Alli ( Orlistat ) for Weight Loss Xenical

How Alli Works (How Orlistat Works)

Alli is the brand name for over-the-counter orlistat, marketed by GlaxoSmithKline. Orlistat is a weight loss drug that also comes in prescription strength for the treatment of obesity. Alli contains 60 mg orlistat, while the prescription-strength form--Xenical--contains 120 mg orlistat.

Alli is taken up to three times a day just before meals. Alli works by limiting the ability of lipase, an enzyme in the body that breaks down fat in the digestive tract. Because the fat is not completely broken down by the disabled lipase, the body cannot absorb all the fat ingested during a meal. According to the Alli website, Alli works to prevent about a quarter of the fat eaten from being absorbed. This, in turn, helps aid in reducing caloric intake and promoting weight loss.

Orlistat Side Effects

While there has been a fair amount reported on Alli side effects--such as loose or runny stools, diarrhea, urgent bowel movements, gas with oily spotting, and abdominal pain--reports of serious liver injury have received worldwide attention. Between 1999 and October 2008, 32 reports of serious liver injury, including 6 cases of liver failure, in patients using orlistat were submitted to FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System. Thirty of the 32 reports occurred outside the United States. The most commonly reported adverse events described in the 32 reports of serious liver injury were jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes), weakness, and abdominal pain. Hospitalization was reported in 27 of the 32 cases.

In 2007, Alli (orlistat 60mg) was approved for over-the-counter use for weight loss in overweight adults, 18 years and older, in conjunction with a reduced-calorie and low-fat diet. Currently, orlistat is approved for marketing in approximately 100 countries. In January 2009, a nonprescription version of orlistat was approved for sale in the European Union.