The weight-loss drug Alli can help you lose weight because it prevents your body from absorbing all the fat in the foods you eat. The drug is a half-strength version of the prescription medication Xenical, also known by the generic name orlistat. Although studies have shown it effective in helping people lose a modest amount of weight, it must be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise to be effective, MayoClinic.com reports. The way Alli works in the body to help you lose weight contributes to the bowel problems you may experience while taking it.
How Alli Works
Alli is a lipase inhibitor, which means it blocks some of the fat in the foods you eat from being absorbed in the intestines, MedlinePlus reports. Because the fat is not absorbed, it is instead excreted by your body with your bowel movements. In many users, this causes noticeable changes in bowel habits.
Bowel Side Effects
If you take Alli to help you lose weight, you may notice changes in your bowel movements and bowel habits the first week you start taking it. In some cases, your bowel habits may return to normal, but in some people, they will continue for as long as you use the drug. Changes you may notice include an urgent need to have a bowel movement; having more bowel movements than usual; difficulty controlling bowel movements; rectal pain; loose, oily, or fatty stools; oily discharge with gas; and oily deposits on your underwear.
Other Side Effects
More side effects caused by Alli relate to your bowel habits, but the drug can also cause other seemingly unrelated side effects. Some people experience headaches, stomach pain, irregular periods and anxiety when taking the drug. Although bothersome, none of these effects should cause you concern. However, some side effects may indicate a problem requiring medical attention. If you experience any of the following while using Alli, contact your doctor immediately: light-colored stools, dark urine, jaundice, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, severe or constant stomach pain, hives, a skin rash, itchy skin, difficulty breathing, and excessive or unexplained weakness or tiredness.
How to Take Alli
Always take Alli exactly as directed on the drug label. To help reduce the risk of bothersome bowel changes caused by the medicine, do not eat a diet with more than 30 percent of your daily calories coming from fat, MedlinePlus reports. Instead, try to eat meals containing equal amounts of carbohydrates, protein and fat. Also, because Alli interferes with fat absorption you should take a multivitamin to help prevent deficiencies of the fat-soluble vitamins -- A, D, E and K.
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