Alli Diet Pills: Orlistat Enzyme Blocker Weight Loss Supplement?

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Losing weight can be a very difficult task and sometimes we might need a little bit of help to get us on the right track. Alli diet pills offer the help you need. These weight loss pills are sold over the counter. The ingredient in these pills that give you that edge when it comes to weight loss is orlistat. This happens to be the same compound that is used in the prescription drug known as Xenical. The major difference between Xenical and Alli diet pills is that they offer only about half the amount of orlistat then Xenical does.

There are many plant-based natural supplements out there that can help with weight loss. However, Alli isn’t in the same category. This weight loss drug is fully manufactured by a pharmaceutical company and is designed to help with long-term obesity. In most cases, its use is combined with a low-fat, low-calorie diet.

The difference in the quantity of orlistat between the two drugs is that Xenical contains 120 milligrams of it while Alli only has 60.

Orlistat has been used as an aid to help lose weight since 1999 when it was first approved by the FDA. Its ability is pretty simple: it limits how much fat your body can absorb, which in theory reduces the number of calories that you intake and thus leads to weight loss.

Statistically, roughly about 85 percent of all the people who try to lose weight end up failing when trying to use the more traditional methods of weight loss. So it should come as no surprise that this drug is slowly gaining reputation and its demand is increasing at a steady rate.

There are some possible side effects and risks associated with Alli just like with most medications. Let’s take a quick look at some of the benefits that Alli has to offer and some of the possible side effects that can surface, as well.

Orlistat: The Enzyme Blocker

As we mentioned above, the key ingredient in Alli is orlistat. It functions by preventing your body from absorbing fat and it does this by blocking an enzyme in your gut which is known as lipase.

Every time we consume any type of fat, our body has to break it down into fatty acids which then enter our bloodstream and can be utilized by our body for various purposes.

In order for this process of fat breakdown to occur, lipase is absolutely vital. So when orlistat inhibits lipase, it successfully reduces our ability to break down this fat by roughly 70 percent. This significantly reduces the number of calories we intake from food whenever it is metabolized.

All the extra fat which isn’t metabolized is simply passed through our digestive system and expelled out of our body through the bowel. The result is potential weight loss.

A study was concluded over a 4-year period of time to determine how effective orlistat is at promoting weight loss. Two groups of people were being monitored. One group was given a simple placebo while the other group was given an orlistat dosage of 120 mg 3 times per day. All of the participants were recommended to walk every day and suggested to cut about 800 calories from their standard diets. Dietary fat consumption was to remain under 30 percent of total caloric intake.

As the study continued, throughout the first year the group who took the placebos ended up losing an average of slightly over 13 pounds while the group that took orlistat had an average weight loss of 24 pounds. These results were very encouraging.

By the 4th year, the group that used orlistat managed to keep roughly 13 pounds of weight off. The subjects who took the placebos could only keep about 6.7 pounds off.

Many other studies confirmed similar results. An overall study analysis showed that on average, use of orlistat can help you lose about 7 pounds more weight than if you weren’t using the drug at all.

The problem is that this is only equal to about 3 percent of the starting weight for the subjects who were being studied. Furthermore, most of the participants ended up gradually gaining the weight back when the study concluded and the treatment stopped.

To put this into perspective, a comparison study was done between subjects who followed a low-carbohydrate diet and those who used orlistat alongside a low-fat diet. The results showed that the low-carb diet was just as effective at producing weight loss as the low-fat diet with the help of orlistat.

Additional Alli Weight Loss Supplement Health Benefits

It might seem that the following benefits are greatly linked to potential weight loss. However, it has been concluded that Alli diet pills have a potential to produce the following positive results outside of the weight loss benefits.

  • A statistical study showed that subjects who have used Alli diet pills displayed a reduction in blood pressure, even though it was a mild one.
  • Participants who have taken Alli diet pills showed reduced cholesterol levels throughout the studies as well as a reduction in LDL cholesterol, known as bad cholesterol.
  • The subjects who participated in previously mentioned 4-year study and used orlistat actually dropped the chances of developing type 2 diabetes by an astonishing 37 percent.

All of these health markers and the positive results associated with them can lead to a greatly reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Alli Diet Pills Possible Side Effects And Dosage

As we mentioned before, Alli is a pharmaceutical drug and it has possible side effects that you should consider before using it to lose weight.

While the enzyme blocking power which is introduced by orlistat is an excellent way to reduce fat absorption, it also delivers some side effects since the majority of these fats now have to pass through your digestive tract without being metabolized.

These side effects have been well-documented by people who have previously used Alli:

  • Abdominal Pain
  • Oily Textured And Loose Stools
  • Flatulence
  • Diarrhea
  • Fecal Incontinence

Another side effect is that the fat which isn’t absorbed by our body due to the enzyme being blocked can’t be utilized by fat-soluble nutrients. This means that our bodies might have a harder time absorbing some of the vital nutrients they need for proper function.

This nutrient absorption reduction can lead to a shortage of vital vitamins like A, D, E, and K. All of these vitamins are fat-soluble. So you will most likely have to take multi-vitamins to compensate for this shortage as many patients are recommended to do. When you do start taking these multivitamin supplements, ensure that you time their intake correctly. Give about two hours between taking Alli and your multivitamins.

There have also been some reports of possible liver failure and kidney toxicity. However, there is a very small amount of these reports.

For the same reason that nutrient absorption can be inhibited by Alli, the absorption of other medications can also be affected. Because of this, it is strongly suggested to give yourself a 4-hour window between taking Alli and any other prescription medication.

Generally, the dosage amount used in most studies is 120 mg at 3 times per day. This is the suggested dosage for anyone taking any orlistat-based drug who is trying to lose weight.

Alli is the less powerful version of the prescription drug Xenitol. It is available over the counter in most drug stores at a 60 mg dosage level. If you want to use the 120 mg version, you will have to obtain a prescription from your doctor.

Should You Use Alli?

The thing about using medication to accelerate weight loss is that it has a different effect on every person. Yes, Alli can drastically improve your chances to lose weight, but you also have to maintain a low-fat diet while exercising regularly.

The problem with maintaining a low-fat diet is that most people aren’t able to stick to it for an extended amount of time.

Changing your diet to reduce your carbohydrate intake and increase your protein consumption can have the same effect on your weight as the orlistat-based drugs. Add in regular exercise and your chances are improved drastically. The benefit of omitting using drugs to lose weight is that you formulate habits which help you keep the weight off and you don’t have to deal with the possible side effects of the drugs.

Alli Diet Pills Conclusion

Alli is definitely a drug that can help you lose weight. It uses an enzyme blocker known as orlistat to inhibit your fat absorption and thus reduce your calorie intake. The result is weight loss.

However, the side effects and the possibility to achieve the same results through various changes in diet make using Alli somewhat questionable.

We strongly suggest you talk to your doctor or dietitian to determine whether Alli or Xenitol is a good choice for you. Our bodies are unique and how they are affected by various drugs and supplements may vary. Your doctor has the knowledge and the medical history needed to determine how beneficial a pharmaceutical drug can be for your weight loss journey.

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