Lose Fifty Percent More Weight – At What Cost?

If there was a way you could boost your weight loss efforts by 50%, would you? Your first thought might be. “What’s the catch?” In this case we are talking about the weight loss drug Alli. Alli says you can lose 50% more weight using their pills.

Before you run out and buy yourself a package let us take a closer look at the Alli program. For starters, the Alli packet says that you should start exercising and eating a low-fat, low-calorie diet. The fact is, if you started exercising and eating a low-fat, low-calorie diet, you would lose weight. So why take the pills?

The benefit is that extra 50% weight loss you could experience. Alli does this by blocking fats from being absorbed by your body.

Good Fats vs Bad Fats

The downside is that Alli cannot distinguish between the good-for-you fats and the bad-for-you fats. It is going to eliminate a certain amount of both of those. This means that if you have started eating fish more often for those Omega-3 fatty acids that are so good for you and good for your brain, eating your fish along with taking Alli is going to defeat the purpose because part of those Omega-3s are not going to be absorbed.

Another problem with Alli not distinguishing the good fat from the bad fat are fat-soluble vitamins; vitamins such as E, A, D, and K. Alli cannot distinguish between these vitamins and bad fats. This presents the risk of malnutrition. A vitamin D deficiency can promote some serious diseases including diabetes, depression, osteoporosis, schizophrenia, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and even gum disease. But there’s another negative effect of using Alli.

“Treatment Effects”

It is what they call “treatment effects.” According to the Alli Companion Guide, it says “The Alli capsules prevent some of the fats you eat from being absorbed. Your body removes the undigested fat through your bowels. As a result of this process, you may experience some treatment effects especially after meals containing more than 30% fats. These effects may include gas with oily spotting, loose stools, more frequent stools that may be hard to control.” There is a warning that appears on the Alli website that says you may feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom and that until you have a sense of any treatment effects it’s probably a smart idea to wear dark pants and bring a change of clothes to work with you. It is also suggested in the Companion Guide, “Women may want to consider using a panty liner in case you experience treatment effects.”

Is losing a few more pounds worth the risk of malnutrition and public accidents?