Levels of Human Growth Hormone decrease as we age. By middle age and beyond, HGH levels have plummeted to a tiny fraction of their youthful levels — and science shows that there is a direct correlation between lost HGH and the typical signs of aging, such as weight gain, loss of interest in sex, sagging skin and muscles, wrinkled skin that lacks good tone and texture, flagging memory.

HGH supplementation has been shown to:

• Decrease fat, while increasing lean muscle
• Improve the look and feel of your skin
• Increase bone density, and even reverse osteoporosis
• Power up the brain, and maintain memory even during aging
• Boost the sex drive
• Tone and improve overall physical and mental well being
• Contribute to better sleep
• Improve mood, and banish depression and fatigue

How do I know HGH releaser products are safe?

Choose carefully to get the highest quality products from the options in this genuinely beneficial category. Go with a product from a company that has a good reputation, such as GenF20™ HGH — this one attests to its safety and reliability. There are neither side effects nor known drug interactions with GenF20™ HGH. This product is manufactured in GMP certified laboratories, that is, pharmaceutical quality labs of the highest standards. These are the kinds of safety checks to look for. Ask your doctor if you have specific concerns.

Some claims I’ve seen say you must have HGH by injection for it to work. If that’s true, can tablets be effective?

Originally, HGH products were only available in very expensive injections of HGH derived from donors’ pituitary glands post mortem. The HGH molecule, it was discovered, could not absorb into the bloodstream by other methods because it is too large to pass through the walls of the digestive system. However, new techniques have created the tablet supplement that uses a formula to trigger and stimulate the pituitary gland to produce and secrete more HGH itself. The HGH goes into your body just as nature intended, in other words, through the glandular system — just as it did when you were in your 20s!

What side effects are there for HGH supplments?

There are no known side effects with HGH releasers. Many studies have been conducted in all age groups, and no ill effects whatsoever have been reported. Just make sure the product you purchase is produced in a GMP certified laboratory.

How long can I take HGH?

Initially, it’s recommended that you take the product for about 6 months to bring your body’s HGH production levels up. At this time, you may wish to take a “pause” of up to 1 year, while you continue to enjoy the benefits of increased HGH. Your body’s new HGH production levels won’t drop dramatically during this time. Then you can repeat the process to enhance HGH production in the long term. If you are having trouble finding a product that outlines these specifications, we recommend GenF20™ as a product you can’t go wrong with.

How quickly do HGH releasers work? How fast will I look and feel better?

You should plan to stay on the HGH supplement for at least 3 months when you begin your program. Results vary depending on your existing level of HGH when you begin, so for instance, people who have very low levels of HGH have more immediate results. Most people, regardless of current HGH level, report feeling better, sleeping better and having more energy right away, with improvement in appearance and muscle tone and other benefits generally becoming more pronounced over the first couple months.

Is HGH just for older adults?

Because the lowest levels of HGH are found in older populations, they’ll experience results most quickly. However, because HGH effects so many systems and organs, it has benefits for adults of any age.

I heard HGH was a very expensive treatment to obtain. Why are HGH tablets so affordable?

Advances in the engineering of amino acids that comprise this product mean the costs are only a small fraction of what HGH injections would cost. Originally, HGH injections could run as much as $15,000! Now you can obtain quality HGH supplementation affordably thanks to new scientific breakthroughs in understanding HGH and manufacturing effective releasers of HGH. We recommend GenF20™ HGH as the best value around.

Is it possible to take too much of this product?

As with all supplements or drugs, you should stay within the guidelines established for you by the research community and pharmaceutical manufacturer. Follow the instructions as they appear on the label or product insert, as increasing the dosage usually results in product wastage.

How can I obtain these products and maintain my privacy?

Ordering online is a great way to discreetly get the product you want. Read the site carefully to find out how the manufacturer ships; if they don’t already ship in plain packaging that doesn’t reveal the contents, you may be able to request the service.

How about a guarantee?

You should insist on a guarantee, and make sure to read the fine print. Although all reputable companies offer them, not all companies that have them are reputable. Take extra time to read how the guarantee works, some products require a one year supply to be eligible for a refund, so shop carefully! If you have trouble finding a product you trust on your own, we recommend GenF20™, as it features a straight forward guarantee that you can have confidence in.

Recent studies show that HGH treatment intended for aging adults is scientifically proven to enhance strength, give more energy, and improve human bone density. This hormone treatment for acute adult deficiency is basically prescribed on a daily injection basis. It is one of the effective anti-aging treatments that are highly prescribed to most aging adults.

