BariatricSource

Yesterday, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced it is requiring a new warning about potential liver injury to be placed on the weight-loss drugs Xenical and Alli.

These medications used for weight-loss that contain different strengths of the same active ingredient, orlistat, a derivative of lipstatin, an inhibitor of pancreatic enzymes that prevents the breakdown of fat molecules.

By contrast, mirafit fbcx®, a new fat blocking complexer developed and marketed by two Wayne State University professors, relies on a naturally occurring, soluble fiber derived from corn that binds and reduces the human body's absorption of fat. The active ingredient is alpha-cyclodextrin, with an FDA designation of GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe). There are no known negative side effects except for gas, if it is taken without having fat in the meal.

"Mirafit fbcx binds and eliminates nine times its own weight in dietary fat -- triglycerides. One gram (one tablet) binds 9 grams (81 calories) of fat, thus preventing absorption of a significant portion of fat consumed," said Dr. Catherine Jen, vice president of Art Jen Complexus USA, and chair of the department of nutrition and food science at Wayne State University.

Taken as directed, six tablets a day will reduce caloric absorption from 2,000 calories/day to 1,500. This is equivalent to approximately 50-60 percent of fat or 25-30 percent of calories from the typical North American diet. Five hundred calories per day represent 3,500 calories per week. This will induce a healthy, slow, safe and steady 1-1.5 lb of weight reduction per week, or prevent weight gain.