Alli works by preventing your body from absorbing part of the dietary fat you consume. If your diet contains low to moderate amounts of fat, you are unlikely to experience any side effects when taking Alli. However, if you eat a meal high in fat, Alli will act to prevent absorption, leading to diarrhea, gas with oily spotting, uncontrollable bowel movements and stomach pain.
What's in Alli
Alli is the brand name of an over-the-counter fat blocker containing the drug orlistat. Alli contains 60 mg of orlistat. Xenical, a prescription drug, contains 120 mg of orlistat. Other than the difference in amount, the two drugs are identical. This poses a basic problem. Xenical is sold by prescription because high dosages of orlistat can cause serious problems, such as kidney stones, allergic reactions and gallblader disease. However, it's easy to take in the same dosages by doubling or tripling the amount of Alli you take. As a result, anybody could easily overdose or experience a number of health problems, since most people who take Alli do so on their own, without medical supervision.
Liver Damage
In May 2010, the FDA ordered GlaxoSmithKline --the company that produces Alli -- to add a warning to their label. This warning is about the possibility of liver damage when taking Alli. The makers of the drug recommend checking in with your doctor if you notice any signs of potential liver disease, such as yellowing of the skin or eyes, stomach pain, dark urine and skin reactions or hives. Loss of appetite can also be a sign of potential liver damage.
FDA Reports
Over the years, the FDA received numerous reports on incidents of liver damage caused by Alli. In 2009, Alli was presented to the Drug Safety Oversight Board for evaluation. According to the research that followed, 32 cases of hepatoxicity, or liver damage, can be linked to the use of Alli. Hepatoxicity can manifest in many forms, and its seriousness varies. Some people might experience inflammation of the liver, while others can develop hepatitis. Acute liver failure is also possible.
Preventing Problems
People with a history of liver, gallbladder or kidney disease should not take Alli without consulting a doctor first. It's also a good idea to check the health of the liver prior to taking Alli. Liver function tests, or LFTs for short, measure liver enzymes, check for fatty liver disease or hepatitis, look for elevated bilirubin and albumin and measure the level of ammonia in the blood. If the tests indicate any problems with the liver, your doctor can recommend not taking Alli or ask you to wait until you treat the problem.
References
- NBC News: Popular Diet Drug Gets Liver Damage Warning
- About Lawsuits: Xenical and Alli Liver Damage Reports Reviewed by FDA
- Nutra: FDA Investigates Weight Loss Drug Alli for Liver Damage
- Natural News: Diet Drug Alli Linked to Severe Liver Damage
- Daily Mail: Diet Drug Investigated After 32 Users Suffer Liver Damage
- eMedTV: Orlistat Side Effects
