Nicki Anderson exposes a dirty truth about a risky new weight loss drug
My friend and fellow fitness lover Nicki Anderson who owns and operates the Naperville, IL-based Reality Fitness health center wrote an incredible article in her weekly "Happy Monday" newsletter this week about how the allure of "quick weight loss" can oftentimes deter you from the more important job of retaining your health.
Ever since I first blogged about Nicki early last year, I have grown to love and appreciate her perspective as a weight loss and health counselor for those who desire to get fit. She is arguably one of the most enthusiastic people in the health world you will ever meet and I count it a privilege to know her.
You'll recall I've come down pretty hard against the new over-the-counter weight loss drug called ALLI. In fact, I dedicated an entire podcast show (which became an instant classic and one of the favorites among my listeners!) to it which precipitated quite a response from both pro and con from those who had an opinion about taking it.
Well, Nicki shared what some of her own clients are saying about the use--or should I say ABUSE--of ALLI as part of the weight loss regimen of those they know. Keep in mind this ALLI drug is available EVERYWHERE now, including Wal-mart, drugstores, and anywhere there is a pharmacy. It ain't cheap, but price is no option for many when they just wanna lose weight ANY way they can.
Click here to read the shocking details of what Nicki's client told her about how some people are using ALLI in their desperate attempts to lose weight and to learn why eating healthy should ALWAYS take precedence over being skinny.
New OTC weight loss drug Alli at the center of obesity debate
Did you catch my latest podcast show about the new diet pill that everyone's talking about called Alli? If you missed it, then you need to go listen to what I think will go down as my favorite show ever! Hilarious doesn't even begin to describe it! :D
Anyways, here's what he said about the podcast on Alli:
Let me start by saying that you have A LOT of great information and good reading on your site, I really enjoy it.
I am in no way associated with any program, pill, or company so this is just a average Joe opinion here.
I just read your transcript from the program you did and it reads rather alarmist on one hand and used car salesman on the other. I got the sense of you pushing your way as the best & only way. When you say you are stuck taking it for the rest of your life, I sort of got a confused look.
From what I’ve read re this pill, it is not meant to be taken alone, but in conjunction with a healthier eating style. Ya you get the runs, and poo issues if you have to much fat in your diet, if its really bad just stop taking the pill. I have not taken it, I thought about it as an additional way to take off a few pounds faster in conjunction with my low carb, low to med fat intake.
If the runs are the worst of it I think some people would welcome the extra weight loss. As for being on it for a lifetime, that does not even make sense. If you get your weight down to a level where you can exercise, and you continue to eat healthy, why keep taking it?
Get to your ideal weight and maintain it. As for taking a multivitamin, how can that hurt ya? The key is to not rely on vitamins, diet pills, diets, or anything like that. Eat healthy and you won’t need them. If a pill helps you along the way and doesn’t hurt you, go for it.
Did this person even see all the possible negative reactions that Alli can cause? What's he been smokin'? Here was my response:
THANKS, LJM, but I respectfully disagree with you. There was nothing “alarmist” about my podcast (you REALLY need to listen to it, not just read the transcript!) except that which was found on the web site for both Alli and the FDA which approved the drug to be sold over-the-counter.
If you listen to virtually ANY of my previous podcasts, then you would know how ignorant your “I got the sense of you pushing your way as the best & only way” comment really is because I am all for people finding what works for them, following that plan exactly as prescribed, and then doing it for the rest of their life.
Livin’ la vida low-carb has been that for me and I realize it may not be for everyone. But this Alli is something tee-totally different because we’re not talking about a natural supplement to aid in weight loss. Instead, what we have is a truly dangerous drug that has not just gaseous side effects, but also the risk of COLON CANCER!!! Why even risk taking something like that just to lose only a few extra pounds.
I don’t say you’re stuck taking it for the rest of your life, that’s EXACTLY what the Alli commercial says when the announcer says, “You don’t just take Alli, you commit to it.” What do you think that means, LJM? Did you hear when I quoted from the FDA when they said if you ever get off the Alli pill, you will GAIN your weight back? Again, this is NOT me saying this, but the freakin’ group that approved this thing!