Aside from injection treatments, supplementary products that can help to boost your own HGH production are also widely available in the market today. These supplements contain chemical precursors of HGH that help to allow your body to produce more of it. Such precursors are mainly proteins and amino acids that enable your pituitary gland to produce HGH. HGH supplements appeal more to most aging adults since these products are less expensive and can in some cases be as equally effective as injection treatments. One such HGH supplement is GenF20™.

HGH supplements are very popular among aging adults mainly because of the promising benefits they feature. These benefits cover most the things every aging adult wants to see in a healthy and young physique. One of the notable benefits of HGH is having a low level of body fat. If you agree to HGH injections or if you regularly take HGH supplements such as GenF20™, you may see a reduction in body fats.

Studies show that aging men and women who are taking HGH supplements can attain more than 10 percent reduction of body fats. As such, even medical experts claim that daily intake of HGH supplements can be better than dieting when compared to diets which do not alter the hormonal system of our bodies.

Wrinkles and fine lines are among the major signs of maturity. Aging individuals, particularly women, are adhering to the services of cosmetic surgery clinics in order to keep their faces free from fine lines and wrinkles. With HGH supplements, surgeries may longer necessary because HGH therapies can effectively help improve aging adults’ facial skin tone. These supplements have the ability to help energize protein synthesis, thus,aid with producing more elastin and collagen that help lessen the effects of facial wrinkling.

Meanwhile, greying and thinning of hair are common signs of aging among elderly men and women. As we grow older, our hair eventually turns grey and some men go bald. Fortunately, HGH therapies are known to help stimulate hair growth on balding adults as well as help maintain hair color. Continuous intake of HGH supplements can definitely make aging adults’ hair look healthier and livelier.

Another known benefit of HGH treatments is that they help build lean muscle mass in aging males. Studies show that HGH treatments and supplements greatly affect the muscle mass of males who are over 50 years of age. With this, aging males can look younger and healthier.

On the other hand, HGH treatments and supplements are also well-acclaimed for their ability to help normalize blood pressure. HGH supplements can help to effectively provide aging adults a feeling of security and calmness. These supplements can also help to lessen anxiety and stress, which are very common problems among mature people. When we are free from pressure and anxiety, our blood pressure normalizes, thus, avoiding health problems that are related to stress.

As we grow older, our sexual drive or capacity tends to change or deviate as well. Unlike young adults, aging individuals’ sexual vigor is less active as they slowly lose enthusiasm for sex. This is not, however, very comforting for some, especially the males. As answer to this dilemma, medical studies reveal that HGH supplements can significantly help improve elderly mens sexual stamina and function. Aside from increasing males’ sexual drive, regular intake of HGH supplements can also enhance aging adults’ mental alertness and vitality.

Furthermore, HGH treatments and supplements are also noted for their capacity to help produce High-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) that reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack. Since heart attacks are very common among aging men and women due to high cholesterol levels inside their bodies, they can aid in helping to avoid instances of heart attacks if they take regular dosages of HGH supplements.

In addition to the superb benefits brought by HGH treatments and supplements, moody, aging individuals who have sleeping difficulties can experience improvements on these problems once they take HGH supplements or undergo HGH treatments. According to studies, we tend to become more moody as we get older.

Our brain capacities and functions also decline as we reach the prime age. Also, older people often experience sleeping problems, thus, resulting to stress and anxiety. Adults who have low HGH in their bodies are usually the ones who have limp physique as well as those who are always depressed, insecure, and tired. With HGH supplements, elderly men and women’s mood swings are bound to lessen and their sleeping rituals are sure to improve.

Finally, HGH supplements and treatments are scientifically proven to help improve our vision, immune, and brain functions. It is, therefore, very important for elderly folks to take HGH therapies for they are the ones experiencing lapses on these bodily conditions. Many studies show that injection treatments of HGH can significantly improve damaged brain neurons of aging adults. As for vision, elderly men and women can have better eyesight if they have high levels of HGH in their bodies. Since our eyes turn less flexible as we get older, HGH supplements and treatments are necessary to help maintain the condition of our sight.

Also, HGH is acclaimed to help repair damage DNA in our bodies as it builds a more stable immune system. When damaged DNAs are not repaired, other body cells will also deteriorate, thus, resulting to a weakened immunity among aging adults. You can get high quality HGH supplement from here: GenF20™.

