# Tell me about "Alli"



## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

Just posted my weight on the weigh-in sticky: 169lbs. and only 5'3"...... I have hit 35 yrs old <when did THAT happen?!?!>, so I know that getting back to my goal weight of 132lbs will be more difficult than it was at 27 when I joined the military.

SOOOOO.....this Alli product sounds like a winner to me; I know I have the discipline to excercise, but my eating habits are wrong and bizzarre, to say the least!

Pros? Cons?


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## WindowOrMirror (Jan 10, 2005)

I took a product 'like' Alli many years ago. There are a couple of things to be aware of / watch out for.

First, there will be fat present in your intestines now (that does not typically happen without Alli). As a result, your ... ummmm... 'output' may change in frequency, texture, etc and you may have far more gas than usual. If you have any intestinal issues before taking it, see a doctor first (Crohn's disease, celiac, etc).

Second, if your diet doesn't already have a lot of fat in it, don't expect Alli to be a miracle cure. My diet is already relatively low in fat, so it wouldn't do much for me today. It only keeps you from metabolizing up to half of the fat you eat. If you have a diet that is - calorically - 18% fat (like mine at the moment), it will help you not metabolize up to 9% of your total calories. That's not 'magic' in any way.

That's all I've got!

R


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

All I know about it is that it is derived from castor oil. ?? That's not very helpful, I know, but that is all I've got! L! 

Cindyc.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

And that "oily spotting" seems to be a common complaint. 

Yikes! 
No thanks...


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

mmmm. hmmmm. anal leakage vs. extra time doing crunches and jogging..... I guess I'll be jogging more! lol


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

I take it all the time. It allows me to enjoy all of the fun greasy things that are available to eat in Las Vegas. The "pro" is that it really works in reducing your dietary fat intake. It makes any meal a low fat meal; even prime rib with potato & sour cream.

When you first start taking Alli the side effects are unmistakable. You will have abdominal cramps, gas, and urgent loose bowel movements. There will be orange oil in the toilet afterward, which Alli & Xenical (same as Alli but a double-strength prescription) users call the "orange revenge".

Interestingly though, the severe cramps & gas go away after 3 or 4 weeks of use. Stools aren't even as loose and become more predictable. If you give it a month or two you will find that you can get along with Alli just fine. Trust me on that.

By the way, Alli is kind of pricey at local supermarkets and drug stores; maybe $65 for the bottle of 120 capsules. I get it at eBay for around $40, and that's a delivered price.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

Nevada said:


> I take it all the time. It allows me to enjoy all of the fun greasy things that are available to eat in Las Vegas. The "pro" is that it really works in reducing your dietary fat intake. It makes any meal a low fat meal; even prime rib with potato & sour cream.
> 
> When you first start taking it the side effects are unmistakable. You will have abdominal cramps, gas, and urgent loose bowel movements. There will be orange oil in the toilet afterward, which Alli & Xenical (same as Alli but a double-strength prescription) users call the "orange revenge".
> 
> ...


But on the other hand, if I just manage my caloric intake the rest of the day, and I want prime rib with potato and sour cream, I can have it without even 1 day of side affects. But then I'm the kind of person who won't take meds that aren't at least 10 years old. I want to know what the long term side affects of such a thing might be and I don't think anybody knows before something is introduced to the general population for at least 10 years. That's a big enough data set for me. Not before.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

cindy-e said:


> But on the other hand, if I just manage my caloric intake the rest of the day, and I want prime rib with potato and sour cream, I can have it without even 1 day of side affects. But then I'm the kind of person who won't take meds that aren't at least 10 years old. I want to know what the long term side affects of such a thing might be and I don't think anybody knows before something is introduced to the general population for at least 10 years. That's a big enough data set for me. Not before.


Oh, it's been around for over 10 years. The FDA approved the prescription product Xenical on April 23, 1999. The only difference between Xenical and Alli are their strengths, which are 120 mg and 60 mg respectively.