As for this “healthier eating style” crap, a high-carb, low-fat diet does NOT fit that description. When you lower the carbs, the fat is naturally going to increase as a percentage, so this Alli will become that much more harmful to people who are livin’ la vida low-carb. There’s just no wiggling out of this inevitable fate.
Face it, LJM, people are gonna still eat their high-carb and high-fat meals and will take this Alli OTC drug to ease their conscious about it. Boy, will THEY be in for a rude awakening!
I don’t know why people would put themselves through the torture of the side effects that Alli has just to lose a couple more pounds. Why not just work the low-carb plan you are on exactly as the author prescribes and the weight loss can and will happen as quickly as it needs to.
Don’t forget, I lost 180 pounds in 2004 without the use of any drugs or anything other than my all-natural, healthy low-carb Atkins diet. Alli would have been a disaster for me and I very likely would have given up from all the discouraging gas and “accidents.”
Finally, I cannot agree with you lumping vitamins in with something truly unhealthy like diet pills such as Alli. Vitamins are truly an important part of a healthy lifestyle and I have taken them daily for over three years. They are the lifeblood of ANY healthy living strategy and it is ignorant to think otherwise. They are completely safe, too!
While I appreciate your feedback, LJM, you could not be more off base if you tried. Again, you REALLY need to listen to this podcast show so you can hear how the information was presented and then check out past episodes so you won’t be as ignorant about my philosophy the next time you decide to mindlessly rant on a topic you obviously are clueless about.
Take care! :)
Care to add your two cents worth about Alli? Add your comments and join the conversation! And enjoy a laugh or two with this podcast. Kudos to my producer Kevin-Kennedy Spaien for having some fun with this one.
Have you considered becoming "committed" to Alli for weight loss?
Forgive me for not jumping for joy or being filled with excitement over the new over-the-counter weight loss drug being heavily promoted right now called Alli. But in Episode 61 of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" today, you'll hear exactly why anyone who is livin' la vida low-carb should stay very far away from this latest so-called miracle diet pill that some believe is the ever-elusive "magic bullet." But are they shooting themselves in the foot instead?
Let me warn you ahead of time...my producer had way to much FUN with this one. You'll see what I mean when you listen:
"The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" Episode 61 [13:30m]: Play in Popup | Download
Doesn't that just make you wanna run out and get your very own stash of Alli for yourself? NOT! It's truly amazing how a drug with so many well-known adverse side effects could actually be approved by the FDA to be sold over-the-counter while something as harmless as stevia has a tough time getting approved as a sweetener. That FDA is one messed up government entity, I'm telling you! This is a lawsuit worse than Vioxx or Avandia ever dreamed of becoming!
Low-carb podcasting is available to you anytime by:
Have you considered taking Alli, the OTC version of Xenical and orlistat, to help you shed a few extra pounds? Or did you, like one of my readers recently, decide against it because of the risky side effects? Tell us your thoughts about Alli and whether you would ever consider taking a drug like this one in conjunction with your low-carb lifestyle.
Oh, and have you seen what some creative marketing people who make other diet pills are doing lampooning the side effects of Alli? Check this out:
Um, in a word...EWWWWWWW! I think I'd be avoiding Alli if I were you.
Don't miss Thursday's episode of "The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore" because we only have two interviews left from my trip to Nashville last month for the American Society of Bariatric Physicians obesity conference. Hear from the heart of a real doctor who is treating his overweight and obese patients with exactly what they need to be successful. And it ain't Alli!
In the same week when the media is going absolutely crazy with their feeding frenzy giving free publicity to the new over-the-counter GlaxoSmithKline weight loss drug called Alli, along comes a story like this one which just goes to show you the desperate attempts that some people are willing to make in the pursuit of getting thin--even if it's ILLEGAL!
I've blogged about the next great "magic pill" for weight loss from pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis before--it's called Acomplia. Like most diet pills, the dirty secret is you must eat a low-calorie diet along with them. Shhhh, don't tell anyone! ;)
But Acomplia is still very popular among Americans right now despite the fact that the FDA has not granted approval of it yet because of fears that it increases the risk of suicide. With close public scrutiny on them right now over the diabetes drug Avandia, which allegedly raises heart disease risk, the FDA is being cautious with Acomplia.