Our recommendation:

Here’s a brief video interview with two doctors.

Chronic fatigue syndrome can affect any sex, race or socioeconomic class, however. And although CFS is much less common in children than in adults, children can develop the illness, particularly during the teen years. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a condition which can affect people of all ages. Although it is much better understood now, the causes are still not known and the effects vary from person to person.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a serious health-care problem with a prevalence of up to 3%. Based on research, it appears that Chronic fatigue syndrome is 3 times more common in women than in men. If some treatment is not done, then it can lead to depression and helplessness.

The causes are still not known and the effects vary from person to person.

Chronic fatigue syndrome treatment is possible. But its a diagnosis of exclusion. So it means excluding all other possibilities. A clinical psychologist may be needed as well, so that a proper evaluation can be done. For correct Chronic Fatigue Syndrome diagnosis, a patient must meet the following two criteria:

1) have severe chronic fatigue for 6 months or longer with other known medical conditions excluded by clinical diagnosis. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a state of fatigue lasting six months or longer and is a term given to a variety of debilitating disorders whose cause in uncertain.

2) at the same time, have four or more of the following symptoms:

• substantial loss of short-term memory or concentration, or difficulty in thinking
• sore throat
• tender lymph nodes
• muscle pain
• multi joint pain without swelling or redness
• headaches of a new type, pattern, or severity
• non-refreshing sleep
• discomfort after physical activity that lasts more than 24 hours.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is an illness characterized by persistent medically unexplained fatigue.

Initial symptoms mimic the flu: on physical examination, patients may have nonspecific findings such as low-grade fever and redness of the throat, but frequently no abnormalities are found.

When a patient has symptoms of fatigue and the doctor suspects CFS, the tests begin – physical exam, blood tests, urine tests, a mental status exam and a fatigue or symptom inventory. Chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with chronic entero virus infection of the stomach. Enterovirus VP1, RNA and non-cytopathic viruses were detected in the stomach biopsies of CFS patients with chronic abdominal complaints.

You need an extraordinary healing system to defeat chronic fatigue syndrome because CFS is no ordinary disease. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a stressful disease. It is important to get emotional support as well as treatment for your symptoms, and it really helps to reduce the work load and take a step back and focus more on the individual needs for some time, till full energy and strength are regained.

But till that happens, we have to maintain a healthy diet, and do regular exercise!

• Gene therapy triggers rapid weight loss
• Obesity researchers finger cold virus as culprit
• Weight loss can improve memory in elderly
• Enzyme could be key to controlling obesity
• Scripps Research team finds new obesity target
• Brain chemical regulates weight, appetite
• ‘Brown fat’ may be a key to curing obesity
• Genetic tinkering creates obesity-resistant mice
• Obesity drugs pose weighty problems for researchers
• Researchers find new pathway for addiction therapy

Conversely, if carriers of this genetic variant have low levels of these vitamins and minerals, their risk of aggressive prostate increases substantially, as great as 10-fold, over those who maintain higher levels of these nutrients, they write in today’s issue of Cancer Research.

“This large prospective study provides further evidence that oxidative stress may be one of the important mechanisms for prostate cancer development and progression, and adequate intake of antioxidants, such as selenium, lycopene and vitamin E, may help prevent prostate cancer,” said Dr Haojie Li, a researcher at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

The new findings are based on an analysis of 567 men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1982 and 1995, and 764 cancer-free men from the Physicians Health Study.

The initial goal of this study was to assess the effect of aspirin and beta-carotene on men’s health. Li’s team decided to check for variants of the gene that codes for manganese superoxide dismutatase (MnSOD), an important enzyme that works as an antioxidant in human cells to defend against disease.

The MnSOD gene is passed from parents to offspring in one of three forms: VV, VA or AA.

“Compared with men with the MnSOD VV or VA genotype, people with the AA genotype seem to be more sensitive to the antioxidant status,” said Li. “Men with the AA genotype are more susceptible to prostate cancer if their antioxidant levels are low.”

• The study’s results found that a quarter of the men in the study carried the MnSOD AA genotype, half carried the VA genotype, and the remaining quarter carried the VV genotype.
• The results indicated that the VA and VV men were at equivalent risk for developing prostate cancer across all levels of antioxidants in their blood.
• But compared to MnSOD VV or VA carriers in the lowest quartile of selenium levels, MnSOD AA males had an 89 per cent greater risk for developing aggressive prostate cancer if they had low blood levels of the mineral.
• On the other hand, MnSOD AA carriers with high selenium – those men in the highest quartile – had a 65 per cent lower risk than the MnSOD VV or VA males who maintained low levels of selenium.

