Yay! Alli is back

    Let me just interrupt my closet staples series by giving you a very important news that Alli is back! There has been a shortage of this for the last few months  and because of the high demand for it during the shortage, unscrupulous individuals have even increased its price to upwards of $700 for a 30 day supply on ebay and amazon.com.  But finally, the wait is over,  manufacturers are back on track making it and the price has subsided to its original level.

$49- Evitamins.com

Alli - Starter Pack 90 Capsules

     Because it's beach time, I have been getting a lot of questions and emails lately about weight loss supplements that I can recommend for them. Well, I have good news for you.  My recommendation is not a supplement, it is actually a weight loss drug, the only over the counter weight loss drug that's FDA approved-ALLI.

  So what's the difference between Alli and the other weight loss supplements out there? The keyword is, the rest are just  supplements.  They are not FDA approved to claim any medical outcome in the body.  Only drugs approved by the FDA can claim therapeutic benefits.  If OTC vitamins and supplements start claiming that they can cure something, then they are claiming to be drugs and FDA can tell them, wait a second, you can not do that, if you will claim to have therapeutic effects on the body, then you have to be approved as a drug.  Drug approvals take years and a lot of research before they can be available in the market.

    That means, ALLI, or its active ingredient, Orlistat has undergone just that.  It has gone through clinical trials until FDA has finally cleared it as a drug years ago.  It initially came out as Xenical (120mg Orlistat) which was a prescription medication.  After several studies have proven its safety,  the FDA gave it a go to become an Over The Counter medication.  Alli is a drug that's available to you now over the counter.  It can claim therapeutic benefits of weight loss because it is not a supplement but a drug. 
  How does the drug Alli work?  It works as anti-obesity medication by blocking the enzymes that breakdown fat.  Because fat is not broken down, then it is not absorbed, resulting in less calories for the body.  Yahoo!!
 But all drugs have pros and cons. 
Pros of Alli: 
1.  It is a drug and therefore you can trust that it is clinically proven to work
2.  It is safe enough to use without the supervision of a doctor
3.  Unlike other supplements, this one does not increase heart rate nor does it work by curbing the appetite.  Supplements that do these normally work on your adrenaline and the nervous system which is never good to be used especially if you have heart issues
Cons
1.  Can only be used if you are more than 15lbs overweight
2. It has gastrointestinal side effects- which, because this is a fashion blog, I'd rather not elaborate on- you can email me if you want and I will tell you what these side effects are;)
3.  You still need to watch what you eat because if you don't, the gastrointestinal effects will be much worse.
4.  because it decreases absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, multivitamin supplementation is needed alongside Alli.

 Anyway,  I am happy that now Alli is back for my patients who have been checking with me everyday on its availability.    If you are 15 lbs or more overweight ( see Ideal Body Weight chart below or you may calculate it here: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm),

then you may be a candidate for Alli.  Of course, as a disclaimer, it is still best to ask your physician before starting any diet regimen. 
  Hope this helps fashionistas!  Remember, fashion and health always go hand in hand:)