Alli, a weight-loss medication available without a prescription in the United States, helps you drop pounds by decreasing the amount of fat your body absorbs. However, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has deemed Alli safe enough to use without a prescription, it still has the potential to cause gallbladder problems, especially in people at risk for gallbladder disease.
Basics
About 10 million people have used Alli since it became available over the counter. Alli works by preventing your body from absorbing about one-third of the fat you consume, which helps you to lose weight. You take Alli in conjunction with a low-fat, low-calorie diet, and the program also requires you to exercise. The drug does come with the risk of some unpleasant side effects, including oily stool spots in your underwear, flatulence and occasionally uncontrollable diarrhea.
Effects
You shouldn't take Alli if you have gallbladder problems. Your gallbladder helps you digest foods, especially fats, by releasing digestive enzymes to your stomach when they're needed. However, Alli impairs the performance of your gallbladder, leaving it unable to contract and empty itself of bile as effectively. This can lead to gallstones.
Research
In a study published in March 2004 in the medical journal "Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics," clinicians looked at obese patients who took orlistat, the active ingredient in Alli, for one month. They found that one month's worth of treatment with orlistat significantly decreased gallbladder contractions, and that this decrease lasted for up to one year after the patients stopped taking the drug. They concluded that doctors needed to closely monitor people taking Alli who are obese and who have high cholesterol, which also places them at greater risk for gallstones.
Considerations
If you have a history of gallstones or gallbladder disease, you'll need to find another way to lose weight other than Alli, since the drug won't be safe for you to take. Talk to your doctor about your weight-loss options, which can include a medically supervised weight-loss program that may provide you with better results than Alli, with less danger to your gallbladder.
