Prescription Diet Pill First to Go Over the Counter

According to recent headlines, Xenical (Orlistat) will become the first precription diet pill to be sold over the counter. The drug blunts fat absorption by blocking the digestive enzyme lipase. The over the counter version is a lower strength called Alli.

Alli is not your typical appetite suppresant weight loss pill. It works in an entirely different manner. Alli prevents some of the fat you eat from being absorbed and then the fat simply passes right through you.

At first this may sound great since less fat means less calories. Alli, unfortunately, has numerous unwanted and uncomfortable gastrointestinal side effects. These include oily discharge, leaking, flatulence, oily spotting, liquid stools and incontinence.

Using a fat blocker like Alli may actually block the really healthy fats in our diet like the omega 3's and alpha lipoic acid. Both these fats decrease the risk of several degenerative diseases and have been proven to assist with weight loss.

Those with eating disorders may also abuse the drug. Alli is likely to start a fat phobia mindset like that of an anorexic. Bulemics, who already abuse laxatives, will easily become addicted to Alli. Finally, the purging action of Alli could trigger binge eating.

The fat loss studies using Alli aren't very impressive. In 6 month clinical trials, patients taking Alli lost only 4-5 more pounds than the group that took nothing. Again, that only 4-5 more pounds over a six month time period.

With less than impressive research results, it hardly makes since to take a drug with so many negative gastrointestinal symptoms. The makers of Alli claim it would cost $12 to $25 a week to use the product. That's literally $100 a month down the toilet.

Here's a call for physicians to stop prescribing drugs for weight loss and start encouraging their patients to lift weights, perform variable intensity cardio and eat healthy and sensibly. Consumers, it's time to stop fattening the wallets of the drug companies.

Xenedrine (Alli), is a senseless drug. Even appetite suppressants make more sense that a pill that absorbs fat and then pushes it through your intestines at a rate that causes spotting, diarreah, leaking and incontinence. After enduring these unpleasant symptoms, the product barely works better than a placebo.

Do yourself a favor and walk right by the Alli and head straight for the fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low fat dairy. To lose weight and be healthy you have to exercise and eat well. Train hard, eat right and enjoy success.

Dr. Lanny Schaffer is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of The International Fitness Academy. For more weight loss and fitness tips go to http://www.aerobic-exercise-coach.com