You better read the fine print if you’re thinking about purchasing Alli, the first FDA-approved nonprescription diet drug.

This has not stopped consumers here in the Houston area from rushing into pharmacies to purchase the new weight-loss pill. In fact, merchants can hardly keep them in stock. They are selling like crazy at a price of $50 for a 60-pill starter pack.

Here’s how Alli works. It prevents the body from absorbing fat by blocking enzymes in the digestive system. It blocks about 25% of the fat eaten during a meal when users take a pill beforehand.

The manufacturer claims that you can lose about 50% more weight than you would through dieting alone. For example, someone who loses 10 pounds through dieting could lose 15 pounds with Alli.

But there’s a catch. In order to be effective, users must eat a diet low in fat (less than 15 grams of fat per meal). Otherwise, not following these guidelines, you could experience some unpleasant side effects the manufacturer is not highlighting in bold letters with their marketing efforts. These include: gas with oily spotting, loose stools or more frequent stools that may be hard to control.”

I am very skeptical about this new weight-loss pill and don’t recommend it. What the manufacturer doesn’t detail in their research studies are what happens when you combine a healthy nutrition eating plan and a regular exericise plan. My research says you can lose more weight for the long run and it’s way cheaper and safer. They just compare people who diet alone. This is just a trick on statistics.

My prediction is that the sale of adult diapers will increase too . . .