14 DAY TRIAL // Diet pills are an effective weight-loss measure if they also come accompanied by a healthy and balanced diet, and regular exercise, specialists say. For those with a BMI of 28+, a new option is now available in pharmacies in the UK, over the counter, as On Medica can confirm, just as announced back at the beginning of January: Alli from Glaxo.
Although this is far from a “magic bullet,” clinical tests have shown that Alli does work and comes with long-lasting results that make the pesky temporary side-effects (including diarrhea, oily spotting and gas) easier to overlook.
However, pharmacists have been trained to inform slimmers of all the effects (both good and bad) of the pill, as well as of how it should be taken and how it should complement a healthy lifestyle, as the same medical publication informs.
“We totally support the move to make orlistat [the anti-obesity drug] available to patients from pharmacists without a prescription. Increasingly, pharmacists are offering a greater spectrum of life-style advice, including blood-pressure monitoring, smoking cessation programs and vascular checks. With orlistat, pharmacists have another service, which they can offer to complement existing weight-management advice and treatments.” Director of policy at the Royal College of General Practitioners David Pruce says for the publication.
However, as Pruce warns, orlistat (brand name Alli) should not be taken without seeing a GP beforehand, because obesity or overweight could be a health problem that may require other medication than a weight-loss pill. Even when that’s not the case, seeing a doctor before making the purchase is essential, since the GP can also offer slimmers lifestyle advice, such as a specific diet, Pruce also pinpoints – something that a pharmacist might not do so well, despite the training, for the simple reason that they don’t know the buyer.
“It is important to remember orlistat is not a magic bullet. Patients taking the medicine also need to be committed to following a balanced diet and moderate exercise regime in order to benefit.” Pruce concludes by saying, stressing that, like all diet drugs, Alli is not a miracle pill, if certain conditions are not met.