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The nonprescription drug Alli (pronounced like the noun "ally") hit the shelves in February 2007 as the first over-the-counter diet drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Alli has some embarrassing side effects — frequent loose stools, and an oily discharge sometimes known as "anal discharge." The Alli website provided by the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, warns that Alli users "may feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom" and that "it's probably a smart idea to wear dark pants, and bring a change of clothes with you to work" until they have a grip on these unpleasant side effects.
Excess Fat Is Eliminated by the Body
These side effects of Alli are due to its fat-blocking function. Alli works by preventing the body from breaking down fat and absorbing it. The unabsorbed fat must be eliminated from the body, and an Alli user who exceeds the Glaxo-recommended limit of 15 grams of fat per meal may experience the fat elimination as an oily discharge.
An Alli capsule is taken with each meal. Each capsule has 60 milligrams of orlistat, the active ingredient of Alli and the older weight-loss drug Xenical. Alli's orlistat blocks about 25% of the fat consumed. For example, Alli taken with a half-cup serving of ice cream that has 320 calories and 19 fat grams would block 43 calories and 4.75 fat grams. Understandably, Glaxo markets Alli as a tool that will help dieters lose more weight in concert with a sensible diet and an exercise plan, not as a stand-alone product that will allow a person to lose weight effortlessly.
Regaining the Weight after Alli
A 1999 study reported in the journal of the American Medical Association described 1,187 dieters who took either a placebo or 120 mg of orlistat (which is twice the orlistat that Alli provides). After a year, the orlistat group had lost about 50% more weight than the placebo group, but within a year after the study period with orlistat, both groups gained much of the weight back.
Are you experiencing medical problems after taking a diet drug? Discuss your legal options with an experienced drug recall attorney today.