Can A Diabetic Use Alli To Lose Weight?

Alli is the only FDA-approved over-the-counter weight loss product. The FDA approved Alli in 2007 for weight loss in overweight adults, 18 years and older, in conjunction with a reduced-calorie and low-fat diet. Alli contains 60 mg of orlistat, 50 percent of the dosage of Xenical, a prescription weight loss drug the FDA approved in 1999 for obesity. Alli can help type 2 diabetics lose weight. Consult your doctor about Alli.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance, high blood sugar and cardiovascular complications. Insulin resistance is a condition in which your cells do not respond to insulin, a hormone that transports sugar from your blood to your cells. As a result, your blood sugar levels swell. Over time, excess blood sugar can damage the cells lining your blood vessels and turn into fat for storage in fat cells. Obesity and overweight are key risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes. Losing weight is a key goal for managing type 2 diabetes, reducing the severity of disease and lowering the risk of complications.

Orlistat

Although Alli is not FDA approved for treatment of diabetes, it can benefit type 2 diabetics who are overweight. One of the FDA approved indications for Xenical is for obese patients with an initial body mass index of 30 or a body mass index of 27 in the presence of other risk factors, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Orlistat, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Alli and Xenical, inhibits the absorption of fat from food into your body and is most effective when used in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet. Nonetheless, first consult your doctor about your health and diet and benefits and risks of taking Alli.

Clinical Results

Clinical studies demonstrate taking Alli can help you lose 50 percent more weight than if you are on a low-calorie diet without Alli. Treatment of orlistat plus diet results in significant weight loss and improved control of blood sugar and cardiovascular risk factor profile in type 2 diabetics who are overweight, according to research by scientists at GWT-Technische University in Dresden, Germany and published in "Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism" in 2002. The results demonstrate that after 1 year, patients who take orlistat lose significantly more weight than patients who take placebos. Furthermore, significantly more patients taking orlistat lose more than 5 percent of weight compared with patients taking placebo.

Risks of Alli

Alli has side effect that can impact your health. Due to the mechanism by which Alli works, the unabsorbed fat from food must transit through your intestinal tract and may cause gas, oily leakage through your anus and at times, a sudden urge to have a bowel movement. Alli may also reduce the amount of fat soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A and E, from being absorbed into your body. The most severe side effect is liver injury.