But there are questions about long term use. Since the body produces enzymes that break down dietary fat to allow it to be absorbed into the body, the colon normally doesn't see much oil (unless you take a dose of mineral oil, of course). The drug in Alli deactivates those enzymes, allowing dietary fat to enter the colon. So one has to wonder what the long term effect of having oil present on the colon on a non-stop basis might be after five years or so. No real studies have been done on that.

The drug itself isn't a concern though, since it's not a systemic drug. The drug only serves to deactivate enzymes that break down dietary fat, and evidently stays in the digestive tract. In fact, even overdose is not considered to be a problem.

_Many diet and weight loss products (especially stimulants) can be dangerous if you take too much. However, this does not seem to be the case with Xenical. In one study, people took large doses of orlistat (the active ingredient of Xenical) for up to 15 days without experiencing any problems other than the usual Xenical side effects._
http://weight-loss.emedtv.com/xenical/xenical-overdose.html

Many Xenical users ask if taking a double dose of Xenical will help them lose weight any faster, but that's not the case. 120 mg is sufficient to deactivate the enzymes, so taking two has no increased effect. However, since Alli is a half dose of only 60 mg you can benefit from taking two, but taking any more than two is a waste of expensive pills.


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## Skykomish (May 28, 2008)

According to my nursing instructors, don't use Ally unless you plan on being fecally incontinent.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

I also wonder if you cut 50% of the absorption of fat, wouldn't that also cut 50% of your absorption of fat solluable vitamins and minerals? 

Cindyc.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

cindy-e said:


> I also wonder if you cut 50% of the absorption of fat, wouldn't that also cut 50% of your absorption of fat solluable vitamins and minerals?
> 
> Cindyc.


Yes! They recommend taking a supplement to make up for that.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Skykomish said:


> According to my nursing instructors, don't use Ally unless you plan on being fecally incontinent.


Of course that's only while you're taking it, and mostly at first. It's not going to leave you in that condition permanently. Just don't get the idea that you can tell gas from oil, because you can't. Moreover, your gas might even be oily. You may need to sit in the bathroom to pass gas until you get the hang of what's going on.


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

L- carnitine is an amino acid which preserves lean muscle mass while dieting. Eating less calories while exercising more is a sure fire plan. Make sure to avoid empty calories. Write down what you are eating and allow yourself unlimited vegetables except very starchy ones like potatos. Green tea has beneficial antioxidants and may slightly boost metabolism. As one of my pharmacy continuing educations 10 years ago garcinia was considered the safe appetite suppressor with no drug interactions or side effects it has been used as a flavor enhancer in Indian cooking for a very very long time and gives a feeling of fullness, but it's effect on appetite suppression isn't as good as hoodia which is replacing garcinia in a lot of the over the counter products. Hoodia is a succulent plant from South Africa tribes would chew when going on long trecks to stave off hunger. Some newswoman tried it and now it's all the rage lol. For normal healthy people Metamucil or psyllium fiber also gives a feeling of fullness taken in normal reccommended daily dose according to package with a full glass of water while also helping to prevent colon cancer or diverticulitis. Psyllium fiber binds toxins and removes them from the body which can also have an effect on certain medications-digoxin pops to mind as an example. Chromium picolinate is another to increase metabolism it is claimed and studied to be safe in humans, but there's a little study on cancer in animals with that that sticks in my mind so even though it's on that list of things ok to recommend. I'd say just make sure you're getting enough as a trace supplement. They studied that not enough calcium in the diet can be a factor so a multivitamin with calcium would be a good idea. Drinking plenty of water contributes to weight loss. Being thirsty or dehydrated can be misinterpreted by the body as hunger. Perhaps have a vegetable soup or a salad with oil and vinegar or low cal dressing before a meal. Keep lots of fresh veggies and fruits on hand to stave off hunger and a handful of almonds is also a good trick. I firmly believe there is no magic pill for weight loss. It is a lifestyle modification in the way we think about food and exercise. When someone points at the box of alli and asks me what I think- It's not worth the money.


