Alli is everywhere at the moment - you can see commercials and ads for it all over the place.

Alli Diet Pills Reviewed: Are They Safe and Effective for Your Weight Loss Program?

Alli is everywhere at the moment - you can see commercials and ads for it all over the place.  But as far as diet pills go, how safe and effective are they in the long run?  While Alli is basically a somewhat stripped-down version of Xenical, it's currently available over the counter and therefore you don't need a prescription for it.  And if it's OTC, that must mean that it's completely safe for your weight loss program, right?  Well, that depends.

In its most basic form, Alli diet pills contain a drug called Orlistat, which is supposed to act as a fat burner.  Unfortunately, this can lead some people to think they can eat all they want, in whatever quantities they want, and still lose weight as long as they're taking this diet pill.  They may even feel that they don't need to follow a weight loss program at all.

In addition to this false sense of security, Alli is known to come with some unpleasant side effects.  These mostly come in the form of unfortunate below-the-waist features: excessive gas, bloating, diarrhea, and in some cases 'leakage' of softened stools.  This happens when high-fat meals are consumed and the ingredients in Alli prevent those fats from being processed normally.

Finally, although Alli is, as stated above, available without a prescription, there have been reports of it contributing to liver damage, and the FDA is investigating these claims as a "potential safety issue."  The bottom line is that Alli diet pills may be more trouble than they're worth for your weight loss program, especially considering that there are far more healthy and effective natural alternatives available.