Kimberly Tenner
May 25, 2013

Alli Reviews

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Alli is the only FDA-approved over-the-counter diet pill, that’s a fact.

What does that mean to you, your weight loss efforts and your health? That’s more of a matter of debate.

Taken from JohnHopkinsHealthAlerts.com, “Approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) means that clinical studies have proven a drug to be more helpful than harmful for specific diseases and conditions. But FDA approval does not guarantee that a drug is absolutely safe and universally effective. Instead, it signifies that a drug is sufficiently safe and effective when used within the limits defined by its testing for indications, side effects, and contraindications. Even so, the demonstrated risks and benefits may change once a drug is tested in a larger and more diverse group of patients.”

Basically, Alli has only proven — by no certain terms — to be more effective than dangerous. That doesn’t sound promising if you want to lose weight without risking your health. But it doesn’t mean it’s going to automatically lead to side effects either. A number of FDA-approved drugs are great for treating all kinds of conditions with limited concern about safety when used correctly.

So I wanted to take a closer look at this diet drug that’s available on local store shelves as well as online.

Recommended: Click Here to Find Out Which Diet Pills We Recommend

Alli’s Approach:

The active ingredient in Alli is Orlistat. Orlistat inhibits the enzyme Lipase, an enzyme found in the digestive tract to help break down dietary fat. Then, because the fat molecules are too large to be properly absorbed, the undigested fat continues through the digestive system and is eliminated through the bowels.

This means that you will be able to continue to eat foods that are high in fat without ending up high in fat yourself, right? That’s how some people interpret how Alli works and its even marketed to work like that by some retailers.

Sounds almost too good to be true, right?

Alli certainly isn’t going to block all fat you eat from being absorbed so don’t going binge eating and think you’ll still shed fat. It not supposed to work like that. In fact, Alli only blocks about 25% of the fat you consume. Even on the official Alli Website it says you’ve got to have the right lifestyle to lose weight. There’s even recommendation on how much fat you eat to see results.

Alli is no miracle diet pill, but it can help.

Is Alli Right for Me?

Alli is a safe product for most people, but due to its digestive-altering nature, it should not be taken if you have existing digestive problems: for example, because Alli is primarily a fat blocker, if your body has difficulty absorbing food or if you simply eat a lot of fat, you could experience gastrointestinal issues. In fact, many people have those issues when theey first start taking Alli and those problems will continue if you continue to eat high concentrations of fat.

I also do not recommend taking Alli if you are taking any blood-thinning medication, if you suffer from diabetes, or if you have any thyroid diseases, as that mixture can have a dangerous effect.

Does Alli Have Any Side Effects?

One of the major deterrents for many people interested in Alli are the side effects. Although they aren’t necessarily dangerous, some of them can be worse than being overweight. Some of these side effects include flatulence, an oily discharge, diarrhea or loose stools, and frequent and uncontrollable bowel movements.

In order to keep these side effects to a minimum, take Alli with each meal you have and be sure that it contains only small amounts of fat — recommended 15g or less of fat with each meal.

But if you have to eat a low fat diet while you are on Alli to avoid disgusting side effects, what is the point of taking a weight loss supplement that is supposed to help you eat fatty foods without gaining weight?

Alli Purchasing Information

Since Alli is available over the counter, it can be found at almost any major pharmacy including Walgreens, Walmart, Target, CVS, BJ’s Whole Sale Club, Sam’s Club and even Costco now.

The cheapest price that I found was for the starter kit, unsurprisingly, at Walmart for $49.97. The starter kit contains 6 reference guides for how to use Alli safely and the Alli shuttle, which is just a travelling case for your pills so that people don’t know that you are popping weight loss pills when you down one at your business lunch, and of course 90 capsules of Alli.

This price is definitely in the medium range when it comes to weight loss supplements, but you won’t be able to return it to the manufacturers for your money back if you don’t like Alli.

A lack of guarantee is one reason I wouldn’t choose Alli because everything works for everyone in different ways. A diet pill that comes with a guarantee makes it easy to try because if it doesn’t work, you can get your money back.

What Is the Bottom Line?

Alli is the only FDA-approved over-the-counter diet pill that can be obtained without a prescription. Alli, however, is not a strong diet pill and people should not expect to lose a significant amount of weight with Alli alone. There are a handful of unwanted gastrointestinal side effects as well, so be cautious when starting Alli and be sure to follow the recommended guidelines.

Overall, Alli is not going to be an effective way to lose a ton of weight in a short amount of time. You may lose some weight, but most customers get frustrated with the lack of results and the time it takes to lose weight. You can read about Alli by clicking here and find out where to buy it for $49.97.

If you are looking for a weight loss supplement that helps you stick to a low-calorie diet by suppressing your appetite and helps you burn more calories each day, I would recommend Apidextra.

This weight loss pill helps increase your leptin sensitivity so that you are less prone to cravings, and increases your thermogenesis so that you are burning more calories even when your body is at rest.

For more information on Apidextra, you can visit its official site here.

If you’ve tried Alli, let us know what you thought in the comments below.