Nevertheless, European countries have already put their stamp of approval on Acomplia and hopeless Americans are smuggling the drug into the United States by bringing it back with them after visiting foreign lands and/or making the purchases over the Internet.
It was disheartening to read about a 60-something year old woman in the story who thinks Acomplia is all she can do to lose weight. NO! As much as people like this want to believe a drug is their best option, clearly it is not. There are too many questions about side effects with weight loss pills, so why not try a natural and effective weight loss method instead?
Like LIVIN' LA VIDA LOW-CARB!!! :D
If approved by the FDA in the U.S. sometime in July as expected, Acomplia could rake in over $3 BILLION dollars annually in profits for Sanofi. Now there's your REAL motive for pushing this drug and other such medications on the American people, not the promise of meaningful and lasting weight loss!
As for that new OTC pill Alli, I received an awesome e-mail from a reader in Fort Worth, Texas who was contemplating taking this to help her with her obesity. But in her research online, she found my blog post about it and changed her mind.
Here's what she wrote:
Hello! I have just discovered your blog while Googling to find some information on Alli/orlistat and how it could affect someone following the Atkins program. Your blog post was informative, helpful and inspiring! I just had to take a moment to write to you!
Hearing the ultra-hyped promotion for this new miracle pill, of course I was interested and had to do some research, but what I've found--well, lets say that instead of spending $60 on Alli tomorrow, I ordered some new low-carb cookbooks from Amazon instead!
I weigh close to 400 pounds, have 2 beautiful children and a loving husband that need me. I have got to get this weight off and doing it without surgery and medications is definitely the way I want to go.
I first tried Atkins two years ago and had lost nearly 60 pounds in three months. I felt awesome! But, unfortunately I went on a honeymoon and got into the "vacation" mentality and couldn't manage to get back into the right mindset.
Now, however, I've been on Induction for 2 weeks and I'm feeling fantastic already!
I had a moment today, wondering if I should change my diet to incorporate this new wonderful pill, seriously considering stopping the Atkins plan in favor of GlaxoSmithKline's slick advertising. But reading various web articles, especially your blog, has convinced me to keep on doing what I'm doing. Atkins is healthier, easier and faster than any diet I've ever tried. And if I feel good doing it, why change?
A low-fat diet filled with carbs would ruin any positive changes I've gained in the last few weeks, sugar is the enemy! One bagel for breakfast and I'd be craving sugar all over again. Don't want to go through that withdrawal ever again. Heh!
So, this was simply a long-winded way to say THANK YOU for your blog and I will now be a devoted reader and might even start a blog of my own weight loss via low-carb adventure--as well as get an order in for your book!
You are truly fantastic!
If only we could educate more people like this very intelligent woman before they fall prey to the allure of a pill like Alli or Acomplia, then these risky gimmicks would be used only as a very LAST resort rather than the primary tool for weight loss. My hope and prayer is that many more will learn the truth now rather than suffer the heartache and physical effects of these drugs later.
6-15-07 UPDATE: It turns out the author of that e-mail to me is a 35-year old Texas woman named Morgan MacLeoid and she has a blog called "Good Carbma" (now that's pretty creative!).
Morgan is wholeheartedly committed to livin' la vida low-carb now
Yes, ask shocking as it sounds, she seriously considered taking Alli and switching to a low-fat diet to do it. But now Morgan has thought better of that idea and is sticking with her all-natural low-carb plan.
Although she currently weighs more than 400 pounds, Morgan is committed to doing this for the sake of living a long and healthy life for those two precious kids of hers. You're gonna make it, Morgan, and I'm so proud of you for making this wise choice for yourself and your loved one. Let me know if I can help you along in this journey!
What's GlaxoSmithKline doing sponsoring a new obesity series on PBS?
Something fishy is going on with an upcoming program about obesity on your friendly public television station and this Broadcasting & Cable story provides all the sordid details about what is going on.