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## WindowOrMirror (Jan 10, 2005)

Hunger is so rarely the thing that causes a person to be overweight. While we _do_ 'train' our stomachs, people don't generally overeat because they think they are hungry (that is, the achey pain that comes with true hunger)... they eat because it is soothing for them (mental imbalance) or because they are in physical imbalance (that they misunderstand) which makes them crave a certain type of intake.

I am - mostly - that first one. I love food! Not only that, I eat when I am bored or stressed. My body wants carbs. You have to know when and what you desire to eat, or you cannot successfully change the behavior.

No magic pill - even the appetite suppressants that are said to work - will solve the behavioral issue.

R


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

WindowOrMirror said:


> No magic pill - even the appetite suppressants that are said to work - will solve the behavioral issue.


That's true. They will help you get the weight off, but keeping it off is another matter. I think there's no question that taking an appetite suppressant like Meridia, along with Alli, is going to be very effective at taking weight off.

So maybe we can say that there's a magic pill for taking weight off, but no magic pill for keeping weight off.


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

On overeating as a psychological issue studies have shown most men turn to meat for comfort and women to carbs. That man who snuggles up to the steak ends up packing on less pounds. Perhaps slapping some cranberry sauce on a chicken breast or turkey breast and calling it a pie might be the ticket- nevertheless a lifestyle modification.


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

Y'know, I was eating a burger as I started to read this thread.

I'm not hungry anymore.


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## DoubleBee (Nov 13, 2006)

I've been taking Alli since January, and I don't have problems with it. I had oily stool a couple times the first week or so, but only if I ate over 12 grams of fat in the meal I took it with. I've learned not to eat over 9grams fat per meal or so, and changed what I eat and how much. I don't take Alli with every meal because most of mine are low fat, and I think it would be wasting an expensive pill.
I wouldn't say it's a miracle pill, but it's made it easy for me to *change the way I eat* and lose weight. I've lost 32lbs since Jan 11. 
Btw, the Alli book says you'll lose most of your weight in the first 6 months, and it insinuates that you'll only be taking Alli for 6 months. It also says if you start to re-gain, to start taking it again until you get back on track with your food intake.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

I think what bothers me most about Alli is that it plays into the mistaken notion that fat makes you fat...

Fat is _necessary_ in the diet. There are reams of research showing that the old recommendations of the 70s, 80s and 90s of cutting fat not only will not make you lose (or more importantly, keep off!) weight, but that it actually causes many people to _gain_ because they go more high-carb instead...
In addition to the fact that we _know_ supplementing vitamins and minerals is nowhere near as efficient as getting them via food. I think any drug that deliberately inhibits vitamin and mineral absorption should be taken as a _last_ effort. 
(And as many people who claim that drugs/surgery/etc. _is_ their last effort, it's usually not. Most people don't give genuine exercise a real try before coming up with reasons why they "can't", or it "won't work"  )

Or maybe I simply don't understand why someone would _want_ to take a pill that is designed to screw up their body's normal functions.... :shrug:


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## DoubleBee (Nov 13, 2006)

Too much of almost any type food can make you gain weight. 
It seems like you being kind of judgmental. What works for some may not be the right thing for others. Have you ever thought that some people may not be able to exercise? 
You have to use common sense in your daily diet. 
Alli recommends low fat, not no fat. They have a very good booklet that stresses the importance of healthy eating.
I eat more fruits and veggies and steer clear of high carb, high fat foods.