“The levels of selenium in the highest quartile of these men are not abnormally high,” Li said. “Our range is neither extremely high nor extremely low.”

While similar trends were observed for lycopene and vitamin E when te

sted independently, the contrast in relative risk was most pronounced for the men who had high blood levels for all three antioxidants combined, said the researchers.

“Among men with the MnSOD AA genotype, we observed a 10-fold difference in risk for aggressive prostate cancer, when comparing men with high versus low levels of antioxidants combined,”said Li. “In contrast, among men with the VV or VA genotype, the prostate cancer risk was only weakly altered by these antioxidant levels.”

“Our study, as well as many other epidemiological studies, encourages dietary intake of nutrients such as lycopene from tomato products, or supplements for vitamin E and selenium to reduce risk of prostate cancer,” said Li.

Prostate cancer is one of the biggest cancer killers in industrial countries and affects more than 500,000 men worldwide every year. This number is expected to increase with the aging population.

Similar interactions between dietary antioxidants and the variations in the MnSOD gene have previously been linked to risk for breast cancer.

For more information visit: http://www.prostacet.com

Vitamin C plays a part in everything from tissue regeneration and healing to preventing illness and infection.

Vitamin C is used by the body to produce collagen.  Collagen is the building block of skin, bone, cartilage, blood vessels and ligaments, and also keeps the skin smooth and free of wrinkles.  The body also needs vitamin C to produce dentin, which is a structural component in teeth.

Vitamin C helps the body recovery much faster from wounds and injury.  It does this by speeding up the rate at which the body repairs itself. Vitamin C has also been shown to reduce the amount of histamines in the body.

Some studies have shown that one of the benefits of vitamin C is that it helps to reduce blood pressure, thereby lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.  It does this by keeping levels of nitric oxide up.  Nitric oxide is a chemical produced by the body that relaxes the blood vessels.  By doing this, it also reduces the risk of stroke.

Benefits Of Vitamin C As An Antioxidant

One of the most important benefits of vitamin C is its role as an antioxidant.  Antioxidants work by removing dangerous free radicals from the body.

A free radical is an unstable oxygen atom.  These are normally produced by the body during a process call oxidation and are necessary for life.  However, once formed, free radicals start chain reactions that are then very damaging to cells.

By slowing or preventing the oxidation of molecules, or even terminating the chain reactions free radicals create, antioxidants help regulate the number of free radicals in the body, and minimize the damage they may cause.

Another one of the benefits of vitamin C as an antioxidant is its role in boosting the immune system by increasing the body’s defense against viral infections, such as the common cold and influenza.  Although it hasn’t been firmly proven yet, the antioxidant capacity of vitamin C may also help cancer and macular degeneration.

Conclusion

These are but a few of the benefits of vitamin C.  Essential for life and good health, it is imperative that we include an adequate amount of this hardworking nutrient into our diets.  By consuming foods daily that are rich in vitamin C such as broccoli, berries, leafy green vegetables and citrus fruits, we can be sure that we’re getting just what our bodies need.

Genital Warts are the most common sexually transmitted infection diagnosed in clinics in North America and Europe.

• Genital warts are increasingly common and affect as many as one-third of young women in Canada and USA. These warts, spread by sexual contact, are often flat, tiny and difficult to spot and diagnose.
• Genital warts can be spread during vaginal or anal sex, and by sharing sex toys. However, you don’t need to have sexual intercourse to pass it on.
• Genital Warts don’t have to be present to become infected with HPV because it can be caught from touching the infected skin or through sexual fluids.
  
• Fast becoming a world wide epidemic with 6.2 million new cases each year in the US alone.

Genital warts are very contagious and are spread during oral, vaginal, or anal sex with an infected partner. They are transmitted by skin-to-skin contact during vaginal, anal, or (rarely) oral sex with someone who is infected. Genital warts should not be confused with Fordyce’s spots , which are considered benign.

Genital warts are bumps of various sizes on the skin of the genitals. They result from infection with some types of human papillomavirus, or HPV (a common sexually transmitted virus). Genital warts are caused by a virus which is passed on from direct skin to skin contact during sexual contact or sexual intercourse with an infected partner, usually during vaginal, anal, or oral sex play. They can spread even when no warts are visible.

