Is Alli The Over-The-Counter Weight Loss Pill Miracle Drug?
Alli is the first weight loss pill to be granted a license for sale over the counter by the FDA (US Food and Drugs Administration) and Alli diet pills are flying off the shelves across the country. It is being touted as an “anti-obesity wonder drug” and seen by many as the answer to the obesity epidemic of the Western world. These claims sound too good to be true so we couldn’t help but investigate to see what all the fuss is about and this review of Alli is the result.
What is Alli?
The Alli diet pill is a reduced strength version of the popular easy slimming prescription only drug Xenical. Xenical was originally formulated by the pharmaceutical giant Roche and the rights to the over the counter sister product Xenical RX (later known as Alli) were acquired by Glaxosmithkline in 2005. Alli comes in 60mg capsules and can be purchased in packages of 60, 90 or 120 pills.
How Does Alli Work?
As fat is the most calorie dense macronutrient limiting its absorption can be a key part in helping you lose weight.The active ingredient in Alli is Orlistat which attaches itself to enzymes that breakdown fat and so prevents as much as 25% of dietary fat from being absorbed. Any unabsorbed fat is passed naturally out of the body in your stools and because Alli only affects the enzymes responsible for fat digestion this means it doesn’t affect those responsible for protein and carbohydrate absorption. By simply taking one capsule, three times per day alongside a reduced calorie diet the manufacturer claims that weight loss can be boosted by as much as 50%.
Is Alli proven?
The active ingredient in Alli, Orlistat has been through several clinical trials which have seen extremely positive results. The results of these trials showed that over the course of one year, between 35.5% and 54.8% of subjects achieved at least a 5% reduction in body mass. Between 16.4% and 24.8% achieved at least a 10% decrease. Although not all body weight lost was fat, these results are impressive and beat the vast majority of tests done on competing easy slimming pills. Alongside the encouraging results of these human clinical studies, consumer results have also been extremely positive with many people losing several pounds per week.
Who are Alli weight loss pills for?
- Anyone who cannot get a prescription for the weight loss drug Xenical
- People who need a proven diet pill to compliment their diet plan
- Anyone who has had adverse reactions to dieting products which raise metabolism
Alli Side Effects
It isn’t all good news, there are some embarrassing side effects that have been reported by people who have used both Alli and its sister product Xenical. If you stray too far from a low fat diet you risk involuntary bowel movements, something that isn’t pleasant in any situation! Even Glaxosmithkline admit that first time users should wear dark pants or bring a change of clothes to work until they get used to the pill.
It is vitally important you follow the how to take Alli instructions that come with the product. We found a comment made by one user on the company’s official site saying: “I’ve pooped my pants 3 times today, and sorry to get descriptive but it even leaked onto the couch at one point!” another said that flatulence was a problem and oftentimes this led to “an orange river of grease running down my leg”. Some say that these disgusting side effects can be avoided by taking a daily vitamin supplement but the best advice seems to be to consume a diet very low in fat.
Alli Bad Points
- Involuntary bowel movements is one of the embarrassing side effects
- It won’t help you if you are a carb fiend as it only reduces fat absorption, not carbohydrates
- Won’t work effectively without a low fat diet
Alli diet Good Points
- Proven to help people lose weight
- The first weight loss drug available over the counter and FDA approved
- Blocks 25% of fat calories you eat
- Forces you to eat a low fat, portion controlled diet
- You can buy Alli in Boots over the counter (or here)
Alli Review Verdict
Alli diet pills definitely are not the answer to the obesity epidemic but they are a viable option for those people that want to lose weight. This pill works best for individuals who have a BMI of 28 or over and who are very overweight, it is not so effective for those people who just want to lose a few pounds and get in shape for summer – for those people there are better choices on the market. You may also want to avoid Alli if you have a carbohydrate addiction. If this is you, it is likely that your passion for carb heavy foods is one of the primary reasons you are overweight, a carb blocker or thermogenic fat burner would be much more appropriate to help you lose weight – Alli only absorbs fat!
The biggest reason why we cannot wholeheartedly endorse Alli is because of its disgusting side effects; changing underwear several times per day due to accidents is not our idea of fun and we are sure its not yours either! If you want a diet pill which absorbs fat like Alli but doesn’t have such unfortunate side effects, your should look into Proactol which has become an extremely popular alternative and won’t involve rushed trips to the bathroom or bring a change of underwear wherever you go!
Another really helpful post. I’ve been learning so much on heaps of different blogs and sites for some genuine health advice. Thanks for this! Really informative articles are hard come by on the web these days.
[...] beauty of over the counter weight loss pills such as Alli and Proactol is that you do no need a prescription to use them, and they are often cheaper than [...]