Weight loss supplements...

My doctor recommended Alli for me a few years back. I've been taking it for the past few months by the book along with diet and exercise. I've lost 20 lbs in 2 months. It seems to help, but you NEED to exercise and diet as well. Also, DEFINITELY need to stay on a low fat diet while taking these.

P.S. A LOT of people have had bad experiences with this supplement. Luckily, I haven't. Everyone is different.

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

My doctor recommended Alli for me a few years back. I've been taking it for the past few months by the book along with diet and exercise. I've lost 20 lbs in 2 months. It seems to help, but you NEED to exercise and diet as well. Also, DEFINITELY need to stay on a low fat diet while taking these.

P.S. A LOT of people have had bad experiences with this supplement. Luckily, I haven't. Everyone is different.

That's an interesting supplement. All of the studies seem to revolve around Type II Diabetes and very obese individuals. Also, there's a controlled diet and in some exercise as well, so I wonder how they really dive into the fact that it's just the Orlistat that's doing it and not the diet and exercise. I'd be curious to see an intervention where the only factor is Orlistat and no lifestyle changes are made. The improvements mentioned in the study are common with weight-loss in general, Orlistat or not.

It's not supposed to work on its own. The info I received on it says that it will assist in shedding the extra weight by not allowing your body to obsorb extra fat. Dont quote me on that, I dont have my pamphlet in front of me. lol. It isn't some magic pill that gives you energy though... I wish... It just helps when you eat over (I think 12g of fat per meal) you take a pill and you don't obsorb all of that fat.

It should probably be noted that Orilstat, be it the 60mg or 120mg version is a pharmaceutical drug, and not a supplement.

cityruss wrote: »

It should probably be noted that Orilstat, be it the 60mg or 120mg version is a pharmaceutical drug, and not a supplement.

and is of such limited efficacy it should not even be considered: Quote: "Pooled data from clinical trials suggest that people given orlistat in addition to lifestyle modifications, such as diet and exercise, lose about 2–3 kilograms (4.4–6.6 lb) more than those not taking the drug over the course of a year."

Just eat 47 less calories a day and you get the same result, without the cost and side effects.

Haley0888 wrote: »

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

My doctor recommended Alli for me a few years back. I've been taking it for the past few months by the book along with diet and exercise. I've lost 20 lbs in 2 months. It seems to help, but you NEED to exercise and diet as well. Also, DEFINITELY need to stay on a low fat diet while taking these.

P.S. A LOT of people have had bad experiences with this supplement. Luckily, I haven't. Everyone is different.

That's an interesting supplement. All of the studies seem to revolve around Type II Diabetes and very obese individuals. Also, there's a controlled diet and in some exercise as well, so I wonder how they really dive into the fact that it's just the Orlistat that's doing it and not the diet and exercise. I'd be curious to see an intervention where the only factor is Orlistat and no lifestyle changes are made. The improvements mentioned in the study are common with weight-loss in general, Orlistat or not.

It's not supposed to work on its own. The info I received on it says that it will assist in shedding the extra weight by not allowing your body to obsorb extra fat. Dont quote me on that, I dont have my pamphlet in front of me. lol. It isn't some magic pill that gives you energy though... I wish... It just helps when you eat over (I think 12g of fat per meal) you take a pill and you don't obsorb all of that fat.

Almost. It works by sending the warm oily undigested fat out through your backside, sometimes without your readiness or approval. You eat low-fat while on it to prevent this from happening. Basically, the pill says "Eat low fat OR ELSE."

Also, Alli/Orlistat is not a supplement. It's an FDA-approved medication.

Haley0888 wrote: »

PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

My doctor recommended Alli for me a few years back. I've been taking it for the past few months by the book along with diet and exercise. I've lost 20 lbs in 2 months. It seems to help, but you NEED to exercise and diet as well. Also, DEFINITELY need to stay on a low fat diet while taking these.

P.S. A LOT of people have had bad experiences with this supplement. Luckily, I haven't. Everyone is different.

That's an interesting supplement. All of the studies seem to revolve around Type II Diabetes and very obese individuals. Also, there's a controlled diet and in some exercise as well, so I wonder how they really dive into the fact that it's just the Orlistat that's doing it and not the diet and exercise. I'd be curious to see an intervention where the only factor is Orlistat and no lifestyle changes are made. The improvements mentioned in the study are common with weight-loss in general, Orlistat or not.

It's not supposed to work on its own. The info I received on it says that it will assist in shedding the extra weight by not allowing your body to obsorb extra fat. Dont quote me on that, I dont have my pamphlet in front of me. lol. It isn't some magic pill that gives you energy though... I wish... It just helps when you eat over (I think 12g of fat per meal) you take a pill and you don't obsorb all of that fat.

