The Weight Loss Pill Alli: How it Works and Side Effects

When the weight loss supplement Alli was released over-the-counter in 2007, it sent swarms of people to their local drugstores to purchase what sounded like a miracle product for people wanting to lose weight. Alli could be purchased without a doctor's prescription, a convenience which only added to its appeal. Here is some basic information about Alli, potential side effects, and overall effectiveness.

Alli is a lighter version of the prescription weight loss drug orlistat, which is approved to treat adult obesity. Orlistat (Xenical) in prescription strength is 120mg, but Alli is 60mg. Alli is meant to be taken with a low-fat, low-calorie diet and exercise regimen. Alli works by keeping a percentage of the fat ingested from being absorbed by the body. An enzyme in the digestive system called Lipase which functions by breaking down fat for the body to use or store is blocked by Alli. Undigested fat then continues through the regular digestive process and leaves the body through bowel movements. Doctor Donald Hensrud wrote for the Mayo Clinic that there hasn't been extensive research on the effectiveness of Alli, but that studies based on the prescription strength Xenical show that overall weight loss is only between five and seven pounds more than exercise and diet alone.

Alli has been linked with several unpleasant and potentially embarrassing side effects such as gas with oily anal leakage, difficulty controlling bowel movements, and diarrhea. Alli refers to these side effects as "bowel related changes" and suggests that they can be reduced by only eating meals that contain fewer than 15 grams of fat. It makes sense that if fat is being blocked and leaves the body via bowel movements that eating something with 40 grams of fat is going to produce more waste than eating something low-fat.

In May 2010 GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, the company which produces Alli reported that a change was going to be made to the product's warning label alerting consumers to symptoms which could be related to liver damage associated with the use the orlistat. The new label states, "Stop use and ask a doctor if you develop itching, yellow eyes or skin, dark urine or loss of appetite. There have been rare reports of liver injury in people taking orlistat." The company's website also states that no causal relationship between the use of orlistat and liver damage has been confirmed.

It is important that if you are considering any weight loss plan or drug that you first consult with a physician to find a product or regiment that will be safe and effective for your lifestyle and medical history.

Sources:
Alli
Alli Weight Loss Pill: Does it Work?, Mayo Clinic