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launch of Alli (orlistat) – the first FDA-approved prescription drugs for obesity – is good news for millions of Americans are obese and seriously overweight. Alli, which is expected to reach pharmacy shelves in the summer, consists of a reduction in the resistance formula of the popular weight loss Xenical (orlistat) and is the only weight loss drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved and made available without prescription.

Pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline Alli industry and holds the rights to Alli products by mutual agreement with Roche, the maker of prescription Xenical. Xenical has a safety record and stable were found to be moderately effective in weight loss in obese people. Studies show that patients taking prescription Xenical in combination with a weight loss program, patients lost an average of 12.4 kilos of weight less than six months – about twice the amount lost by patients with weight loss medication placebo. Some studies have suggested that Alli, a half dose (and about a third of the price of prescription Xenical) is almost as effective.

How does it work?

Alli is the same chemical structure as Xenical made. It prevents fat from food absorbed by the body after consumption of food. The undigested fat is then eliminated from the body of intestinal waste. As such drugs, it leads to a reduction in fat intake by as much as 30%.
Alli will be in 60 milligram capsules three times daily with meals, the fat be present available. Officials of GlaxoSmithKline said the drug works by “eating blocking over 25 percent of fat in the diet a person. Because, as it does have to alli use low fat in conjunction with a low calorie diet containing about 15 grams of fat per meal. “GlaxoSmithKline has also pointed out that the drug helps people lose weight by 50 percent more than diet alone. Alli will cost consumers a week.

“This is the only FDA approved a non-prescription drug product for weight loss,” said Dr. Charles J. Ganley, director of the FDA Division of Over-the-counter medicines, said during a conference call. “There are a few products, mainly food supplements that make weight loss claims and are not approved by the FDA, even if they are authorized to make such allegations.”

Alli vs. U. S. obesity epidemic />
The FDA approved the first prescription drug for weight reduction is that the United States and other Western countries with an unprecedented obesity epidemic, to fight. According to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years and older - over 60 million people - are obese. An additional amount of 36 percent of Americans are overweight.

But Alli is the magic pill that will follow a diet called? Maybe not, according to some researchers. Dr. Raj Padwal, assistant professor of general internal medicine at the University of Alberta, is uncertain about the effectiveness of the drug. “People can 1-2 kg (2.2 to 4.4 lbs) to lose that half of the dose intensity [Xenical]. Whether it is reasonable doubt,” said Padwal. “The patient may occasionally use, but many patients do not. For patients need the extra motivation to a diet that will keep low in fat, the drug can help.”

Alli is likely to cause direct damage is very limited, but may also have limited good thing, “said Dr. David L. Katz, associate professor of public health and director of the Center for Prevention Research at Yale University School of Medicine.” [Alli] is a relatively ineffective weight loss aid, he said. “While the availability of the drug, people distracted by the approach that has been shown to control the weight – eating right and actively -. While the FDA decision could be rather harmful than useful, although good intentions”

Side Effects

After research and testing, Alli has very little negative side effects. However, users are warned: a meal with too much fat while taking the drug can cause bowel changes such as loose stools, according to the FDA. Side effects are usually in the first weeks of treatment and by following the recommended diet can be managed per meal of about 15 grams of fat, said GlaxoSmithKline. It is also recommended that users a multivitamin once daily at bedtime, because taking this drug may impair the absorption of some vitamins.

Other side effects may include:

? The oily stains
? Gas with discharge
?
Fecal urgency
? Fatty or oily stools
? Frequent bowel movements

Before Alli

Prior consultation with a doctor is recommended before taking Alli. Look for:

? Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to orlistat or other drugs.

? Tell your doctor or pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription you are taking, especially anticoagulants (blood thinners such as warfarin””) (Coumadin), medications for diabetes such as glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Diabeta, Dynas, Micronase), metformin (Glucophage) and insulin, other medicines for weight loss pravastatin (Pravachol), vitamins such as beta-carotene and vitamin A, E, for example, and K, and herbal products. If you are taking cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), you take 2 hours or 2 hours after orlistat.

? Tell your doctor if you have or had anorexia or bulimia, gallstones, thyroid disease, diabetes, kidney problems or if you still have problems food (malabsorption) absorb.

? Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or are breast-feeding have become.

? Tell your doctor your medical history, including avoiding the abuse of drugs or alcohol to any medical incident.

Also, people who had organ transplants not Alli. Any person or blood-thinning medication for diabetes or thyroid disease should consult a doctor before increasing the application of the drug treatment, said the FDA.

Alli is the end of treatment, the struggles against the epidemic of obesity once and for all? Studies show it can certainly help, but skeptics are just as tired, its overall effectiveness. If you are considering taking Alli when it hits shelves this summer are, do not forget to first consult your doctor.