Almost. It works by sending the warm oily undigested fat out through your backside, sometimes without your readiness or approval. You eat low-fat while on it to prevent this from happening. Basically, the pill says "Eat low fat OR ELSE."

Also, Alli/Orlistat is not a supplement. It's an FDA-approved medication.

My apologies for calling it a "supplement". Jesus, I feel like I've commited a crime just because someone asked about diet pills! LOL! Just so you all know, not everyone has the side effects...

I'm not criticizing you at all, I'm just looking at the information available and that info doesn't completely add-up.

1. It blocks / absorbs fat: I'm not sure what the relevance here because fat content in food is not what makes people fat. People (healthy people), get fat from excess calories. People type 2 Diabetes is a different topic but typically related to excessive food and sugar consumption as well. I guess if it blocks up to 12gms of fat or whatever, it's effectively blocking 98 calories. Which I'm not sure how that really works because you can't destroy energy.

2. If it doesn't work on its own and requires a calorie deficit to work, how do can you really state that it's the pill and not the nutrition?

3. If it doesn't work on its own and requires a exercise to work, how do can you really state that it's the pill and not not the added calorie deficit and hormone benefit from the exercise?

All supplements on the shelves of GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, etc are FDA approved so that's not really a selling point for the product. Anyway, not criticizing you; the details and studies related to the product don't make sense. If you watch commercials for Hydroxycut and other "weight-loss" supplement on TV, check-out the fine print on the screen. They typically state in some form that diet and exercise are required, results were achieved in conjunction with diet & exercise, etc., so this isn't all that different of a product in some regards.

Haley0888 wrote: »

PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

My doctor recommended Alli for me a few years back. I've been taking it for the past few months by the book along with diet and exercise. I've lost 20 lbs in 2 months. It seems to help, but you NEED to exercise and diet as well. Also, DEFINITELY need to stay on a low fat diet while taking these.

P.S. A LOT of people have had bad experiences with this supplement. Luckily, I haven't. Everyone is different.

That's an interesting supplement. All of the studies seem to revolve around Type II Diabetes and very obese individuals. Also, there's a controlled diet and in some exercise as well, so I wonder how they really dive into the fact that it's just the Orlistat that's doing it and not the diet and exercise. I'd be curious to see an intervention where the only factor is Orlistat and no lifestyle changes are made. The improvements mentioned in the study are common with weight-loss in general, Orlistat or not.

It's not supposed to work on its own. The info I received on it says that it will assist in shedding the extra weight by not allowing your body to obsorb extra fat. Dont quote me on that, I dont have my pamphlet in front of me. lol. It isn't some magic pill that gives you energy though... I wish... It just helps when you eat over (I think 12g of fat per meal) you take a pill and you don't obsorb all of that fat.

Almost. It works by sending the warm oily undigested fat out through your backside, sometimes without your readiness or approval. You eat low-fat while on it to prevent this from happening. Basically, the pill says "Eat low fat OR ELSE."

Also, Alli/Orlistat is not a supplement. It's an FDA-approved medication.

My apologies for calling it a "supplement". Jesus, I feel like I've commited a crime just because someone asked about diet pills! LOL! Just so you all know, not everyone has the side effects...

You took that way more personally than it was intended. Also, FYI, uncontrollable "leakage" isn't a side effect. It's a "treatment effect." It's how it's designed to work. Many people never experience it. Those people are probably using it properly. However, many people experience it whether they are or aren't using it properly. That's a dirty trick, if you ask me.

breeZrizi wrote: »

I just bought mine. Im currently taking "greens" but procrastinating on the thermo fit supps. do they make you feel jittery? suppress appetite? how long have you had them and how are the results thus far?

missb121787 wrote: »

I am on thermofit & fat fighters from itWorks and so far its been amazing....

my neighbor took the thermofit and it caused her liver problems. just in the 2 months she took them. look at the ingredients in these things and look up side effects and drug interactions(she wasnt on any meds taking them either), then tell me if you still want to take them. nothing in those products are proven to work for weight loss and a lot of whats called their proprietary blends dont say how much of each ingredient is in the product which is a huge red flag.

Soo i take liquid form fish oils, a multivitamin and vitamin D. When i stop taking them and start again i feel amazing so they must be doing something. Trial and error but everyone's different thats just what works for me

PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

All supplements on the shelves of GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, etc are FDA approved so that's not really a selling point for the product. Anyway, not criticizing you; the details and studies related to the product don't make sense. If you watch commercials for Hydroxycut and other "weight-loss" supplement on TV, check-out the fine print on the screen. They typically state in some form that diet and exercise are required, results were achieved in conjunction with diet & exercise, etc., so this isn't all that different of a product in some regards.

