Alli Review

Alli Bottle ImageAlli’s claim to fame is that it’s the first over-the-counter weight loss drug that has been given approval by the US Food and Drug Administration. While most diet pills attempt to steer clear from the FDA as best they can (by watching their claims, and making sure their labeling says “Dietary Supplement” somewhere on it, among other things), GlaxoSmithKline headed straight for the FDA’s cast-iron gates and got their approval on February 7, 2007. You can also read the actual Alli approval letter, if you wish.

Alli Research and Clinical Studies

Alli is the over-the-counter marketing name for Orlistat, a prescription drug used to treat obesity that was initially approved in 1999. Numerous studies have indicated that Orlistat is effective at treating obesity ((Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online). 2007 Oct 19;61:612-26. )). One year clinical trials provided the following results ((
“Xenical Clinical Pharmacology.” RxList - the Internet Drug Index. 10 Jan. 2008 <http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/orlistat_cp.htm>.)):

  • Between 35% and 55% of subjects achieved a 5% or greater decrease in body mass (not necessarily fat).
  • Cessation of Orlistat resulted in a significant number of subjects regaining approximately 35% of the weight they had lost.
  • Subjects experienced a 37% (this is significant) decrease in the incidence of type 2 diabetes.

Xenical, is the prescription drug name for Orlistat — it contains a higher dosage than Alli.

The primary function of Orlistat is to prevent the absorption of fats. As such, a low-fat diet should be observed when supplementing with Alli. Why? Because if you don’t, you may have a mess on your hands.

The Side Effects of Using Alli

When you think about this for just a second, it makes perfect sense. Alli diet pills block fats from being absorbed under the normal digestive process. So where does the unabsorbed fat go? It has to go somewhere right? Well, it “passes out of your body” to phrase it just like the manufacturer’s website. The side effects of Alli are:

  • Gas with oily spotting
  • Loose stools
  • More frequent stools that may be hard to control

A few notable quotes, to steal a Reader’s Digest term, that I just couldn’t resist. Keep in mind, these are taken directly from the manufacturer’s website:

  • “pick a day to begin taking alli, such as a weekend day so you can stay close to home if you experience a treatment effect.”
  • “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 may not usually get gassy, but it’s a possibility when you take alli. The bathroom is really the best place to go when that happens.”

Yikes!

Diet Needed with Alli Diet Pills vs. Well…Just a Diet

The guidelines given say that you a “fat allowance” of 15 g per meal. The problem is that if your calorie intake comes from simple carbs (sweets come to mine), limiting the fat intake isn’t going to do you a lot of good. And if you’re already going to exercise the discipline necessary to watch your fat intake…well, why not watch your entire diet? In the study referenced below, the average weight loss for a patient on Orlistat (the dosage wasn’t specified) was approximately 3kg, or 6.6 pounds. If the diet you have to be on in order to use Alli is so restrictive, then why not save yourself the money (and the gaseous explosions) and forget about Alli all together?

Alli Approval Pushed Left and Right

As soon as I heard that the FDA had approved a weight loss drug, I knew exactly what we’d see. And we’re seeing it from the manufacturer of Alli. Rest assured, they spent millions and millions of dollars to provide the support needed to gain approval from the FDA (not to mention untold lobbying that we never hear about). They’re going to mention that FDA approval again and again and again. On their site they mention more than once that “no other weight loss program offers an FDA approved, over-the-counter weight loss product…” (my emphasis, not theirs).

What does the FDA approval mean? It means that the FDA thought it was safe, and that the claims GSK is making are in line with the clinical results. But let’s keep in mind that Alli’s clinical results push that a patient (remember the side effects now) loses approximately 6.6 pounds. Good grief, even the worst types of diet pills could manage that amount over some period of time. And they don’t make you soil yourself while you’re at work.

Alli Overall Conclusion

Don’t let the FDA approval fool you. Look at the facts. The weight loss to be achieved is minimal. The diet is extremely restrictive, so you’d be better off just dieting. The side effects are…unpleasant. There are other options out there that far surpass Alli in effectiveness and safety. I’d look elsewhere.

Try Alli

Recommended alternatives to Alli:

7 Responses to “Alli Review”

  1. Kelly Says:
    July 18th, 2008 at 6:31 pm

    I’ve already commented on the Hoodia article, but I felt like telling you that after buying Alli (comforted that it was a safe, comfortable way to augment my diet and exercise junk, I was hesitant to even start the stuff.

    Asking around, I learned that the typical side effects were similar to pizza grease in your office chair.

    I’ll pass.
    Hope html works on these comments…

  2. Daphne Says:
    March 13th, 2009 at 8:02 am

    How fast do you see results when using Alli? I would like to know because I would like to lose up to 20 to 30 pounds in the next 73 days. I am 61inches and 136lbs. If anyone has any feedback please let me know. Thanx

  3. Cal Says:
    March 19th, 2009 at 7:59 am

    Hey Daphne, wow! That’s a lot of weight to want to lose. I wouldn’t depend just on a diet pill for that.

