
Xenical was tested on patients that have a metabolic syndrome, which leads to an increased risk of heart problems in overweight people.
“Metabolic Syndrome, otherwise known as Syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome, describes a ‘cluster’ of 3 or more risk factors, such as high waist measurement, increased fasting glucose levels, abnormal blood lipid levels and high blood pressure in a single patient, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,” the new study outlines. “Up to one in five people in Western countries is considered a ‘cardiovascular time-bomb’ because they have Metabolic Syndrome.”
In Xenical-treated patients results showed:
- More than twice as much weight loss as those on diet alone
- A significantly greater reduction in waist measurement compared to those on diet alone
- A significantly greater reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to those on diet alone
- A significantly greater reduction in triglyceride levels compared to those on diet alone
An expert opinion
The co-principal study investigator Dr Jarl Torgerson said, “Metabolic Syndrome is fast becoming the epidemic of the 21st century, with serious implications for cardiovascular disease in the future. These study results show that Xenical boosts the beneficial effects of weight loss in people with Metabolic Syndrome. Xenical, together with lifestyle changes, is a powerful approach to the effective management of this condition.”
About Xenical
Xenical is the only available dieting medication that works in the stomach to prevent your body from absorbing fat. Dieting studies show it can cut the fat absorption rate by at least 30 percent.
Xenical first hit the market in 1998. To date, more than 16.7 million people have taken the medication, which is licensed for weight management in 149 countries.