From what I can see, the filmmakers are mainly going to highlight the problem rather than seek out solutions to the obesity epidemic. That's not really my concern, but it is an interesting sidebar. (Why examine a problem in a series of shows on public television if you aren't going to offer suggestions about how to address that problem? But I digress.)
While the subject matter is indeed an important one that needs to have a platform and is absolutely relevant programming for public television, it's the inclusion of one particular major sponsor--a pharmaceutical company--who just so happens to have a brand new over-the-counter weight loss pill to offer overweight and obese people that has many concerned.
The culprit in all of this is GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) who provided what is described on the PBS web site as "major funding" for this show set to be aired beginning on April 11, 2007. While their sponsorship deal with PBS may seem like it's just a generous act of care and compassion by a company concerned about the delicate subject matter of the series, it's difficult to ignore the fact that GSK recently got FDA approval to sell the first over-the-counter version of the diet drug orlistat called "Alli" which they have already invested a lot of time and money into bringing to the market.
Don't you know they'd love to get as many people as they can taking this drug as soon as possible. Sponsoring a show like this is one way to get their proverbial fingers in the wallets and purses of Mr. and Mrs. Fat America!
While the rules of public television prevent GSK from mentioning their new weight loss drug as part of their sponsorship, that hasn't stopped them from talking about obesity in suspiciously generic terms on their web site. With an image of a measuring tape beneath an article called "Obesity: Why Weight Matters," the link to "Find out more about obesity" takes you to a page full of a bunch of statistics about obesity without providing any real solutions (just like the documentary itself they are sponsoring!).
It's basically setting up a straw man argument that SOMETHING really needs to be done about obesity or else it'll keep getting worse and worse in the years to come. Hmmm, I wonder what we can do about all of this?! Does this sponsor GSK have an answer for us? Ding ding ding, oh that's right! Maybe I'll try "Alli" the next time I'm shopping at the pharmacy.
Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky is all I have to say about this. I take that back--it's SICKO! Unscrupulous for a company like that pushing their name out there in the hopes of selling a few of these diet pills! And what the heck is PBS doing taking money from a company like GSK?! Are they completely out of their minds? Talk about your conflict of interest!
Of course, PBS is denying any wrongdoing here stating that GSK as an underwriter has no control over any of the programming itself. While that may be true, the indelible connection between the content of this series (obesity) and the drug being peddled to address that subject matter ("Alli") is very conspicuous to say the least. Why else would GSK be a "major sponsor," hmmmm?
If this were ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox or any other television network that looks for paid advertisers to sponsor shows that meet their demographics, then it wouldn't be such a big deal. But we are talking about public television and there is a clear line of distinction that has no business being crossed.
The company producing this series, Twin Cities Public Television, has remained silent about this controversy surrounding GSK's sponsorship, but PBS has not. They issued the following statement regarding their position in this matter:
"PBS and The Corporation for Public Broadcasting provided the initial production funding for 'FAT: What No One is Telling You' through its 'Program Challenge Fund,' which also included a grant for an educational community outreach initiative. Production on 'FAT: What No One is Telling You' began in October 2005 and was nearing the end of production when the corporate sponsor, GlaxoSmithKline, came on board in January 2006 and provided additional funding for the broadcast, community outreach and Spanish language translation. As is always the case with corporate funders of PBS programs, at no time did the corporate sponsor have any editorial input into the show, nor have they seen it, and this strict separation was maintained throughout production. Lastly, the sponsor credit for GlaxoSmithKline is a corporate image spot and does not mention any drug product, including those used to treat obesity. 'FAT: What No One is Telling You' premieres April 11, 2007 on PBS."
Oh enough with the corporate speak here! You don't need a product to be mentioned in order to know why GSK is sponsoring this show?! It's just like what happened with this Super Bowl ad by King Pharmaceuticals that didn't mention a specific drug either, but they certainly benefitted from the exposure they received from their commercial.
Let's just call a spade a spade and be done with it. GSK is trying to sell their drug "Alli" and thought they could get away with this soft sponsorship of an obesity series. But I don't think they should be able to get away with it. We need to let PBS know how we feel about this and tell them they are wrong to accept money from GlaxoSmithKline.