  4. aja Says:
    April 3rd, 2009 at 10:51 pm

    hi I have been using the alli pill for 4 months now, i like it alot, and I have used just about every product out there, there is only one side effect and that is the treatment effects, which they do not hide, they talk about it extensively so you know what you are getting into, if you need help they are quick to answer your questions on the phone or online, they are very helpful. and you DO have to eat right to see results because they do not claim to be an actual weight loss pill but rather an weight loss aid for people who are already CORRECTLY dieting and exercising. so if you were going to lose 10lbs alone, you would lose 15lbs if you take the pill in addition to what you are doing. and if you are eating well, staying away from high fat foods and consuming high fiber, high protein, low sat fat foods you won’t even see these treatment effects at all. in the 4 months that I have taking alli, i have only experience treatment effects one time. i eat six times a day and eat pretty much anything, except for burgers and fried foods. i even eat pizza every once in awhile. i am not sitting around eating salads all day. I do eat more fruit and fiber rich foods than i used to. but if your trying to lose weight you shouldn’t be eating those foods anyway, so you shouldn’t experience those effects, I have never had to call off work, run to the bathroom, change my underwear or wear dark pants. I think they have to say that because of the few people they know will continue to eat hi-fat foods while taking an alli pill and will be somewhere public and will be embarassed and want to sue. so they have to cover all the possibilities, they are dealing with the public. Also you will not lose weight fast with alli, it was meant to help people lose wight safely. I know I saound like a spokesperson, but I liked this product alot and I think it was getting misrepresented on here. Yes the treatment effects do look like pizza grease, the smelly orangy kind of grease, but don’t eat greasy foods and the grease won’t come back out. it does work, it does exactly what they promote BLOCK FAT, you won’t even absorb it, it comes right back out.

  5. Linda Says:
    April 23rd, 2009 at 12:52 pm

    I have been taking Alli and have had only two “treatment effects” which were not pleasant at all, but I will say it was my own fault for going over the allowed fat grams per meal. What I like about Alli is it does keep me from overreating, knowing there could be an unpleasant trip to the bathroom. I will say I thought my weight would come off a bit faster and I do exercise as well. I don’t really think I’m losing weight any faster than with just diet and exercise alone but it is teaching me to eat properly and if you follow the guidelines, it’s very effective for many people. It is expensive, I got a buy one, get one free deal so I just went for it. Otherwise, I think it’s a lot of money and if you don’t follow the plan 100% you could find yourself in an embarrassing situation. I have 2 more months left so I will continue to take it and maybe at the end of that I will have a handle on my eating.

  6. SJ Says:
    May 18th, 2009 at 11:06 am

    I like this site, Cal. I have been curious about these supplements since all the healthy eating and exercise has done nothing for me. I appreciate your candor. I see a pattern among those who claim that side effects are the fault of the user. No one should be blamed for having side effects. I am laughing at the “treatment effects” term. This is not necessarily because the person is eating high fat foods. I can have this problem, explosive bowels, even when I eat a salad of all veggies and low fat dressing. I have a sensitive stomach and do not eat fried, cheesey or creamy foods, to name a few. So, I appreceiate your review, because this will not work for me. Obviously, my body is already doing the job of Alli without paying a ridiculous fee. I’ve read many other reviews and find that there are caffeine effects in many of the other products. I avoid caffeine because it causes me to have higher blood pressure and is also a diuretic. Why on earth doesn’t Alli use the term ‘diuretic’ ? This makes the product even less credible to me, like they are trying to hide it, or are embarrassed by it. My friend, a diabetic was on a form of this, and it is miserable when you are away from home and don’t know the true contents of the meal at a restaurant. She was stuck in a public restroom for a few hours. Luckily, I was a good enough friend to walk two miles to the hotel and back with a change of clothes. Wow, I won’t be trying this product. Are there any effective products that don’t use diuretics or caffeine? Thanks

  7. WiCho Says:
    June 3rd, 2009 at 11:52 pm

    I bought Alli a month a go and when I read all the reviews it makes me feel like throwing them away, I bought the starter pack for 35 dollars and I read all the reviews therea are about Alli there are good ones and bad ones, the treatment effects is what Im worried about, I do not want to feel those nasty oily liquids, but at the same time the good ones tell that u are supposed to eat 15g of fat per meal if not you will get those effects, and I have planned to start but when th time comes I just don’t do it because I work and the bathroom is far from the place, I do not want to carry some extra pants with me, like two months ago I started dieting witout the pill and I have lost 18 yes 18 pounds, I eat almost everything exept fried foods, chips, cookies, and all kinds of candies, i do eat once biweekly, I try to be eating every two hours and not eating from 11 p.m. and after, I do exercise like four times a week and I try to loose 1000 calories a day because if you loose 3500 calories it’s equal to a pound, so I do check all the calories, i count how many I eat and I exercise to keep loosing weight. But one last thing, DON’T STARVE eat five times a day but less on each meal than usual just to keep your metabolism working all day and exercise, drink lots of water and that will do… need more just e-mail me.

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