The first and only over-the-counter product for weight loss approved by the Food and Drug Administration will be available Friday, June 15.
Orlistat, known by the brand name Alli, works by decreasing the amount of fat absorbed by the body. It is the OTC version of Xenical, a prescription weight loss pill. The good news: Orlistat has been tested and the prescription version has been used since 1999.
Last fall Dr. James Anderson, head of the UK College of Medicine Metabolic Research Group, and his colleagues examined the effects of OTC strength (60 mg) orlistat on mildly to moderately overweight individuals. The study was the first of its kind. Previously, the drug’s effects had only been studied in obese individuals. Study participants took either orlistat or a placebo three times daily with meals for 16 weeks. Results of that study showed those taking OTC-strength orlistat did lose more weight than those taking the placebo.
“Our research showed that people taking orlistat and following low-fat diets lost almost five percent of their initial body weight, about seven to15 pounds, over four months,” Anderson said. “While two to four pounds a month isn’t dramatic, steady weight loss of this amount can have major health benefits. For example, the reduction in LDL-cholesterol, the bad-guy cholesterol, of 10 percent can reduce risk of heart attack by 20 percent.”
Any successful dieter knows that long-term weight loss is about lifestyle changes not quick fixes. While taking Alli may help you lose weight, it won’t do all of the work for you. Anderson stresses a healthy diet and exercise plan are absolutely necessary to lose the weight and keep it off.
“This is the first over-the-counter medicine that has proven effectiveness. It is my hope that people will take one capsule before each regular meal, breakfast, lunch, and supper, and alter their fat and calorie intake,” Anderson said. “If they commit to exercise six days a week, most people can lose weight steadily. All of us are in this for the long haul and need to keep up healthy behaviors, not for days or weeks, but for months and years. Doing regular physical activity and making good food choices will help us be trimmer and give us more energy.”
http://www.uky.edu
Used Alli for about a week now, not obese just looking to lose a few baby lbs. OMG !! Oil ! Better out than in though ! I’ve learned, I only take it when I’m home. I had an incident of oil spotting ! If I had been at work I’d have been pissed !! Luckly I was home. I only take them at night, or in the afternoon after work. Those afraid of side effects should try that. Good Luck.
There are so many weightloss drugs out there I don’t know which one to believe in anymore!
hey thats great you lost 6lb in 2 wks i lost 3lb on my 1st wk, in my second wk now… thats with not really been on a diet, and my exercise is work!! im happy with the alli there learnin me too eat more healhty to eat less fat etc!! as only gettin runny oily leakage down your leg other wise and need a pad constant if dont eat less fat!!!
so its a great help!! Mags x
I lost 6 pounds in 2 weeks but can’t stop pooing
I thought I needed to fart and blasted oily poop all over my underwear!
yes low fat diets cause constipation.. all bran flakes is poser fiber go for the buds and drink plenty of water.. dont eat white flours of any kind…. eat lots of flax seed as it is very effective on the bowels… eat a few tablespoons of whole flax everyday with a probiaotic/prebiotic yogurt doing just those thing will shed the weight.. as it will clean your bowels and cravings will stop as you will be able to absorb more vitamins and minerals.. stop taking senna its taxing on the large intestine
Hello , i am a 47 year old male who has been taking alli for two weeks , ive stook to a healthy low diet for a few months and especially so with alli . I eat bran flakes . wholemeal
bread low filling’s but my problem although long term and even more so with alli is constipation , i take movicol powder , senna tablets but not even alli move’s me ? Any suggestions ? will adding a little more fat help maybe my diet is too low for alli too work ? Thanks
YES! I also noticed the constipation is gone! I know of several people on similar prescribed meds as I am and one of the huge side effects is constipation. Within 3 days of starting Alli, I immediately noticed a change in bowel movements…for the better! I believe since I was very constipated prior to starting Alli, the fat that is eliminated with the bowel movement, makes me ‘regular’…hence no horrible or embarrassing side effects!!!
I’ve been constipated all my life. After starting Alli and eating a meal with some fat twice a day, I am no longer constipated. No longer taking laxatives or stool softners which never worked. I go to the bathroom regularly without diarhea.
I’m a “middle aged” male who started Alli on February 2, 2008. I was on it for 9 weeks and lost 27 lbs – going from 193 to 166. Since then I’ve fluctuated from 163 to 170 – today at 168. It is a miracle drug. The bonus was the increased energy. Yes, I work out on an elliptical four or five times a week and I try not to be too stupid about what I eat. But those were pounds I’d tried to lose for 5 years.
I think the success to the program is that the “treatment effects” force you to eat right or else. It’s like having a 24 hour nutritionist on staff. If you don’t follow the guidelines, you might pay for it, so it’s better to just follow the program. And besides, if you don’t follow the guidelines, why waste money on the pill? The other reason it worked for me is, as one who loves to eat, I wasn’t needing to watch calories and food intake so much, only fat grams. So as long as I ate the right things – low fat – the quantity was not as important.
I never thought I’d try a diet pill but I’m glad I did and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
I first heard of Alli when my brother started taking it a year ago. He probably only used it for about two weeks and I personally didn’t see any results. Well about five months ago I gave birth and while pregnant I didn’t gain any weight. But, as soon as I stopped breast feeding I gained a horrifying 20 pounds. I went out and bought a bunch of exercise equipment even a pilates kit but nothing seem to help. I finally decided after I reached the 170 mark and all my favorite jeans weren’t fitting that I was going to try a diet pill. I went to CVS and asked the Pharmacist opinion on pills and he told me that Alli was the only FDA approved one. So even though it didn’t work for my brother I decided to spend the 60 dollars for the starter kit and I bought a digital scale. Needless to say I started taking Alli on Feb. 23, 2009 and I weighted in at 170.0 Ibs and today which is Feb. 27, 2009 I weigh in at 165.6 Ibs. I haven’t been exercising at all because I am a full time student and mother but I do plan to start. I have been on 1100 calories a day and eating only 10 grams of fat a meal (To avoid the bathroom situation which lucky I haven’t encountered yet.) I snack on Special K Chocolate bits with skim milk between meals, and I bake everything. Also, I cut out soda and bought a bunch of bottled water and Crystal light to go packs. So after 4 days I can honestly say I am having great results with Alli and even learned some self control.