WHY YOU SHOULDN’T RUN OUT & BUY THE NEW MIRACLE DIET PILL ALLI!

All we heard on the radio recently while driving to work was how stores carrying Alli (the new over the counter weight loss drug) can’t keep it in stock. The drug was released to shelves on last Thursday and places like Walgreen’s had lines out the door at midnight waiting for it!

HOW IT WORKS

This FDA approved drug acts to block fat from being absorbed in our intestine. However experts say that this will work as part of a weight loss program which is outlined in instructions included when you purchase the pill…something many will choose to ignore. Most fat loss supplements state that they should be used in coordination with a healthy diet and exercise, but seldom is that the way consumers use it. They just hear magic weight loss pill and expect it to go to work!

SIDE EFFECTS

So what happens to the fat that your body doesn’t absorb? The fat that isn’t absorbed then passes through the rest of the digestive system. The end result is having loose stools, oily discharge, and soiling! Yes, I said soiling! It can produce uncontrollable bowel movements causing people to go before making it to a bathroom. Is losing a few pounds really worth going to the bathroom in your pants? The directions and warnings literally recommend having a change of clothes with you for when this happens. Wow! That alone leaves us questioning why this drug is flying off the shelves in record time.

NUTRITIONAL EFFECTS

The nasty physical side effects aside, it also concerns me nutritionally. One reason being, it can’t decipher between which fats to absorb and which ones to pass by, they all appear to be the same. This means healthy fats like omega 3 fatty acids which are essential to our diet may be excreted leaving a person deficient. Along with that, the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, may not be able to be absorbed in the quantity that is necessary.

The other nutrition aspect that brings about concern is the different fat content need for different people. As you know, we do Diet Typing here at Caring Medical to determine how much fat, protein, and carbohydrate you need. So, if one person needs 10% fat in their diet and the next person needs 25% fat they will not being getting their individual needs for fat. This pill is going to absorb a certain, specific amount of fat no matter what the needs are of that person.

If you are someone who was or is considering jumping on the Alli bandwagon I would suggest, and even beg for you to get an informed opinion first. Know the facts; look at the studies, those alone might change your mind. Contact us to learn more information as to why this and other “magic” supplements may not be the right way to go!