Do diet pills Alli and Xenical work?

Diet pills are a quick fix for those of us who need a little extra help in shifting excess pounds in a short period of time and most women will have tried to lose weight with the help of diet pills at least once in their lifetime. There are pills that block fat, pills that boost metabolism, pills that stave off hunger pangs and pills that suppress cravings. The sheer number of products available means there is a pill out there for everyone’s weight loss needs. Most of these tablets will promise maximum results with minimum effort, but do diet pills really work? And is there any harm in taking these treatments?

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Xenical

Does Xenical Orlistat work?

Xenical is currently the only prescription diet pill available in the UK. The pill is available on NHS prescription in exceptional cases and patient eligibility for the treatment is continually monitored. This medicine has undergone clinical trials to prove its efficacy and using Xenical with the recommended low fat diet increases weight loss two fold compared to diet alone. In tests subjects with a starting (Body Mass Index) BMI of 28 or more lost an average of 2-3lb a week over the course of 12 weeks, with most decreasing their total body weight by 5-10%. If you correctly follow the medicine’s instruction manual and recommended low fat diet your results should be similar.
Xenical diet pills have also been clinically proven to help people maintain their weight better in the long run than diet alone.
This medicine can also have long term benefits for those with high cholesterol as it blocks the body from storing excess fats.

How does Alli Orlistat compare?

Alli and Xenical both contain the same active ingredient, but Xenical is a double strength version of Alli. Alli is a very effective medicine and in tests subjects lost an average of 1-2lb a week over the course of 12 weeks. Alli pills stop your body from absorbing around a third of fats in your diet, and fats are high in calories. Provided that you stick to the recommended diet you should see results within the first two weeks. Alli’s weight loss potential is more modest.

Due to the nature of their medicinal action, both Alli and Xenical can cause gastro-intestinal side effects. Side effects are normally temporary as you adjust your diet in line with the manufacturer’s reccomendations and and may lessen as you continue treatment with orlistat. Commonly reported side effects include: oily spotting, oily or fatty stool, orange or brown colored oil in your stool, flatulence, loose stools, an increased number of bowel movements, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rectal pain.

Studies have shown that using prescription diet pills can double the weight loss that you can expect to achieve when compared with diet and exercise alone.

Adios diet pills

Unlike Alli and Xenical, this treatment can be used by almost anyone who wants to lose weight providing their BMI is over 19. Adios is a herbal tablet containing fucus (seaweed), boldo and dandelion root. These anti-obesity ingredients are contained in other herbal weight loss pills, however Adios’ popularity makes it one of the most sold products for weight loss in the UK. The manufacturer claims Adios pills can aid weight loss by increasing metabolism and the Adios Max version is claimed to be very potent.

In reality many of the ingredients contained is Adios are simple diurectics and so there is no real weight loss involved. If you suffer from water retention these may be somewhat useful, but there is no concrete weight loss evidence in the way of extensive clinical trials to support Adios’ effectiveness. Adios is a licensed medicine and is deemed safe for sale.

Appesat

Appesat is another herbal treatment containing seaweed extract and is the first approved over the counter product in the UK specifically designed to control appetite. Appesat works as a mental gatric band helping the body to feel sastified with their meal. Taken 30minutes before eating with a large glass of water, the seaweed extract in Appesat begins to expand pushing against the walls of the stomach tricking the mind into thinking enough food has been consumed. If you are someone who struggles with dieting because you constantly feel hungry then the Appesat manufacturers claim this is the diet pill for you. People using Appesat will still need to follow standard advice on eating sensibly and exercising and those using the pill will still need to exercise a certain amount of willpower.

With the exception of Alli and Xenical which have several valid clinical trials to back up the weight loss claims made by their respective manufacturers, most of the treatments sold in the UK show little or no evidence of efficacy. Most of the medicines reviewed are herbal and seem to be safe and relatively inexpensive. So, if they do not cause any damage to our bodies what’s the harm in taking diet pills?

The main worry is that almost none of these pills teach us how to eat correctly yet many people will rely on them for weight loss rather than making any necessary lifestyle changes for themselves. Most overweight or obese people are in denial about the causes of their problem, and over 65% of all patients taking Xenical and Alli claim they have tried several diets before resorting to weight loss medications. We have lost perspective on our weight problem yet the real long term solutions are simple. We need to control our spiraling portion sizes and consume fewer foods which cause weight gain.