About Weight Loss Drug Alli
• What it does: The main ingredient, orlistat, blocks absorption of about a quarter of the fat you eat, preventing the body from storing those calories.
• How it works: It's taken three times a day with meals containing some fat. Users should limit fat intake to 15 grams per meal. (A turkey sandwich with mayo and cheese might have 26 grams of fat or more.) You also need to take supplements containing fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, E and K, and beta-carotene daily (preferably at bedtime) because the drug may prevent you from absorbing the nutrients from your food.
• Possible benefit: You could lose up to 50 percent more weight than with diet and exercise alone. For example, you could lose 15 pounds instead of 10.
• Side effects: They include oily bowel movements, gas and bloating, stomach cramps and an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Effects are more intense when high-fat foods are consumed while using the drug.
• Cost: Prices vary depending on the store, but a starter pack with 90 capsules, a reference booklet, guide to an online diet plan and a carrying case for the capsules costs about $65. Capsules are about 60 cents each in refill packs.
SOURCES: National Institutes of Health, myalli.com
• How it works: It's taken three times a day with meals containing some fat. Users should limit fat intake to 15 grams per meal. (A turkey sandwich with mayo and cheese might have 26 grams of fat or more.) You also need to take supplements containing fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, E and K, and beta-carotene daily (preferably at bedtime) because the drug may prevent you from absorbing the nutrients from your food.
• Possible benefit: You could lose up to 50 percent more weight than with diet and exercise alone. For example, you could lose 15 pounds instead of 10.
• Side effects: They include oily bowel movements, gas and bloating, stomach cramps and an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Effects are more intense when high-fat foods are consumed while using the drug.
• Cost: Prices vary depending on the store, but a starter pack with 90 capsules, a reference booklet, guide to an online diet plan and a carrying case for the capsules costs about $65. Capsules are about 60 cents each in refill packs.
SOURCES: National Institutes of Health, myalli.com
