Information on Alli Orlistat

Alli, active ingredient orlistat, is the lower dose, over-the-counter (OTC) version of Xenical. Manufactured and marketed by GlaxoSmithKline, it has been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the FDA, to be sold without a prescription.

What is Orlistat?

Also known as tetrahydrolipstatin, it is an active ingredient that works to block the activity of pancreatic and gastric lipases. These are enzymes that are responsible for breaking down fat into its smallest possible form, so that it can be absorbed by the body. The intake of orlistat, either in the form of Alli or Xenical diet pills, makes sure that a percentage of fat consumed as a part of your daily meal remains undigested. This undigested fat is removed from the body naturally through your bowel movements.

What is Alli?

This medication is available in a 60mg dosage. Taking Alli at meal times blocks the absorption of around 25% of the fat in your meal. Orlistat, the active ingredient, works best with a reduced calorie diet. Experts recommend sticking to a diet that allows no more than 15 grams of fat per meal. Alli goes to work in your digestive system, and does not affect the central nervous system (CNS) in any way. So, there is no danger of suffering from side effects like anxiety, seizure or strokes which is sometimes the case with appetite suppressants and fat burners.

Side effects of Alli

Taking this medication can lead to changes in bowel habits as the medication affects the digestion process in your gastrointestinal tract. You can experience side effects like: a sudden need for bowel movements, increased frequency of bowel movements, flatulence with oily discharge, fatty stools, and an inability to control your bowel movements. These side effects can be controlled by decreasing the amount of fat in your meals.

Taking Alli

One capsule of this medication should be taken during each main meal, so it should be taken 3 times a day with breakfast, lunch and supper. Also, it’s recommended that you take a multivitamin tablet every day to compensate for the reduced absorption of fat soluble vitamins. It has been found that the action of orlistat decreases the absorption of vitamins like A, D, E, K and beta carotene. This is why it is important to take a multivitamin once a day while you’re taking Alli.

Efficacy of Alli

Getting started on the Alli program has helped people lose between 5-10% of their weight over time. Clinical trials have proven that the combination of this over-the-counter weight loss pill with a reduced calorie diet can help people lose more weight than they can lose through diet alone.

What is the difference between Xenical and Alli?

The points of difference between Alli and Xenical revolve around the dosage and the fact that Alli is an over-the-counter drug while Xenical is a prescription medication. The dosage of Xenical is 120mg, which is twice that of Alli. Also, because of its strong dosage, it is able to prevent around 30% of the fat consumed as a part of the daily meal from being digested.

In fact, Xenical orlistat can show impressive weight loss results in as little as 3 months for people with a body mass index of 30 or above. Unlike appetite suppressants, this orlistat medicine works within the digestive system therefore avoiding any long-term psychological side effects that are associated with drugs, such as Reductil that influence how the brain functions.