Is Alli the Right Diet Pill for You?

Orlistat, marketed under the name Alli in the United States, is a drug designed specifically to treat obesity. It prevents fats from being absorbed by the human body, which reduces caloric intake and makes it easier to loose weight. Even though Alli works to reduce calories, it must be used in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet that is supervised by a physician.

The USDA voted on January 23, 2006 to approve an over-the-counter version of the drug orlistat, and it was approved with a vote of 11 to 3. GlaxoSmithKline markets the over-the-counter weight loss pill under the name Alli, and it was granted approval on February 7, 2007 to be sold in stores. Alli is the first weight loss drug that is officially sanctioned by the United States government to be sold over-the-counter. Alli has been available in United States stores since June of 2007, and is sold as 60 mg capsules, which is half the dosage of a prescription of the same drug.

Alli is not just a weight loss pill, but also a weight loss program. Anyone considering this program should first consider a few things, such as if they are going to be able to dedicate themselves to the program. Because Alli should be taken with a low-calorie diet, you must be willing to change your lifestyle in order to loose weight. Alli should not be taken by anyone with pre-existing medical conditions, because Alli can possibly worsen them.

Alli works by preventing certain fats from being absorbed by the body, which will allow you to loose weight. The main ingredient in Alli attaches to some of the natural enzymes in the digestive system, and actually prevents them from breaking down fat. The undigested fat is not absorbed and is naturally passed through the body. Because Alli only affects the enzymes responsible for breaking down fats, other parts of the body will not be affected. Alli will not leave you feeling jittery or like you are on a caffeine rush, which most other diet pills do. You will not experience a racing heart either, since this pill does not speed up your metabolism like other diet pills and programs.