A diet pill is a woman's best friend, as some trying-hard dieters will contend. That's because with a diet pill, you don't have to starve yourself, sweat it out in the gym, look the other way in pastry shops or run laps up and down the building stairways during lunch break. A diet pill that burns away those unwanted fats or sheds your excess weight is a great help to any dieter-wannabe who can not stick to a diet and exercise regimen.

When Xenical hit the market a few years ago, stocks flew off the shelves as women (and even men) got hold of prescriptions from their diet-doctors or nutritionists to get the drug. Backed by FDA legal go-ahead and countless testimonials, Xenical was very popular, but not without its share of mishaps and sad experiences on the side effects of the drug.

The Over-the-Counter Diet Pill

Dieters and health buffs were in for the surprise of their lives when another diet pill was introduced recently. Alli, according to its maker, works to complement your diet if you do your share of the diet program. Alli is available over-the-counter in drugstores unlike the prescription Xenical.

Used together with a complete dieting regimen, the drug is said to deliver the weight loss results you are looking for. There is already an Alli Program for dieting, one that includes the low-cal, low-carb, and low-fat diet, taken together with walking exercises, and lifestyle changes.

What The Makers Say

The Alli diet drug is priced at around a dollar and half to two dollars. The drug comes in 60- and 90-day kits, affordable and reasonable enough for most dieters looking for a bargain. And you are supposed to get that kind of money's worth if, as Alli manufacturers and marketers say, you stick to your diet and exercise regimen.

Its makers are quick to point out though that Alli will not work wonders or bring you miracles. The drug is a complement to the right nutrition diet, healthy lifestyle, and suitable exercise. It is not a quick, overnight solution to obesity.

Perfect It Seems? Look Again

The Alli diet drug is not without its share of side effects and shortcomings that you should watch out for. Just like Xenical, Alli's ability to burn out fat does not come with a dispersal system. How do you expect to bring all that fat out of your system? Aspirate them? Of course not. Fats will be excreted through the body's normal excretory processes, so expect to have fatty stool and oily gas discharges.

The drug takes its toll on your bowel movement. Loaded with the extra fat, your system will have no choice but to move them, but at more frequent intervals. Loose bowel movement or LBM is a constant complaint of the users of this drug. In addition, expect bowel movement that is not only frequent and loose, but sometimes uncontrollable.

If testimonials on the use of the Alli diet drug were to be believed, you get at least two distinct impressions about the drug. One is of satisfaction, as the drug reportedly delivers on its promise of losing all that unwanted fat for you. The second is one of exasperation, as some users suffer from the not-so-pleasant side effects of the irregular bowel movements.

Take your pick. But remember, the Alli diet drug will only work when combined with your healthy diet and fitness exercises.