Use this feedback form and let them know how you feel about a major pharmaceutical company with a weight loss drug to peddle sponsoring the program "FAT: What No One is Telling You." Be respectful, but firm in your conviction about this and share how unethical it is for public television to take money for this purpose.
Of course, I'd love to know what you think about this issue. Is PBS right to take the money and is GSK just doing a good-natured act of corporate responsibility? Or do you agree with me that this stinks to high heaven? Make your voice heard!
2-17-07 UPDATE: Now here's a unique perspective sent by one of my readers who is a long-time public television industry veteran.
Jimmy: I appreciate the idealism of your concern about who is allowed to sponsor which programs on PBS or NPR. The appearance of a "tainted relationship" is a very real concern of public broadcasters.
As a 40+-year veteran of public broadcasting, I can empathize but not concur with you. I know full well the hazards of inappropriate sponsorships but more than that, I know how difficult it is to get funding for any programming, no matter its hoped for popularity. I thought your quote taken from Twin Cities Public TV explained the situation very well.
What is not explained in criticisms of underwriting on public media is the context for funding and how precarious and difficult it is to obtain funding and how many different sources a producer has to tap and how many years it takes before having the funds to do a quality job.
Most people do not know that the majority of what public broadcasting does is not what is seen on its broadcast channel (redistributed on cable and satellite). There is a host of other distribution channels for education, training and outreach to target communities far in excess of that one channel.
So a producer must not only develop funding for the production of a program but also have the resources to market the program to all potential audiences, create publications and web sites to further provide the large amount of information necessary to truly inform people on the subject matter and provide funding for local outreach to target audiences which allows local people and organizations to contact target community organizations and groups that can make the best use of the information contained in the program itself and available in other forms, mostly free for the asking.
At best, ten (10%) percent of the American public voluntarily donate to public broadcasting. There is a large variety of other sources from whom a producer must aggregate funding to make production possible. Federal funding accounts for about 13% of funding for operations including production and most of that goes directly to local stations. The rest comes from states, underwriters (sponsors), non-profit partners, auctions and miscellaneous contributors.
There are and have been efforts over the years to create a Trust Fund that would throw off enough annual interest to fund productions free from any funder's potential for influence. That has remained a dream as a result, in part, of the pressures created by commentaries from the worlds of political and special interests.
You are cautious to question the potential influence of funders but there has been no shortage of "wanna be influentials" who would like to control content on public broadcasting. Bottom line, in my now 40+ years experience with public broadcasting at every level, I have yet to see it happen, and more to the point, have been witness to and directly involved in fierce resistance to those who would try to leverage editorial influence over program content.
THANK YOU for taking the time to share your actual experiences working in public television for four decades. We can only hope the past will continue to be an accurate predictor of the present and future. THANKS again!
2-17-07 UPDATE: The blog truefilm picked up on this story and quoted my post about this subject. They point to another example of this happening with Johnson & Johnson sponsoring a documentary releasing February 21st about inflammatory diseases called Innerstate. Guess what Johnson & Johnson makes that could help with inflammatory diseases? If these people were even TRYING to hide what they are doing, it would be one thing. But it doesn't look like they are concealing their motives at all!
2-18-07 UPDATE: PBS Ombudsman Michael Getler has now responded to the concerns about GlaxoSmithKline sponsoring this documentary about fat. Here's an excerpt of what he wrote:
"I sympathize with PBS’s constant search for funding, the difficulty of finding sponsorships to bolster more traditional funding, and that fact that some funders simply have an interest in seeing subjects aired and are willing to take their chances on how the program will come out. But in this case, there is little doubt how a program about obesity is going to turn out. Even though GlaxoSmithKline came in late and, under PBS policy, has no say in any of the content, this kind of possible conflict can undermine credibility and, without knowing the financial details, doesn’t seem worth it."
