14 DAY TRIAL // After approving Alli, the weight-loss drug, for sale over the counter in the US in 2007, the Food and Drug Administration is now investigating claims that it may lead to liver damage, following 32 reports from people who have taken it. For the time being, the FDA says people on orlistat (brand name Alli) should continue taking it without fear, but they should immediately refer to a doctor if they notice any symptoms associated with liver problems, BizJournals informs.
Alli is one of the most promising weight-loss drugs now available on the market without a prescription. Despite several warnings from health specialists as to its long-term pros and cons, Glaxo, the manufacturer, insists it entails no health risks. As for the most recent allegations that it can cause liver damage, there is no connection between taking Alli and any symptoms of the kind, the company states.
“Alli is a ‘non-systemically’ acting medicine – it is minimally absorbed in the blood and works locally in the gastro-intestinal tract. There is therefore no obvious biological mechanism to explain how liver damage can occur with Alli.” Deborah G. Bolding, GlaxoSmithKline spokesperson, says in light of the recent complaints with the FDA. However, the Association is forced into taking action by the “32 reports of serious liver injury among patients taking orlistat. Six cases resulted in liver failure and 27 required hospitalization.” as BizJournals reports.
Alli is the half-strength version of prescription drug Xenical and, so far, it has recorded nothing but impressive results in clinical trials and not only. Tests have shown that slimmers can drop about 50 percent more weight with Alli than when relying on willpower and dieting alone, because it works by not allowing the fat ingested daily to be absorbed. It comes with several nasty side-effects, including exploding diarrhea and gas, but a diet less rich in fats should eliminate them quickly.
In just six months, dieters on Alli usually lose an average of 5kg, but cases where they dropped as much as 7.5kg have been known to happen, if the pill is associated with a healthier eating plan and working out. Alli is also available in pharmacies in the UK, but here, even if Europe’s health watchdog approved the drug, pharmacists are trained to present slimmers with all the facts, while also being barred from selling it to those with a BMI (Body Mass Index) under 28.