Alli - Does Alli Work ?

Does Alli work as a weight loss pill? The quick answer would seem to be yes due to manufacturer claims, but there is a big downside to taking this diet pill.

Alli is the over-the-counter name for Orlistat which is also available in prescription form as Xenical. If you are going to ask for it you may like to know that it's pronounced like ally, not alley. It is essentially a fat blocker. It works by preventing the body from absorbing the fat from the foods that you eat, and it's the one freely available drug that has FDA backing for its claims to aid weight loss. You might think you could eat all of the fatty foods you like and then take Alli to negate the effect but sadly that is not true. This weight loss drug or medication should always be used in conjunction with a low fat diet plan under the supervision of a doctor or diet doctor called a bariatric doctor or specialist

The amount of weight loss achieved with Alli is variable. In one study that was done involving one-year clinical trials, between 35.5% and 54.8% of the subjects attained a 5% or greater decrease in body mass, although we don't know how much of this mass was fat. Between 16.4% and 24.8% of the subjects achieved a 10% or more decrease in body mass. In combination with a calorie controlled diet, the effects could be expected to be greater. It was also shown to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (authors' note: probably because there is a major change in the diet). The participants regained an average of one third of the weight that they had lost after stopping Alli, but this is typical of most dieters.

The main disadvantage of Alli is the side effects which center around digestive and bowel problems. The higher the fat content in the diet, the greater these side effects are likely to be, as the undigested fat is expelled from the body. Flatulence, loose stools and bowel incontinence can result, especially in the early stages before the body becomes used the drug. The manufacturer's drug insert warns, "You may feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Until you have a sense of any treatment effects, it's probably a smart idea to wear dark pants, and bring a change of clothes with you to work." You really need to want to lose weight to take Alli!

However these side effects are reduced if you stick to the recommended low fat diet and as the manufacturers hint, the potentially embarrassing side effects can even be helpful in encouraging you to keep to your diet. Always remember that Alli does not claim to work without consistent efforts toward weight loss from you. What they do claim is that it can improve your weight loss by up to 50%. That would mean a person who lost 10 pounds without taking Alli would lose 15 pounds taking it. It boosts your weight loss and rewards your efforts with better results than you could get by yourself. Note though that individual results will vary and are not guaranteed.

Sadly there is no magic diet pill that will melt away your excess pounds while you sleep, but Alli is a diet pill that has limited results. If you are determined to lose weight and have been struggling with diets without much effect, the side effects of this diet pill far outweigh any benefit it claims to have.  You can discuss it with your diet doctor. Does Alli work for you? It may be better to continue with other diet options than risk the side effects of this diet drug.