Alli weight loss pill by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare announces in June,
2006 that the FDA approved Alli, the weight loss product orlistat 60 mg capsules
for over-the-counter use in the United States.
Xenical (orlistat 120 mg capsules) will remain available by prescription for
those who should be treated under the care of a physician. Xenical will continue
to be manufactured and sold by Roche.
My comments: I would like to wait about three to five years after Alli has been on the market to find out if there are any long term health
concerns when masses of people uses this
weight loss pill product. The decrease in
fat absorption could result in the loss of vitamin A, vitamin E, and other fat
soluble vitamins. These can be replaced by taking a multivitamin. However, there
could also be a loss in
carotenoids and important
fatty acids such as fish
oils. What are the long term health consequences of these losses on vision,
cardiovascular health, and brain function?
Alli research
Alli marketers claim this product helps people lose 50 per cent more weight than
with diet alone. Alli is the only FDA-approved weight-loss product available to
consumers without a prescription. Alli will be in stores nationwide by summer
2007. Steven L. Burton, Vice President, Weight Control, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer
Healthcare. says"Alli is more than a pill - it's a comprehensive program that works
in conjunction with a sensible diet to increase weight loss. Because weight loss
doesn't happen overnight, we're starting to educate consumers now about the
importance of realistic expectations, gradual weight loss and lifestyle changes.
That's the way to see results, and with alli , we know they can do it."
Selection of Alli name
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare selected
Alli as the brand name because it conveys the concept of partnership with
consumers in their weight-loss efforts.
Caroline Apovian, M.D., Director of the Center for Nutrition and Weight
Management at Boston Medical Center welcomed the FDA decision. "I applaud the
Alli
program for stressing the importance of a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet in
conjunction with a weight-loss medicine proven to be safe and effective. This
lines up with research that shows even modest, gradual weight loss provides
significant health benefits."
Caroline Apovian adds.
How to Use alli
alli, the only FDA-approved weight-loss product soon to be available without a
prescription, is indicated for weight loss in overweight adults 18 years and
older when used along with a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet. The recommended dose
of alli is one 60 mg capsule three times a day with meals containing fat.
Taken at meal-time, alli works by blocking about 25 per cent of the fat in the
food a person eats. Because of the way it works, alli must be used in
conjunction with a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet containing about 15 grams of
fat per meal. The guides and information supplied in the alli package help the
consumer to control the amount of fat in their meals, and to follow an
appealing, reduced-calorie, low-fat diet.
Alli Side effects
Consuming a meal with too much fat, while taking alli , can result in bowel changes such as having an urgent need to
use the bathroom. These changes, called treatment effects, generally occur in
the first weeks of treatment, can be managed by following
the recommended diet with about 15 grams of fat per meal. Users should take a
multivitamin once a day, because alli can reduce the absorption of
some vitamins.
A higher dose of orlistat has
been marketed as the prescription drug Xenical (orlistat 120 mg capsules) in
the U.S. since 1999. Orlistat experience in more than 25 million patient treatments and
more than 100 clinical studies with more than 30,000 patients is unprecedented.
One of these studies with Xenical is the four-year landmark XENDOS trial
conducted by Roche, its inventor and manufacturer. This study is the longest
study ever conducted for a weight-loss medicine.
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