Jay O asked:
Alli (main ingredient Orlistat) is the first over the counter FDA approved weight loss pill. Unfortunately, it has embarrassing side effects. If you are over weight and looking for a miracle quick fix to obesity, there simply isn’t one yet for several reasons.
1. All drugs have side effects, which are unintentional, undesirable, results from taking a drug. One side effect from taking Alli is suddenly having to go to the bathroom. Alli is supposed to be taken with a low fat diet, so when you eat too much fat your body can’t absorb it and it just comes out. Anyone who has lost weight from dieting knows that every once in awhile you eat cake, cookies, fast food, chocolates, potato chips and many other fatty foods. So it would seem this side effect is hard to avoid all of the time. There are also several other side effects besides this one.
2. People have lost weight while using Alli, but they were predominantly relying on a low fat healthy diet and exercise. The results seem to be very gradual, I think one person lost 40 pounds over the course of one year. No noticeable changes in the first week. But many people have lost more than 40 pounds in a year by only using diet and exercise.
3. As you probably guessed, Alli isn’t free. If your financial condition changes will your dependence on a FDA approved weight loss pill change? Exercise is free! You don’t have to pay a fortune to lose weight. Losing weight can be simple. Track the calories you consume throughout the day and the calories you burn from your various activities. Burn more calories than you consume and you will lose weight.
So it would seem a healthy diet and exercise is not outdated yet. If you aren’t eating healthy and exercising daily, most likely you aren’t losing weight. No FDA approved weight loss pill will change that any time soon. The good news is there are places that can show you how to eat healthy and find an exercise activity that you love. If you are ready to make a change in your eating habits and exercise routine, I believe you can lose weight, pill or no pill.
Kelly A Martin asked:
If you are looking for diet pills that are approved by the FDA, then you might want to ask your doctor about prescription Xenical. It might be the right option for your weight loss needs. It is important to understand how Xenical works and the side effects associated with this diet pill before you consider taking it.
When dieting it is common for people to experience many symptoms like the metabolism slowing down, fatigue and more. It is difficult for people to fight the pains of hunger and not eat. It is hard for people to exercise when they are hungry and especially tired. Doctors will prescribe Xenical to help with these issues when you are trying to lose weight and suffering from these side effects.
Xenical has side effects that can be frustrating if you experience them. If the side effects are too much for you then you might consider an herbal alternative to this diet pill. Although Xenical is approved by the FDA the side effects are not harmful, but they can be irritating. Xenical can cause frequent bowel movements and urgent bowels. You might find yourself running to the restroom. It also causes flatulence, fecal incontinence, and steatorrhea. This might seem like diarrhea and it is a side effect of taking Xenical.
Xenical works by reducing the amount of fat your body and your digestive system is capable of absorbing. By reducing the amount of fat your body can absorb, the side effects of kicking it all out of your system is completely normal. The best way to take Xenical and have the least amount of side effects possible then you should eat as little fatty foods as possible. If you have a problem controlling the amount of fats you eat then you might not want to take Xenical.
The majority of people who take Xenical take it because the diet pill is prescribed by their doctor and they are under a physician’s care. Many people trust everything their doctor says. Although, Xenical is prescribed by their doctor and it is FDA approved, it may not be for you. If you experience the side effects of Xenical, then you might consider an herbal alternative.
When the FDA approves any product it means that it has been through many different stages of testing. Several hundreds or thousands of people have taken the drug and tested the reliability of the drug and the safety of the product. After Xenical went through the testing phases and it was verified it was not harmful to anyone, then it was finally approved by the FDA. This process takes several years and the FDA approval means that they back the product. It is usually safer to take any product that has been approved by the FDA. If a doctor is prescribing it to you, then you might consider it even safer.
Xenical is a diet pill that has been approved by the FDA to help people who are trying to lose weight get past the problems they have with hunger pains, lower metabolism, fatigue, and more. This form of diet pill has to be prescribed by a doctor. If you suffer from any of the side effects with your bowels, then you might consider eating less fat or looking for a diet pill that works differently.
Kalvin C. Chinyere, M.D. asked:
Alli is a weight loss drug and the first over-the-counter drug to be approved by the FDA. Alli can help you lose weight but the positives may not outweigh the negatives.
Alli works by preventing your body from breaking down one-forth (25%) of the fat you eat. This leads to less calories being absorbed by your body and potential weight loss. What more could you ask for?