Nevertheless, the primary producer of "Fat: What No One Is Telling You" named Richard Dechert reacted to Getler's statement with the following:
Michael, thank you for your comprehensive critique of this ongoing "hot button" funding issue. As a longtime staffer at Twin Cities Public Television, the primary producer of "FAT: What No One Is Telling You," and as a longtime media-reform activist with national and local organizations, I have perspectives on the issue that few others have been able to develop. A key perspective is this:
Individuals and organizations who rightfully decry the increasing commercialization of PBS, NPR or any other federally funded programming must take even more vigorous and sustained action to prevent further cuts in Presidential, Congressional, and state support for public TV and radio, and to champion alternatives ways of supporting and improving their vital services--including an independent, self-sustaining national trust fund.
Public broadcasters have long-supported such alternatives, but all of them have been "DOA" in the Congress--with a lack of effective support from anti-commercialization activists being a major lethal factor. Sadly, from what I've been able to observe so far, the furor over "FAT" is on its way to being another dead-end case in point.
Dechert also contacted me about my blog post on this issue.
Jimmy,
As a progressive media activist, one of my roles has been to tell my activist colleagues when they haven't done their "homework" in slamming public TV or radio. In your following critique you say:
--"From what I can see, the filmmakers are mainly going to highlight the problem rather than seek out solutions to the obesity epidemic. That's not really my concern, but it is an interesting sidebar. (Why examine a problem in a series of shows on public television if you aren't going to offer suggestions about how to address that problem?. . . ."
Clearly, you failed to do your "homework" in carefully reviewing the Web links on the "Take One More Step" Web site. If you had you would know that the multi-media package of on-air, online, and community-based services for both "Heart" and "Fat" is modeled after Twin Cities Public Television's (tpt's) 2004 Primetime Emmy Award winning package for "The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer's." PBS lauded it for having the most powerful impact of all the shows it aired in its 2003-2004 national schedule. And tpt's senior producer for "Alzheimer's," Naomi Boak, is "FAT"'s senior producer. You can easily review that and many other National Production awards by clicking here.
--Among your several charges you also say: "Is PBS right to take the money and is GSK just doing a good-natured act of corporate responsibility? Or do you agree with me that this stinks to high heaven?. . ."
"Alzheimer's" also had a single corporate-financed funder, the MetLife Foundation, whose parent company is a major commercial provider of health care, disability and other related insurance and financial-planning services. Its underwriting of this production complied with the same PBS rules that governed "FAT's" production.
So, Jimmy, tell me how that underwriting "stinks"--or more appropriately how it adversely influenced "Alzheimer's." And when you've finally completed your pre-broadcast "homework," actually watched the show, then determined its national impact, competently answer the same question for "FAT." Conspiratorial fantasy is an unacceptable "homework" substitute for social reality.
I responded to these questions and concerns with the following.
THANKS for sharing your concern, Richard, and I certain sympathize with you about the funding. It is a MAJOR issue indeed which makes these corporate sponsorships all the more disconcerting. I know you have to do what you can to raise the dollars necessary and I certainly don't blame Twin Cities for finding a way to get their program on the air.
Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to seeing what you have come up with and will probably find the documentary to be quite compelling. But it does make me wonder what all those viewers who see GSK's sponsorship will think when the series is finished. As someone who advocates a natural approach to weight loss, this is very disturbing to me.
THANK YOU again for sharing your thoughts with me.
An OTC version of the weight loss drug orlistat gets FDA-approval
It wasn't a matter of if, but when.
This Washington Post story details the disappointing news that the United States government regulatory agency over approving medicines that can be sold without a prescription in this country has given its final blessing to an over-the-counter version of a prescription weight loss drug made by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, who calls this "the only FDA-approved weight loss product available to consumers without a prescription." Yippee freakin' skippy!
You may recall last January when I blogged about the weight loss drug orlistat following an 11-2 recommendation by a group of medical "experts" who deliberated for all of one whole day about whether the risky prescription medicine Xenical should be made available in an OTC formula.
Today, the Food & Drug Adminstration (FDA) made it official and gave the rubber stamp to sell orlistat using the name "Alli." No, it's not pronounced like Muhammed Ali (AH-LEE), but rather like the word "ally" (AL-EYE) as in someone who is on your side.
