Why Alli Might Be Your Enemy

by Martha Edwards (Subscribe to Martha Edwards's posts)
Aug 27th 2009 3:00PM

Photo: Richard Drew, AP

If you're relying on weight loss drug Alli to help you slim down, the costly $45 that you hand over to the pharmacist every 20 days could be the least of your worries -- new reports indicate that the drug has been linked to liver damage and even liver failure. The Food and Drug Administration has received over 30 reports of liver damage between 1999 and 2008 in patients who've taken Alli and Xenical, the drug's prescription version. Of those cases, 27 were hospitalized and six suffered liver failure.

Still, the FDA has not confirmed a direct link between the drugs and liver problems, and they're advising patients to keep using the drug until further notice, with a warning to "consult their health care professional if they are experiencing symptoms." For the record, symptoms of liver damage include fatigue, fever, nausea and vomiting.

And what does GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of Alli, have to say about these allegations? Not surprisingly, they're sticking with the 'it's not proven' defense, pointing out that Alli was shown to be safe in over 100 clinical trials involving 30,000 people. Plus, "people who are overweight and obese are predisposed to liver-related disorders," adds spokesperson Debbie Bolding.

But even if it's perfectly safe on your liver, Alli is not necessarily the best way to slim down. Have you had a look at the negative (and just plain icky) side effects lately? Good old-fashioned healthy eating and exercise sounds far more appealing than having to deal with excessive anal leakage. Plus, you still have to eat well and exercise when you're taking Alli -- so you may be adding in unwanted side effects for slightly faster (but not necessarily long-term) results. Take it or leave it? I think you know the answer to that one.

A better way to lose weight? Yoga can help you slim down -- and achieve inner peace.

Comments (16)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Brenda 8-28-2009 @ 3:21PM

Was on Alli for awhile no side effects!

velma 9-03-2009 @ 4:21PM

Been on it for a while no side effects. The oil i see in my stools let me know what foods i need to cut back on, so i only take alli once every two days. I also drink plenty of apple juice and water, and i do take liver cleanse twice a week. But, I will continue to look for any side effects. If I start seeing any I will be the first to email my comments to every one, but so far nothing. I pray it continues to be this way because I have lost seven pounds so far, along with exercise.
Be blessed!

jennifer Wiles 8-28-2009 @ 4:03PM

Just because you have not had any side effects at this time does not make it safe. I took Redux for 6 months and 4 yrs later, I was hit with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. I am now on Oxygen 24/7 because I wanted a fast easy way to lose a few pounds. I found out later the manufacturer knew of the danger as well as the FDA. They still allowed it on the market but justified it by only giving acccess by Dr.'s prescription. It has now been banned but too late. Alli, being available over the counter, is a loaded gun!

bjeanlpn 9-03-2009 @ 2:36PM

I too have Primary Pulmonary Hypertension but I took Metabolife and Metabolift

Charles 8-28-2009 @ 5:21PM

Wow...and my doctor wanted to prescribe this stuff for me, just a few months ago!! I was already worried because I had taken Byetta injections for about six months, at the urging of another of my doctors, and now this!! Supposedly, Byetta causes weight loss as a side-effect of taking it, but when I heard that it was causing Pancreatitis and/or Pancreatic Cancer in some patients (which is what Patrick Swayze has), I stopped taking it. Now, I worry about the long-term effects. Geez...it's not safe to take anything, nowadays!!

Kourtney 8-28-2009 @ 6:53PM

Alli doesn't affect the heart so it won't cause the same problems that Redux did. That's why it's the only FDA approved weight loss pill (for now). It affects the digestive system and cuts out about 1/4 of the daily fat you eat. It's meant to be used to enhance weight loss and not to strictly take the pill and lose weight. You still have to exercise and eat healthily to lose weight with alli.

Anna 8-28-2009 @ 7:29PM

That is right Kourtney Alli doesn't affect the heart (as far as we know) but it does affect the liver!

As consumers, we have to read and study all medications prescribed including the brochures include with the medications and decide if the described long-term? side-effects out-weigh any possible benefits.

peallen 8-28-2009 @ 8:38PM

AMAZING!!!
I don't use any of the products listed on this page nor do I condone the use of any particular item. But, I find it absolutely amazing that the FDA is not removing this item from the shelves! You can bet if these same cases of liver failure/damage were linked in the slightest way to any of the products listed by other posters to this article, the FDA would shut the production of those items down instantly! FDA, what a hipocracy!