Unfortunately, Alli does have side effects. The fat that your body does not absorb will pass through your system. This fat may lead to an excessive need to pass gas, an excessive need to pass stool, loose stool or oily stool. The side effects can be decreased or avoided by limiting fat intake to 15 grams per meal. What more can you ask for?
True effects of Alli
Alli is taken three times a day. If you eat the maximum of 15 grams of fat during those meals for a total of 45 grams, Alli will prevent 11 grams from being absorbed. That results in 100 less calories a day. That is a significant amount of calories.
However, those are the direct effects. Indirectly, Alli causes a greater calorie reduction by forcing you to eat less fat. You will eat less fat because if you eat too many grams of fat you will have more side effects. Eat less fat or get a diaper. Which would you choose?
What more can you ask for?
Why would you not take Alli? The side effects can be difficult to handle, but these can be decreased or avoided with a low fat, portion-controlled diet. However, decreasing the amount of fat in your diet may decrease the amount of good fats in your diet. Alli may also have an effect on the absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Xenical is a prescription drug made with the same compound in Alli. However, it is two times as strong as Alli. The only problem is that Xenical has not proven to be effective. Not because the drug does not work but because people do not adhere to the diet. So, is a drug with half the strength of Xenical going to work?
Positives and Negatives
Alli Positives:
* FDA approved. That is like being baptized by the Pope
* Blocks 25% of the fat calories you eat
* Forces you to eat a low fat, portion-controlled diet
* Encourages slow and steady weight loss
Alli Negatives:
* May cause excessive gas and/or stool production
* Cost up to $2.50 a day
* May discourage the consumption of good fats
* Decreases the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K
* Stronger version of Alli did not work
Alli may be a miracle drug or a waste of money. It will not work for most people but it will work for some. So, try it because you may be one of the lucky few.
A Aaronson asked:
Turn on the television or open-up a magazine today and there staring back at you is likely an advertisement for botox. It seems like a day doesn’t pass without me hearing about this treatment and the wonders it can do for ****** wrinkles and other minor imperfections that I might want to get rid of. However, while botox treatment is “non-surgical” it does come with some inherent risks. Additionally, doctors today are using it for all sorts of “off-label” uses which can easily increase your risks if you aren’t careful.
Why was Botox approved by the FDA?
Botulinum is a neurotoxin which was approved by the FDA in 1989 for treating crossed eyes and eyelid tics. Surprisingly, Botulinum is on the list of Homeland Security’s list of potential agents of bioterrorism because of its powerful neurotoxicity. However, it’s this same property which makes it effective in the fight against wrinkles, when used in a safe and controlled environment.
With the initial FDA approval of Botulinum for crossed eyes and eyelid tics, it opened up a whole new world of what are referred to as “off-label” uses. When the FDA approves a drug for use, it also gives physicians a liberal usage of that substance for other uses which are not the ones which it was approved for. This is referred to as “off-label” usage.
The Most Popular Off-Label Uses for Botox
Because botox works by paralyzing muscles and thus relieves muscle spasms, it’s most common off-label uses include treatments for neck pain, back pain, bladder spasms, migraine headaches, and many other ills caused by muscle contractions. It was from some of these uses that the correlation between wrinkle removal and botox was born.
The 2002 Botox Approval for Glabellar Lines
In 2002, the FDA approved Botulinum for cosmetic surgery was used to treat glabellar lines, or wrinkles which form between the eyebrows. Many patients remain unaware about the temporary effects of the procedure that ensures repetitive treatment necessity. While this caused a surge in popularity of the drug, it also opened up door to many plastic surgeons and other physicians working with botox for other similar off-label uses, such as forehead wrinkles, crow’s feet, lip area wrinkles and even those on the neck.
Botulinum is a fast moving drug benefiting both the doctors and manufacturers. The main problem with off-label usage of any drug is that the long-term studies have not been conducted to prove that they are safe. So, while patients are flocking to their plastic surgeons to get botox injections to alleviate their entire ****** and neck wrinkles, it has only been approved by FDA to treat glabellar lines. Thus it can be used in a very limited amount. The jury is still out on the long-term issues which may be caused by using more of the substance than it was approved for. For this single reason, you should always think long and hard when you are considering botox injections for yourself. It is always better to error on the side of caution than to overdo it.