I could almost feel the artery clogging fat in my veins!
I sure don't feel that now. 
I also had high triglycerides, and am due for blood work to see where they are now. I'm sure they are down in the normal range now. 
Alli is working for me, and maybe not in the way you're thinking. I am to the point that I only take it every few days, and most of those are 1 pill a day. It has allowed me to change the way I eat. It's a lifestyle change, not a diet.
I don't feel like I'm dieting, starving, or deprived. 
I do have snack cakes, ice cream, potato chips, but they are low or no fat. 
You're last remark strikes me as odd, because Alli was suggested, recommended and approved by 3 of my husband's doctors. Two different Family Physicians and a cardiac surgeon.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Of course docs recommend it. I'm not particularly new-agey or anything, but I _do_ recognize that Western medicine is based on the notion that "there's a pill for that." :shrug:
BTW, I'm not being even remotely judgmental. I just have _serious_ reservations about the usage of a pill that is designed to screw up your body's functions and I think it deserves discussion. (What is the purpose of the thread, afterall?)



> You have to use common sense in your daily diet.


Sure. But you don't need a pill to have a common sense, daily diet...



> I do have snack cakes, ice cream, potato chips, but they are low or no fat.


My point exactly... You've played into the notion that fat makes you fat. For the most part, the low-fat diet recommendations have been disastrous.  Fat-free/low-fat treats are probably the _worst_ offenders as fat slows the release of insulin when something sugary/starchy is eaten.


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## WindowOrMirror (Jan 10, 2005)

Fat isn't bad... at all. It's totally necessary. Also, simple carbs just need a single water molecule to become fats, so going easy on carbs is part of a low 'fat' diet.

I am firmly convinced that people that are overweight are so because they take in more calories than they burn. Why I am convinced of this? My training in both physics and Chemistry. I have heard people say "I eat 800 kcal a day and still gain weight, because I have bladdiddy bladdiddy dah". Here's a hint though... _I've never seen one actually only eat 800 kcal in a day_. Most people have NO IDEA how many kcal are in their food or how much of their food makes up a specific kcal intake. Read the side of the box... 'only 150 kcal', yeah? for HOW MUCH of the box?! Vanilla wafers... 190 kcal for EIGHT OF THEM. Who here has only eaten EIGHT when they crack the box open?

Are some people more prone to weight gain than others? Yes. Do some people do better with one percentage mix of fats, protein, and carbs than another? Yes. But the variance between those differences in 99.5% of the population is MINISCULE. You take in nourishment, your body processes it into a number of different things, and your movement, breathing, heartbeat, etc; all burn calories. One person with a 'light activity' lifestyle of a similar age and weight to another will burn - in one day - _almost exactly _the same number of kcal as another (this is called finding your basal metabolic rate). The mystery of one person 'being able to eat anything' without gaining weight just isn't there. The differences are miniscule.

Of course, we live in a country that says "it isn't your fault"... is that an excuse? What if you WANT to lose weight but you are gaining it through some reason that "isn't your fault"? That means it isn't under your control either... but we can lose weight when we really want to. Therefore, ergo... it IS your fault and you CAN lose weight; it is within your control. JUST DO IT (sorry Nike)

R


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

ErinP said:


> I think what bothers me most about Alli is that it plays into the mistaken notion that fat makes you fat...


Well, more precisely it's the fat _calories_ that make you fat. In a normal diet you will find that dietary fat is a big contributor to your total caloric intake. Take out the fat and you cut the calories.



ErinP said:


> Of course docs recommend it. I'm not particularly new-agey or anything, but I _do_ recognize that Western medicine is based on the notion that "there's a pill for that." :shrug:


You know what they say; better living through chemistry.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Nevada said:


> Well, more precisely it's the fat _calories_ that make you fat. In a normal diet you will find that dietary fat is a big contributor to your total caloric intake. Take out the fat and you cut the calories.


But we know that this is a bad recommendation...
We NEED fat. It keeps us full, stabilizes blood sugar, enables the usage of vitamins and minerals, balances cholesterols and fatty acids, etc, etc. 
Of course, that isn't to say we shouldn't be a bit selective about which fats and how we get them, but fat is _vital_ to the human body! 

We know that it's excessive calories IN GENERAL that make us fat, and more and more we're discovering it's the excess of _starch/sugar_ calories in particular. (Which is funny, because our grandmothers would have told us that! lol)


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