The World Health Organisation defines overweight and obesity as an “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health”. Overweight and obesity are risk factors to medical conditionals including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal conditions and some cancers. In Australia, almost 2 in 3 adults are overweight or obese with these rates continuing to rise. It is thus no wonder that there is a plethora of weight loss products available to aid in weight management. So what makes XL-S Medical Direct different from the rest?
Why overweight and obesity has increased worldwide
There are 2 main reasons why overweight and obesity has continued to rise.
- Increased intake of energy-rich food high in fat, salt and sugars but are low in vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients
- Decreased physical activity due to increasingly sedentary nature of the types of work, changes in transportation and increasing urbanisation
What can be done to help overweight and obesity?
WHO lists 8 things that individuals can do to manage their weight. One of which is limiting energy intake from total fats. For this reason, treatments to help reduce intestinal absorption of fat can help in the management of overweight and obesity.
How does XL-S Medical Direct help?
XL-S Medical contains Litramine, a patented fibre complex from Opuntia Ficus-Indica (Sweet Prickly Pear). The fruit and cladode (the pad of the cactus) have been part of the human diet in regions such as Mexico, the Mediterranean and North Africa. The cladode is known for its rich fibre content, containing around 40-50% dry weight of dietary fibres, both soluble and insoluble. Opuntia Ficus-Indica cladode powder has been shown to be able to bind to dietary fat. Litramine was thus developed based on this fat binding mechanism.
Litramine is lipophilic, meaning it has the ability to attract and bind with fat molecules. As it moves through the gastrointestinal tract, it binds to fat molecules from the diet, forming a fat-fibre complexes. These complexes are too big to be readily absorbed in the intestine, and are thus removed through stool.
Other Benefits of XL-S Medical
- Well tolerated
- No added artificial colourings, salt, stimulants or preservatives
- Gluten free
- Lactose free
- Vegetarian friendly
How to use XL-S Medical
Unlike many weight loss products, XL-S does not need to be mixed into shakes, soups, etc. You simply pour the powder into your mouth and eat it, much like food. You can have a drink after if necessary. In fact, it is recommended to drink plenty of water due to the fibre content, and not to take more than 3 sachets a day. Due to the mechanism of Litramine, XL-S Medical is taken after meals e.g. breakfast, lunch and dinner, and can still be taken even if you have skipped a meal.
Precautions
XLS-Medical Fat Binder is suitable for adults over 18 years of age. The following groups of people should not take XLS-Medical Fat Binder. Those who:
- Are pregnant or likely to become pregnant
- Are breastfeeding
- Have a BMI of less than 18.5
- Eat liver or liver products once a week, with other products containing retinol (as XLS-Medical also contains vitamin A as retinol)
- Are at risk of osteoporosis (post-menopausal women and older people)
Please consult your healthcare professional before taking XLS-Medical if:
- You have diabetes, as XLS-Medical Fat Binder supports the reduction of food cravings by balancing blood glucose levels. Patients with diabetes may have to adjust their daily treatment to avoid hypoglycaemic attacks
- You use cholesterol-reducing medication
- You have an existing medical condition
- If you have kidney stones or kidney disease
- You are taking any medicines
Summary
One of the main reasons for increasing overweight and obesity is the increase in energy consumption from food rich in fat. For this reason, limiting fat intake and absorption is one of the main methods used in weight management. The Litramine found in XL-S Medical Direct helps reduce the fat absorption from the diet and increases the removal of fats, making XL-S Medical Direct a great option to help manage weight in overweight and obese individuals.
More information
World Health Organisation
http://www.who.int/topics/obesity/en/
Australian Government of Health and Welfare
http://www.aihw.gov.au/overweight-and-obesity/
Obesity (2013) 21, 58-64 A Natural Fibre Complex Reduces Body Weight In The Overweight And Obese: A Double-Blind, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Study