The FDA has approved the first over the counter diet drug pill, alli which is a weaker version of the prescription drug orlistat. Orlistat, when taken with meals blocks ¼ of the fat consumed. The interesting thing is that taking the drug alone will likely produce little results. You must consume a low-fat diet and exercise to gain any benefits form the drug.
The drug blocks the absorption of fat in the intestines, usually between 150 and 200 calories. This fat is released through the elimination process and can produce side effects. The most common are loose bowels, bloating and cramps. The FDA says that eating a low-fat diet can help reduce these side effects, they also recommend that the user take a multi- vitamin at bedtime.
Test indicated that user of orlistat lost and additional 2 to 3 pounds for every 5 lost thru exercise and a low-fat diet. Keep in mind that taken alone the drug will likely produce no results so it is important to eat a balanced low-fat diet and exercise regularly. This give you a few things to consider: 1) if the drug only works with proper diet and exercise do you really need to be taking a drug, 2) are you willing to suffer the consequences associated with this drug to gain the possible benefits and 3) couldn’t you get the same results working out regularly and eat a healthy diet without consuming a drug? After all it is not a magic pill and the FDA stresses that you must exercise and consume a low-fat diet to get any results from the drug. Sounds to me like the same thing we’ve been talking about for years; diet and exercise are the key to reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts”. -Sir Winston Churchill-
