Alli Diet Drug: Are There Any Concerns?

There are many ways to lose weight for those who want to shed off unwanted pounds. There are people who opt for the traditional method and proceed to exercising regularly and cutting down on fatty and high-calorie foods. There are those, however, who can not stand getting sweaty and depriving themselves of their favorite foods. For them, taking weight loss medications such as the Alli diet drug seems to be a good way to go about it.

Why Are They Going the Alli Route?

There are lots of weight loss medications available in the market, and the Alli diet drug is one of the most popular ones. It is the first over-the-counter diet pill ever approved by the  U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Alli diet drug, which is manfactured by Glaxosmithkline, is a stronger version of Orlistat, another drug designed to help people control their weight.

Physicians approve Alli for use by overweight individuals who are more than eighteen years old. The medication is said to help people lose more weight compared to diet alone. To make the medication really effective, the manufacturers recommend that the Alli should be taken while undergoing a low calorie, low fat diet program. The FDA also urges people to exercise along with taking the medication.

The Claim by Dieters: No Major Side Effect So Far

The Alli diet drug has reportedly no major side effects so far, although the FDA has stated that changes in bowel habits is a common effect when taking the medication. Therefore, they advise that one should have a low fat diet in order to reverse this effect of the drug. The agency also warned that not all people can take this diet pill, and individuals undergoing diabetes treatment or those who have had organ transplants should not take this over-the-counter medication.

The release of the Alli diet drug showed indeed showed impressive sales - in a Walgreens store in Santa Monica Boulevard, the first stock of Alli displayed on the store's shelves were sold out in less than a day. It was reported that most of the buyers are women, and that they seem unfazed at the possible side effects and discomfort that the drug can produce.

Concerns Over the Product

Just like Xenical, a popular prescription weight loss drug, taking the medication may produce loose stools and oily discharges when one flatulates. The official web site of Alli actually recommend that users should best bring a change of clothes and wear dark-colored pants just in case of embarrasing "incidents." 

There are some concerns, however, about the use of the drug. Some physicians expressed worries that some individuals might take the Alli diet drug in abusive amounts. Because it can be purchased over-the-counter, the amount of dosage used by every person can not be regulated or monitored. 

A bariatric surgeon named Paul Cirangle said that Alli diet drug can block vitamins from getting absorbed into the body, and that people can take the drugs longer than the necessary - people will try to substitute the pills for healthy eating.