The weight-loss drug Orlistat also known as (Xenical) was approved in 1999 as a prescription drug to treat severe obesity. The FDA has approved a reduced-strength 60 Milligram OTC version of Orlistat (Alli) for adults age 18 and older. Alli promotes weight loss by decreasing absorption of fat by the intestines.
Dr. Sidney M. Wolfe has fought to ban Orlistat in his role as research director with the consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen. Its release in nonprescription form, he said, is "a massive mistake on the part of the FDA and GlaxoSmithKline. We urge that nobody use this product."
He said Orlistat has no known health benefits, users regain weight rapidly when they stop taking it and the range of health risks includes precancerous colon lesions.
How the Alli program works:
Alli is not only the first FDA approved weight loss drug OTC, it is the only FDA OTC that is both a weight loss drug and a weight loss treatment plan with support. Alli is a weight loss drug made by Glaxo-Smith Kline.
Alli blocks 25% fat absorption when you take the pill with each meal. Blocking fat results in “treatment effects,” otherwise known as frequent trips to the restroom.
Side Effects:
Fat Malabsorption occurs, since (fat soluble Vitamins A,D,E & K) are flushed out with your feces. Diarrhea, Frequent fecal urgency.
Warnings:
Organ transplant alert:
Allergy alert:
Do not use if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in Orlistat capsules.
Do not use:
Ask a doctor before use if you have ever had
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before use if you are
When using this product
Stop use and ask a doctor if
If pregnant or breast-feeding, do not use.
Keep out of reach of children. In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
Tamper-Evident features for your protection. The bottle of capsules has a foil seal under the cap imprinted with the words "sealed for your protection". each individual capsules is sealed with a dark blue band around the center of the capsule. Do not use this product if any of these tamper-evident features are missing, torn or broken
There are numerous side-effects associated with fat malabsorption. Our most primitive fitness senses should be on high alert, as we all know that several of our vitamins are fat --soluble (in case you have forgotten, A, D, E, and K). In most cases vital fat soluble nutrients are flushed out with your fat-laden feces. Other notable acute, but regularly occurring, side effects include, diarrhea, frequent fecal urgency, bloating, fecal incontinence, and anal leakage; all of this and a bleak 1-yr weight loss total that may approximate a mere 5% (Anderson, 2006). In addition, the mode of action of Alli begs for abuse; I wonder how many people are thinking, "Hey, I can eat chicken wings all night and 30% of the deep-fried goodness will be flushed down the toilet!"
A careful review through
PubMed suggests that the health concerns of chronic Orlistat
dosing may be even worse. It has been well documented in
epidemiological and animal studies that diets rich in fat
promote colorectal cancer (Morotomi et al., 1997;Newmark et
al., 2001), partially due to the high fat content in feces. In
a recent article published in Cancer Letters the authors
suggest that the increased fat content in fecal matter
associated with Orlistat dosing promotes the progression of
colonic cancer. This effect is associated with intracolonic
changes that are a result of the direct action of high fat
levels on coloncytes. In a series of experiments, Britto
Garcia et al. observed that in rats
Orlistat was associated with increased
markers of first stage colorectal cancer, independent of a
high fat diet (Britto Garcia et al., 2006).
THE FINE
PRINT: GlaxoSmithKline advises exercise and diet
interventions should be adhered to while taking Alli.
Based merely
on the inherent laziness of most humans, the same
complications with adherence to these traditional modalities
of weight loss will prevail in populations using Alli. In
light of such recommendations and potential health risks, Alli
may prove not so MAGIC after all. Very few studies have
directly compared the efficacy of Orlistat containing products
(i.e., Alli or Xenical) with common weight loss supplements.
However, in a randomized comparative study it was found that
the commonplace "fat-burner", Xenadrine RFA-1 (Cytodine
Technologies) was more effective as a weight loss agent than a
prescription "fat-blocker" in overweight women (Colker et al.,
2002). In fact, in 12 weeks, the Xenadrine group saw 180% more
weight loss than the prescription drug group. Indeed, some of
the most basic supplements have proven to more effectively
promote weight loss when combined with diet and exercise. For
instance, supplements that include green tea extract prove
time and time again to be very effective in promoting
lipolysis, while simultaneously promoting health (see our
R&D article on Green Tea Extract). So, why would Americans
take the unnecessary health risks and use Alli? Most likely,
because it is new, it is "medical", and flushing ingested fat
down the toilet implies an easy way to lose weight.
Unfortunately, the latter is not the case and may come with
serious costs to human health.
Xenadrine RFA-1
is an herbal dietary supplement promoted as a weight loss
remedy. It contains the herbs Ma Huang (also known as
ephedrine), guarana (a caffeine source), willow bark extract,
ginger root, Citrus aurantium, and several supplements. The
manufacturer of Xenadrine RFA-1 claims the product increases
the body's ability to burn fat. But there's no medical
research to support claims that Xenadrine RFA-1 is effective
for weight loss or reducing body fat.
Side effects of Xenadrine include tremor, headache, trouble sleeping, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and dizziness. Two of its ingredients, Ma Huang and guarana, have been associated with serious side effects including heart problems, irregular heartbeats, stroke, seizures, and death.
Proactol Plus is known as a fat binder, whereas, Alli or Xenical are both fat blockers. Fat binder and a fat blocker are not the same thing. The fat blocking process is what causes the embarassing anal leakage when you least expect it. Whereas, with Proactol being a fat binder you won't experience these nasty effects because it binds to the fat in a thick, viscous matter that doesn't cause anal leakage! So, what would you rather have?
Sources:
| Product Comparison |
 |
 |
| Product Name | Proactol Plus | Alli |
| Mechanism | Medically Approved Fat Binder | Lipase Inhibitor |
| Active Ingredient | Neopuntia 535Mg | Orlistat 60Mg |
| % Of Fat Blocked Per Meal | 28% | 25% |
| Side Effects | None Reported | Fat Malabsorption Vitamins A,D,E & K - Diarrhea - Bloating - Anal Leakage |
| Weight Loss Without Exercise | 13lbs/Month | 5-10lbs Over 6 Months |
| Age Requirement | 18+ | 18+ |
| Availability | Now | Now |
| Directions | Take 2 Tabs After Each Meal | 1 Cap With Each Meal - No More Than 3 Per Day |
| Price | $68.95 | $75 |
| Review | Proactol Plus | Alli |
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