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How Much Fat to Eat at a Meal When on Alli

In 2007, dieters were introduced to a diet pill that had built-in consequences. Alli, the brand name of the drug Orlistat, prevents fat absorption in the intestines. The drug has a limit on the amount of fat one can consume in a single meal. Failure to adhere to these limits triggers Alli's infamous consequences.

  1. Fat Limits

    • According the GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of Alli, the drug is meant to work in conjunction with a regimen of low-fat, low-calorie diet and exercise. By lowering the fat that the body absorbs from the food in such a diet, you can lose weight at a faster rate. The company acknowledges, however, that many people will not utilize Alli with such a diet. For those people, GlaxoSmithKline recommends a maximum of 15g of fat per meal. Eating more fat can trigger the consequences.

    The Consequences

    • Alli absorbs only one-quarter of the fat that travels through the intestines. Alli must be taken with a meal containing fat, according to the Mayo Clinic. The user must have up to three meals a day. Alli works by inhibiting an enzyme in the intestines that breaks downs fats for absorption. Without this enzyme, called lipase, the fat continues on through the digestive system to become a bowel movement. Small amounts of fat come through the system with no problem. If more than 15g of fat is eaten in a meal, however, the excess comes through the digestive system prematurely. This causes diarrhea or, as MayoClinic.com describes, "gas with oily spotting."

      The way that Alli affects the body varies from one person to another. Users of Alli have complained about these effects after going slightly over the fat gram limits. Others claim to eat larger amounts of fat in their meals without consequences.
      Despite Alli's status as an over-the-counter drug, there are serious issues that you should consider before embarking on the diet regimen. Your doctor can give you advice on Alli and tell you if there are other diet drugs out there with similar results, without the consequences.

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