Actually, the FDA doesn't approve anything marketed as a supplement. They only thing the FDA cares about is the disclaimer informing the purchaser that the supplements aren't proven to actually do anything. Other than that, unless the pills are killing people, FDA doesn't really care or address the issue in any way, shape, or form. Alli/orlistat, which is a medication, being evaluated and approved by the FDA, means that it's been demonstrated to be safe and effective. Since Alli is OTC, it's up to the purchaser to decide whether the product meets their needs or is worth the risk.

Here's some reading on the subject: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm246742.htm

No they don't have approval per say, but the company does have to prove their claims. That's where some of these biased studies come from that say the product works. They do a BS study to show yes it works so they can then turn around and sell it as a supplement for xyz purpose.

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

All supplements on the shelves of GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, etc are FDA approved so that's not really a selling point for the product. Anyway, not criticizing you; the details and studies related to the product don't make sense. If you watch commercials for Hydroxycut and other "weight-loss" supplement on TV, check-out the fine print on the screen. They typically state in some form that diet and exercise are required, results were achieved in conjunction with diet & exercise, etc., so this isn't all that different of a product in some regards.

Actually, the FDA doesn't approve anything marketed as a supplement. They only thing the FDA cares about is the disclaimer informing the purchaser that the supplements aren't proven to actually do anything. Other than that, unless the pills are killing people, FDA doesn't really care or address the issue in any way, shape, or form. Alli/orlistat, which is a medication, being evaluated and approved by the FDA, means that it's been demonstrated to be safe and effective. Since Alli is OTC, it's up to the purchaser to decide whether the product meets their needs or is worth the risk.

Here's some reading on the subject: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm246742.htm

No they don't have approval per say, but the company does have to prove their claims. That's where some of these biased studies come from that say the product works. They do a BS study to show yes it works so they can then turn around and sell it as a supplement for xyz purpose.

The FDA DOES NOT review claims made by the manufacturers of dietary supplements. They have nothing to do with anything marketed as a dietary supplement until a problem arises. This isn't semantics. FDA approval may not be an ironclad guarantee of safety or efficacy in the first place, but it's a very important distinction.

oh and the funny part was one time some woman was selling a product and I told her that the FDA sent the company, she was selling for a letter to stop making the claims that the product stated. she said that I could make it up or find anything on the internet. its right on the FDAs website,she said she could make any letter look real. and the product was FDA approved. showed her the letter and she went postal

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

Fitlondongirlu wrote: »

Soo i take liquid form fish oils, a multivitamin and vitamin D. When i stop taking them and start again i feel amazing so they must be doing something. Trial and error but everyone's different thats just what works for me

It's possible that you're missing a lot of nutrients from your nutrition so the multi-vitamins are making up for it somehow. Vitamin D is starting to be linked to brain health so perhaps that's why, who knows. It could also very much be the "Placebo" effect. You might be able to find some studies on that subject, it's actually rather interesting.

I have sometimes had labs indicating I was Vitamin D deficient and both my past doctor and current doctor both were concerned enough about it that they wanted me to take an over the counter supplement (past doctor prescribed prescription vitamin D but I was and am bad about taking it or taking vitamins, so that's why it's cropped up in my labs several times). Some people say it helps with energy. I think it's supposed to help with processing calcium as well and that's why it's in a lot of things with added calcium? We all know calcium is good for the bones, and important for women as we get older especially. So if Vitamin D helps you absorb more calcium that seems like a good thing. I've heard folks say it makes them feel more energy when they take it (and have heard the same about Vitamin B complex). Of course none of these are 'weight loss supplements'. Just vitamins for whole health.

PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

My doctor recommended Alli for me a few years back. I've been taking it for the past few months by the book along with diet and exercise. I've lost 20 lbs in 2 months. It seems to help, but you NEED to exercise and diet as well. Also, DEFINITELY need to stay on a low fat diet while taking these.

P.S. A LOT of people have had bad experiences with this supplement. Luckily, I haven't. Everyone is different.

That's an interesting supplement. All of the studies seem to revolve around Type II Diabetes and very obese individuals. Also, there's a controlled diet and in some exercise as well, so I wonder how they really dive into the fact that it's just the Orlistat that's doing it and not the diet and exercise. I'd be curious to see an intervention where the only factor is Orlistat and no lifestyle changes are made. The improvements mentioned in the study are common with weight-loss in general, Orlistat or not.

It's not supposed to work on its own. The info I received on it says that it will assist in shedding the extra weight by not allowing your body to obsorb extra fat. Dont quote me on that, I dont have my pamphlet in front of me. lol. It isn't some magic pill that gives you energy though... I wish... It just helps when you eat over (I think 12g of fat per meal) you take a pill and you don't obsorb all of that fat.