Cheryl 9-03-2009 @ 2:39PM

I tried taking Alli last year at the end of summer. I had the bottle for a couple of weeks before I summoned up the courage to try it, and after I fought that "little voice inside of me" that kept saying don't do it, it's no good. Hmmmm, well, in October I started having problems with intestinal pain, upper left quadrant, and such severe diarreha that I was practically knocking people down to get to the bathroom...every single time I ate!! And, I hate to admit this, but, there were several times that I didn't make it in. This wore me down so much that I thought I was dying. Nothing I ate was digesting, all fruits and vegtables went out the same condition they went in (sorrry for the visual). I went through test after test, and I mentioned to my doc that I had used a couple of bottles of Alli and wondered if it was the cause since it happened shortly after I stopped taking it. She told me that it was a possibility and that all of the diet pills have side effects. Finally this past March I found out my diagnoses, it was Microscopic Colitis...no cure, only steroids when flare-ups happen. I'm not too sure if it was from Alli, my taking Prevacid or both, who knows because they both have their serious side effects.
As for it being FDA approved....come on now people!!! Seriously?? Who care if it's approved by the FDA or not, they have approved a whole bunch of crap over the decades that turned out to be detramental to our health and wellbeing. Don't put your full trust into anything just because they approved it. Geez!

Cheryl 9-03-2009 @ 2:43PM

"Peallen"

Now isn't that the truth!!!! When there's a health problem linked to food, e-coli, etc., they don't hesitate to go after the company and make them shut down production and tell them they need/should do a recall and pull the product from the store shelves. Soooooo, why aren't they doing it for this product?? Yes, they are indeed hypocrits...and some other choice words that I can't post here.

Andrea 9-03-2009 @ 3:30PM

They haven't pulled it because you can't prove that the alli is causing the liver problems. It could just be because of being fat for so long that their liver was already screwed up. I've been on Alli for 4 months and have lost 20 lbs with very little side effects and I won't be stopping just because there MIGHT be a link to liver problems. Now if they find that the Alli is what's causing it then I'll stop, but I'm not going to freak myself out about something that MIGHT cause it. We do things everyday that MIGHT cause problems.

Denise 9-03-2009 @ 4:49PM

30 people out of trials with 30,000 hardly justifies a recall. As the article stated, these people could have predisposed to liver problems or have other physical conditions that caused or worsened the condition of their deteriorating liver. My husband and I are both currently taking Alli. We are eating better and exercising as well as subscribing to Weight Watcher to help with calorie counting/ food intake. While we have both experienced minor side effects, they have not been severe or activity inhibiting.

toni 9-03-2009 @ 6:15PM

I have been using Alli since Feb., I don't take it 3 times a day as they say you should and the reason is if you eat right and take in less then 15g of fat at each meal you are doing the right thing.

If you eat food with more then 15g of fat you will have a treatment effect as they call it when you take the pill. You don't need to take Alli if you now know the right way to eat. The pill only collects extra fat that you eat and that is when you have a treatment effect.

I am down to only a few bills a week and only if I feel I took in more then 15g of fat, like when I eat steak for example or a burger.

I lost 32 lbs from Feb to June and it's mainly because when I started taking the pill I had to watch what I ate and once I got to the point of knowing what is best to eat I don't need the pill.

Scooter 9-12-2009 @ 8:50PM

I agree with Denise. Anyone who thinks any medication has no side effects is delusional - read the fine print on the labels people. Also, every physician and most of the commercials I've seen say to ask your doctor "before" taking any medication (and besides being over the counter - Alli is medication). So if you have side effects and you're taking something else (prescription or non) and you go to your doctor after the fact, that's just not being responsible to your own health.

Before I went on Alli, I told my doctor what I was considering and reviewed my family history, the medication I was taking as well as my current health and we monitor for any changes. You just have to responsible about what you put in your body - FDA approval or not. Also, they can only do approval based on the info they had at them time. If those folks in trials had no major effects, then it was just because of the medical condition of those folks. Drugs get revisited all the time (and have been pulled) - but you have to be smart about your own choices concerning your body.

Jill 9-04-2009 @ 10:54AM

I use alli, I've lost over 35 pounds, I've kept it off for over a year, I have had no issues. The concept is simple. Eat right and you won't experience treatment effects. Alli is not a quick fix, you must be committed to a healthy lifestyle to take it. It's not for everyone but for those willing to watch their fat intake, it works. There are MILLIONS of people who take alli without developing liver problems -that's because it doesn't effect the liver! It's not systemic, it doesn't get into your blood. Do your research people. Don't jump on recall bandwagons without being educated. It's a fat blocker. Take it if you're serious about losing weight. Don't take it if you're not.

criseocrise 9-08-2009 @ 6:50PM

I have been using alli now for one month now, and I can say if you follow the fat intake in your diet you will not have problems. It's like anything else, you have to educate yourself about anything you take, You are given several books to study and teach yourself about the proper way to eat... Thus far I have found it to be helpful and I can see the pounds melting off.. It like no other diet assist drug is ment to do all the work you need to follow a careful eating regimine... The less fat you eat the better the result... and less or no side effects...