Alli Diet Supplement

In 2007, the FDA approved a new over-the-counter diet pill called Alli. Consumers were excited about the possibility of a safe and effective weight loss pill and flocked to drug stores to purchase it. Many are left wondering, however, does Alli work, and what are the side effects?

Alli is the name brand for the over-the-counter diet medication, orlistat. GallaxoSmithKline manufactures the drug, which is available in drug stores around the country. Orlistat is also the active ingredient in the prescription medication Xenical. Alli contains 60 mg of orlistat, while Xenical contains 120 mg per tablet.

According to the calorie hypothesis, when you consume any food, it provides your body with energy. That energy is measured in the form of calories, which are units of energy. Experts posit that the body is a machine acting on the properties of thermodynamics, and that it has certain energy requirements. When you eat foods containing more calories than your body needs, it stores the remaining energy as fat. When you eat foods containing fewer calories than your body needs, it takes the extra required energy from your fat stores. Put simply, the calorie hypothesis suggests that when you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. When you eat fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight.

To that end, Alli can help reduce caloric intake by changing how your body absorbs dietary fats. Fat is present in many of the foods you eat, and it is quite calorically dense. While carbohydrates and proteins have four calories per gram, fat has nine. This has led many diet and nutrition experts to hypothesize that foods containing fat are more fattening than foods without them. When you take an Alli pill, it blocks your body from absorbing about 25 percent of the fat present in the foods you eat. This leads to reduced caloric intake, because your body excretes the fat rather than using it as energy.

Since Alli blocks fat calories, this does not mean you can eat anything you want and still lose weight. Instead, the Alli website encourages you to alter your lifestyle as well, pursuing a healthy, low-calorie diet and exercise as part of an overall weight loss plan.

Whenever a new diet or diet product hits the market, two distinct types of evidence emerge in support of or against the efficacy of the product or diet. Empirical evidence utilizes double-blind, placebo-controlled scientific studies to gage a product's efficacy, contraindications, and side effects. Anecdotal evidence arises from user reports about their experiences with the product or diet.

According to MayoClinic.com, studies show that prescription strength orlistat (Xenical) helps users following a low-fat, low-calorie diet and exercise program lose an additional five to seven pounds in a year. With its reduced strength, experts estimate Alli can lead to an additional three to five pounds of weight loss.

The Alli website provides a section for user testimonials in their forums. While customers report weight loss, they all do so citing putting forth tremendous effort of diet and exercise to get the weight off, as well.

When Alli first received approval from the FDA, part of the buzz was about the possible side effects of the medication. In fact, many people feel that the threat of one of the drug's main side effects is what enables users to stick to a low-fat, reduced calorie diet in order to lose weight. The side effect that seems to have such a motivational impact on many Alli users is changes to bowels. Because the 25 percent of fat intake passes through the body unabsorbed, it makes its way out via the intestines. This may result in oily anal leakage and changes to bowel movements, particularly in the early weeks of the program or whenever the Alli user eats more than 15 g of fat at one time. This may manifest as oily bowel movements, diarrhea, oil discharge with gas, poorly controlled bowel movements, and greasy spotting. Other, lesser known side effects of orlistat may include:

Severe allergic reaction such as itching, hives, or anaphylaxis Liver damage Kidney stones Gallbladder disease Nausea Headaches Anxiety Back pain Menstrual irregularity

Only you can decide whether the benefits of taking Alli outweigh the risks of its side effects. Alli is not a magic pill. Instead, it must be combined with a careful regimen of fat-control, diet and exercise. If you do elect to try Alli, the company's website provides an array of tools to help you follow the prescribed plan.

Although it is available over the counter and approved by the FDA, Alli is still a drug that may have other detrimental effects on your health, and it may be contraindicated with other medications or medical conditions. Talk with your doctor before self-prescribing Alli.