Weight Loss Drugs - weight loss information

With obesity on the rise in America, and the lengthy list of medical issues attributed to it, consumers are searching for ways to lose weight. Nothing represents America's desire to lose weight more than the billions of dollars spent each year on weight loss programs.

Unfortunately though, those trying the newest fad diet or diet pill quickly find the money spent doesn't pay off.

Alli is the most recent diet pill to hit the market. Made by the same manufacturer of the prescription diet drug Xenical, Alli is a lower dosage version and can be purchased over-the-counter.

Just like Xenical, Alli is promoted as a weight-loss enhancer by preventing the absorption of fat from foods we eat. And just like its predecessor, Alli does increase the risk of becoming deficient of fat soluble vitamins. Therefore, taking a daily multi-vitamin at a different time than taking Alli is a must.

Alli's manufacturer recommends using the pill in conjunction with making lifestyle changes. These changes include exercising and eating a low-calorie, fat-controlled diet. Since Alli is a fat blocker, the manufacturer recommends eating no more than 15 grams of fat at each meal, or a consumer runs the risk of having negative symptoms (i.e.: gas, loose stools, diarrhea, and more frequent and/or hard to control bowel movements).

Fifteen grams of fat per meal equates to eating 25 percent of one's daily calories from fat when following an 1,800 calorie meal plan (or three meals with 15 grams of fat and one snack with 5 grams of fat). Fat should provide 20 to 35 percent of our daily calories, according to the 2005 U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines.

Does it work?

Weight loss may occur, but not necessarily in the amount you are hoping. According to Dr. Donald Hensrud, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., although some studies have been done on Alli, most of the weight loss projections are based upon the results of studies done with Xenical. With Xenical creating an average weight loss of only 6 pounds each year above weight loss from diet and exercise, he concludes at "half the strength, Alli could conceivably result in an average of 3 pounds lost in a year."

In the end, I feel the potential positives associated with the use of Alli are heavily outweighed by the negatives. Therefore, I recommend customers save their money and not use this diet aid.

Source: http://www.masslive.com/