How much better does one work over the other

[Tony1968]

I know that Alli is essentially a lower grade version of Xenical, in that they contain the same active ingredient but Alli has way less. Is it worth it to take Alli, then? I mean, the prescription issue aside, wouldn't Xenical work much better?

[brightstar]

Alli and Xenical aren't meant for the same kind of dieter. Alli is meant for people who are overweight. It's over the counter and half the dose of Xenical. Xenical is a prescription obesity treatment pill. If you're overweight and not obese, Xenical isn't safe for you because you don't have enough fat mass for the strength of the medication. You'll put yourself at risk of a lot of side effects and you'll nearly certainly spend hours in the bathroom at a time while you suffer from diarrhea and serious painful cramping around your middle. You'll also be very gassy even when you're not stuck in the bathroom. Not worth it. You need to use the right pill for the right reason

[Lady Greenfairy]

Alli and Xenical aren't meant for the same kind of dieter. Alli is meant for people who are overweight. It's over the counter and half the dose of Xenical. Xenical is a prescription obesity treatment pill. If you're overweight and not obese, Xenical isn't safe for you because you don't have enough fat mass for the strength of the medication. You'll put yourself at risk of a lot of side effects and you'll nearly certainly spend hours in the bathroom at a time while you suffer from diarrhea and serious painful cramping around your middle. You'll also be very gassy even when you're not stuck in the bathroom. Not worth it. You need to use the right pill for the right reason

That's exactly it! it's not a matter of which one works better but which pill is appropriate for your specific condition. A pill's potency level doesn't necessarily mean that it works better. More isn't always what you need. What is important is that you take what is best for your specific health and size. If you're overweight, that could be Alli. If you're obese that could be Xenical.

[Whirlybird]

Thanks for this. I've wondered about this a bit. I pretty much thought they had to be the same thing. Isn't there a risk of people abusing the over the counter one if it's half the dose of the prescription, though?

[Tony1968]

Alli and Xenical aren't meant for the same kind of dieter. Alli is meant for people who are overweight. It's over the counter and half the dose of Xenical. Xenical is a prescription obesity treatment pill. If you're overweight and not obese, Xenical isn't safe for you because you don't have enough fat mass for the strength of the medication. You'll put yourself at risk of a lot of side effects and you'll nearly certainly spend hours in the bathroom at a time while you suffer from diarrhea and serious painful cramping around your middle. You'll also be very gassy even when you're not stuck in the bathroom. Not worth it. You need to use the right pill for the right reason

Thanks for explaining that brightstar.

Whirlybird that's kinda what I think and it wouldn't surprise me if it happens, especially among people who want to be prescribe Xenical but who are not considered the right candidates so aren't prescribed it or by those who can't afford (or are too scared or lazy) to go to the doctor so they just take matters into their own hands.

[KraftMan]

I'd say I'd feel bad for anyone who tries to use alli to get to the prescription level, but they;re just asking for it. People should just follow the directions. They're there for a reason. They're not always the exception.

[suzieQ]

I'd say I'd feel bad for anyone who tries to use alli to get to the prescription level, but they;re just asking for it. People should just follow the directions. They're there for a reason. They're not always the exception.

Agreed! If you're dumb enough to go out of your way to ignore directions and recommendations, you've got no one to blame but yourself for whatever bad side effects result. Taking more of something doesn't make it work better or faster. It just makes things more complicated in the long run. It's about balance and part of balance for weight loss isn't just taking diet pills, but making sure that whatever you're taking is being balanced by other healthy, safe and smart choices you're making with your diet, exercise and behavioral choices.

[KittyKatt]

Agreed! If you're dumb enough to go out of your way to ignore directions and recommendations, you've got no one to blame but yourself for whatever bad side effects result. Taking more of something doesn't make it work better or faster. It just makes things more complicated in the long run. It's about balance and part of balance for weight loss isn't just taking diet pills, but making sure that whatever you're taking is being balanced by other healthy, safe and smart choices you're making with your diet, exercise and behavioral choices.

It's true. I think that's one of the reasons to make sure you know you can really trust the one you pick. So you can know the directions on the package will actually keep you safe and doing things right. So many say stupid things like "gee, it's all natural so it's impossible for side effects"...