Xenical (orlistat) - pros and cons
Clinical trials have found that following 56 weeks of treatment participants using orlistat were found to have an eight percent weight loss, versus four percent in the placebo group. However, the clinical trials also revealed that some people experience unpleasant side effects, such as fatty stools or flatulence. As Xenical is taken orally it may be favored by users who aren’t keen on regular injections, like those used by Saxenda and Wegovy which have to be regularly injected and first demonstrated by a medical professional.
Saxenda - pros and cons
The active ingredient in Saxenda, liraglutide, helped trial participants consistently lose at least five to 10 percent of weight when compared to placebo. It also regulates your hunger and fullness, and stabilizes your blood sugar. This can make you feel less cravings and give you better control over your eating habits. However, Saxenda is a prescription injection treatment that requires an initial demonstration by a healthcare professional. Regular injections may be off-putting to some patients. The most common side effects included nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Litramine/XLS-Medical – pros and cons
Litramine is perhaps viewed as a more gentle weight loss treatment as it can be ingested via tea, sachet, or tablet. Side effects from Litramine are mild if they occur at all. Litramine attaches itself to fat in the body and stops the fat being absorbed by the intestines. Clinical trials found it to absorb as much as 27% of dietary fats. It’s not HPFB approved and is more commonly seen outside Canada, but you should be able to get it online.
Mounjaro - pros and cons
Mounjaro is a weekly injection that contains the active ingredient tirzepatide. It was originally approved in Canada as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. The same active ingredient is also approved specifically for chronic weight management, but under the brand name Zepbound.
In Canada, Zepbound can be prescribed for weight loss if your BMI is over 30, or if it’s over 27 and you have a weight-related condition like high blood pressure or sleep apnea.
It’s a pen treatment that comes pre-filled. It contains tirzepatide, a long-acting GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptor and GLP-1 receptor agonist. GIP is involved in controlling blood sugar. GLP-1 is a hormone which plays a role in controlling your appetite. GLP-1 agonists work by mimicking the effects of this hormone and help you feel full.
Like other weight loss treatments, the pens are used alongside regular exercise and healthy eating. In trials that compared tirzepatide with a placebo, it was shown to help between 89-91% of patients lose more than 5% of their weight.
Mounjaro or Zepbound can sometimes cause nausea, which might put some people off using it. The side effects should usually settle as your body gets used to the medication, though.
Wegovy - pros and cons
Wegovy also boasts the appeal of being a once weekly injection for weight loss. Although, the idea of self administering an injection can put some people off. The clinical trial results for Wegovy show that people lose more weight using semaglutide than when using liraglutide. Most side effects associated with Wegovy are gastrointestinal in nature, although headaches, tiredness and dizziness were also recorded. In most cases the side effects settled down quickly and didn’t stop patients from continuing with their treatment.
Contrave - pros and cons
Contrave will usually make you eat less food, which can cut out overeating habits and reduce your appetite. It’s also very effective. In a trial involving 1742 people, the Contrave group lost 6.1% of their body fat, compared with 1.3% of the placebo group. There is, however, a higher risk of side effects than there is with some other weight loss treatments, and you’ll need a prescription for it before you can buy and take it.