The irony in that name is that the FDA is certainly no "Alli" to anyone desiring weight loss with their outlandish and irresponsible approval of this drug. They really ought to be ashamed of themselves for putting a drug like this one out there because obesity pills are just pie in the sky promises that don't deliver without a little effort on the part of the dieter. And the FDA even acknowledges that fact.
While they don't encourage children under the age of 18 take this drug (but who are we kidding? Parents will be buying this drug for their fat kids left and right!), it is absolutely open game for adults willing to combine it with a low-fat, low-calorie, portion control diet and exercise program. That's right, just in case you missed the fine print from the FDA about this latest cure-all for obesity, the dirty little secret is you STILL have to diet!
Don't even think about livin' la vida low-carb while taking the 60 mg capsules of "Alli" right before each of your three daily meals either because it only works well in people who eat little to no fat in their diet. Yep, not only do you get the unique pleasure of having most of the fat you put inside of your body sucked completely dry like a shallow river basin in 110 degree heat, but you also are FORCED to eat a low-fat diet in the process to make it work. Aren't you just so very happy about that?!
But wait, there's more!
In addition to not absorbing dietary fat (which can be dangerous on a number of levels that you don't even want me to get into!), this drug may very well prevent you from absorbing some of the most essential nutrients in the foods you eat. Therefore, they recommend you take a multivitamin before you go nighty-night sucking your thumb while holding a fuzzy wuzzy teddy bear.
Isn't this hilarious? While opponents of livin' la vida low-carb always chastise us for promoting vitamin supplementation on our very natural and healthy way of eating, here's the FDA telling people they need to eat a low-fat diet and take supplements if they decide to start using the "Alli" OTC weight loss pill. And this is the WEAK version of the drug Xenical--can you imagine what the full-strength one is like?
Like most drugs, "Alli" is not without some really nasty side effects. Try this on for size: loose stools, excess gas, fatty stools, possible uncontrollable bowel movements, flatulence with discharge, abdominal pain, and a general sense of poop-poopy-doop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, non-stop fun between you and the porcelain goddess! Aren't you so glad you chose to lose weight this way? NOT! Sounds about as bad as the weight loss drug for dogs I blogged about last month!
Seriously, though, orlistat is NOT for everyone (I don't think it's for ANYONE, but that's just my take on it!). People who have had an organ transplant shouldn't take it because of drug interactions and neither should people on blood thinners, who are diabetic, have a thyroid problem, binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, or malabsorption syndromes. The FDA says people with these conditions should consult with their before using this over-the-counter drug.
Um, maybe I'm thinking too hard about this, but why make a drug OTC if there are very real dangers to a large segment of the population with all those ailments listed above? Has the FDA completely gone out of its mind here (don't answer that question because we already know the answer)?!
I'm telling you, this is a class action lawsuit just waiting to happen. The FDA has no idea what it has gotten itself into approving a drug like orlistat and making it available to anyone and everyone walking through the grocery store, Wal-mart, or drugstore. The end result will be more obesity and a lot more tummy aches.
I've said it before, but I'll say it again and again if I have to. People need to stop looking for the next great diet pill to come prancing in like Prince Charming to swoop them off their feet with promises of weight loss nirvana. Sorry to burst your fantasy everyone but it ain't gonna happen...nor should it!
Weight loss can be achieved safely and naturally without the use of ANY drugs whatsoever. Not once during my nearly 200-pound low-carb weight loss experience over these past few years have I felt compelled to add a drug, prescription or otherwise, to my diet for the purposes of aiding in my weight loss. NEVER! If I didn't trust my low-carb lifestyle to do everything I needed it to to shed the pounds and restore my health, then I'd start looking for another way to eat.
It should be quite disturbing to anyone who is eating a low-fat, low-calorie diet right now that their diet all by itself just isn't good enough to bring about weight loss and improved health. Nope, they have to have something like orlistat to be added to them in order for them to work better (although the jury is still waaaaay out on that claim!). Why put yourself through all of that?!
Come on over to livin' la vida low-carb and enjoy what REAL healthy living is like. No drugs, no forced diet plans, no disgusting foods to put up with--just delicious foods that help produce amazing positive results in your weight and health.
