If you are seeking obesity treatment and have taken opinions of self-acclaimed experts, names of many weight loss products must have come to your notice. Here's a lowdown on two weight loss products that people use for weight loss and management.

Xenical for weight loss

Xenical is a prescription medication meant for weight loss and long-term weight management. The active ingredient in this medication is orlistat. This drug is commonly prescribed to people as an adjunct to their conventional obesity treatment. It is approved by the FDA and is clinically proven to be safe and effective. It works by inhibiting fat absorption in the body. So when you take this drug, the active ingredient, orlistat, works by restricting digestion of 30% of the fat in your body and throwing it out of your body via excretion. Even if proven to be safe in general, Xenical can result in certain side effects like all prescription drugs.

Some of the side effects of this medication are:

• uncontrolled and frequent bowels
• pain in abdomen
• gas
• oily spotting
• fatty / oily stools
• nausea
• fatigue

Laxatives for weight loss

A lot of people use laxative for its unintended use i.e. weight control. These people often have eating disorders and they take laxatives to empty the large bowel. What they don't realise though is that the bowel-emptying happens only after all the calories have been absorbed and so it's unlikely that laxatives will help them in weight loss. Any form of laxatives to lose or maintain weight is not only irrational but also dangerous. The only thing laxatives can help you to lose is fluid, which results in bloating; making you think you are more fat.

Misuse of laxatives can result in:

• bloating
• cramping
• deyhdration
• electrolyte imbalances
• arrhythmia
• irregular heart beat
• renal problems
• heart attack
• sudden death

Before you buy Xenical, a laxative or any other weight loss product, remember that misuse of any drug can lead to serious problems. So choose wisely and stay safe.