We Americans have a never-ending appetite for the next weight loss cure. Drug companies and their scientists are continually looking for the next magic bullet. Unfortunately, they also increase the risk of high blood pressure and various heart conditions. One promising new class of drugs is lipase inhibitors.
Lipases are a group of enzymes that break dietary fat down into smaller units.
For the typical American who consumes 74 grams of fat per day, that's a 200 calorie savings. Granted, nobody's going to win the battle of the bulge in a hurry at 200 calories a day. And that's precisely why orlistat is getting praise from certain segments of the health community. Unlike other drugs promising rapid weight loss, orlistat is effective only in combination with other aspects of a weight management lifestyle. The best, most effective studies of orlistat so far are those that have included nutrition counseling and a mild calorie reduction in addition to the drug.