Almost. It works by sending the warm oily undigested fat out through your backside, sometimes without your readiness or approval. You eat low-fat while on it to prevent this from happening. Basically, the pill says "Eat low fat OR ELSE."

Also, Alli/Orlistat is not a supplement. It's an FDA-approved medication.

My apologies for calling it a "supplement". Jesus, I feel like I've commited a crime just because someone asked about diet pills! LOL! Just so you all know, not everyone has the side effects...

You took that way more personally than it was intended. Also, FYI, uncontrollable "leakage" isn't a side effect. It's a "treatment effect." It's how it's designed to work. Many people never experience it. Those people are probably using it properly. However, many people experience it whether they are or aren't using it properly. That's a dirty trick, if you ask me.

Exactly that's how those things are supposed to work! So at best you get uncontrollable leakage. At worst you get liver/kidney/heart damage. Does the tradeoff still seem worth it?

blues4miles wrote: »

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

Fitlondongirlu wrote: »

Soo i take liquid form fish oils, a multivitamin and vitamin D. When i stop taking them and start again i feel amazing so they must be doing something. Trial and error but everyone's different thats just what works for me

It's possible that you're missing a lot of nutrients from your nutrition so the multi-vitamins are making up for it somehow. Vitamin D is starting to be linked to brain health so perhaps that's why, who knows. It could also very much be the "Placebo" effect. You might be able to find some studies on that subject, it's actually rather interesting.

I have sometimes had labs indicating I was Vitamin D deficient and both my past doctor and current doctor both were concerned enough about it that they wanted me to take an over the counter supplement (past doctor prescribed prescription vitamin D but I was and am bad about taking it or taking vitamins, so that's why it's cropped up in my labs several times). Some people say it helps with energy. I think it's supposed to help with processing calcium as well and that's why it's in a lot of things with added calcium? We all know calcium is good for the bones, and important for women as we get older especially. So if Vitamin D helps you absorb more calcium that seems like a good thing. I've heard folks say it makes them feel more energy when they take it (and have heard the same about Vitamin B complex). Of course none of these are 'weight loss supplements'. Just vitamins for whole health.

PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

Haley0888 wrote: »

My doctor recommended Alli for me a few years back. I've been taking it for the past few months by the book along with diet and exercise. I've lost 20 lbs in 2 months. It seems to help, but you NEED to exercise and diet as well. Also, DEFINITELY need to stay on a low fat diet while taking these.

P.S. A LOT of people have had bad experiences with this supplement. Luckily, I haven't. Everyone is different.

That's an interesting supplement. All of the studies seem to revolve around Type II Diabetes and very obese individuals. Also, there's a controlled diet and in some exercise as well, so I wonder how they really dive into the fact that it's just the Orlistat that's doing it and not the diet and exercise. I'd be curious to see an intervention where the only factor is Orlistat and no lifestyle changes are made. The improvements mentioned in the study are common with weight-loss in general, Orlistat or not.

It's not supposed to work on its own. The info I received on it says that it will assist in shedding the extra weight by not allowing your body to obsorb extra fat. Dont quote me on that, I dont have my pamphlet in front of me. lol. It isn't some magic pill that gives you energy though... I wish... It just helps when you eat over (I think 12g of fat per meal) you take a pill and you don't obsorb all of that fat.

Almost. It works by sending the warm oily undigested fat out through your backside, sometimes without your readiness or approval. You eat low-fat while on it to prevent this from happening. Basically, the pill says "Eat low fat OR ELSE."

Also, Alli/Orlistat is not a supplement. It's an FDA-approved medication.

My apologies for calling it a "supplement". Jesus, I feel like I've commited a crime just because someone asked about diet pills! LOL! Just so you all know, not everyone has the side effects...

You took that way more personally than it was intended. Also, FYI, uncontrollable "leakage" isn't a side effect. It's a "treatment effect." It's how it's designed to work. Many people never experience it. Those people are probably using it properly. However, many people experience it whether they are or aren't using it properly. That's a dirty trick, if you ask me.

Exactly that's how those things are supposed to work! So at best you get uncontrollable leakage. At worst you get liver/kidney/heart damage. Does the tradeoff still seem worth it?

If you have some deficiency then it's good that you're supplementing. Vitamin D is turning out to be a very important micro-nutrient.

As for Vitamin B... The daily requirement is something like 2.4mcg's and those supplements sell servings in the range of 100mg's, so it's a bit overkill. Unfortunately the companies like to twist studies done on people with things like Anemia or other folks that have poor nutrient absorption to say "Vitamin B gives you energy." Which is a play on words too; it doesn't contain energy therefore cannot give energy, it's used in energy metabolism. But for healthy people with good nutrient absorption, 100mg's is way unnecessary.