Symptoms include:

• Genital warts are cauliflower-like lumps, in and around the genital area, and in some cases the anus.
• Genital warts look like small flesh-colored, pink, or red growths in or around the sex organs. The warts may look similar to the small parts of a cauliflower or they may be very tiny and difficult to see.
• Genital warts typically present as flesh-colored, exophytic lesions on the external genitalia, including the penis, vulva, scrotum, perineum, and perianal skin.
• External warts can appear as small bumps, or they may be flat, verrucous, or pedunculated. Genital warts can vary in color, from pink to brown, but generally look like small pink or red growths. They can cluster together and take on a cauliflower-like appearance.
• Genital warts are soft to touch and can be itchy. The warts can be very small and go unnoticed.
• A person with genital warts is carrying a virus. So Genital warts are very easily transmitted.
• Using condoms and dams (a thin latex square held over the vaginal or anal area during oral sex) provides some protection, but they only protect the area of skin they cover.
• For men wart growth is common on the head of the penis, the shaft of the penis, or randomly on the scrotum or around the anus.
• Women most commonly first get them on the tissue at the opening of the vagina that is closest to the anus and on the labia surrounding this tissue.

Genital warts are spread by sexual contact with an infected partner and are very contagious. Approximately two-thirds of all persons who have sexual contact with an infected partner will develop this sexually transmitted disease (STD).

Genital warts in women often cause abnormal Pap test results. Certain types of HPV increase the risk of cervical cancer.

Genital warts are passed on by direct skin-to-skin contact. Condoms reduce the risk, but they only protect the area of skin covered by the condom. Genital warts are warts that are located near or in the genital areas. In a female, that means on or near the vulva (the outside genital area), vagina, cervix, or anus.

Genital warts, also called human papillomavirus (HPV), is a group of 70 or more viruses that infect the skin and cause warts. HPV is a very common virus, and it is likely that you will probably be exposed to one more strains of it during your lifetime. Genital warts that are visible need to be removed and should never be allowed to grow any bigger than they first appear. The doctor that you see will discuss with you the ways in which they remove genital warts. Genital warts differ from the common wart in where they grow in the warm, moist genital areas of the body.

Genital warts can also develop in the mouth or throat of a person who has oral sex with someone infected with HPV causing virus. Genital warts is a leading cause of cervical cancer in women and can cause penile cancer in men. Genital warts may resolve without treatment in immunocompetent patients but may persist and spread in patients with decreased cell-mediated immunity (eg, HIV infection).

Sometimes these bumps can even arise in the mouth or throat after having oral sex with someone who has the disease. Women can take a Pap smear test to check for presence of human papilloma virus infection on the cervix. In a Pap smear, a laboratory worker examines cells scraped from the cervix under a microscope to see if they are cancerous.

Women should have regular cervical screening tests whether or not they have genital warts. Visible genital warts are not linked to cervical cancer and women who have had them do not need cervical screening tests more often than other women. HPV can pass through small tears in the skin of your genitals that happen during sex.

A wart will appear in the same area, usually within 3 months but sometimes not for years. HPV is easiest to pass on when there are visible warts present, but there is an infectious period before they appear and after they resolve. The length of this period is unknown. HPV may be passed even when there are no visible warts.

HPV can probably never be completely removed from the body, since viruses are extremely difficult to eradicate. However, warts can be treated using medications applied to them, or special injections at the base of the warts, or by removal. HPV is very common, so most sexually active men and women are likely to have been exposed to HPV. The virus maybe preventable with a new vaccine which is being tested currently.

30–60% of males whose partners have HPV acquire the virus in their own body. HPV can also cause cervical cancer if they are not treated. You can be infected with genital warts by direct sexual or skin-to-skin contact and a mother also can pass on the virus to her baby at birth.

Diagnosis of genital warts is made by visual inspection and may be confirmed by biopsy, although biopsy is needed only under certain circumstances (e.g., if the diagnosis is uncertain; the lesions do not respond to standard therapy; the disease worsens during therapy; the patient is immunocompromised; or warts are pigmented, indurated, fixed, bleeding, or ulcerated). Genital warts should be consulted with your doctor.

Genital warts can be transmitted from the mother to the child during childbirth. Occasionally, the child will develop the warts on his or her larynx.

Depending on the location of the warts will decide how your doctor will treat them. If they are located on the outer areas of the genitals the most common form of treatment is liquid nitrogen, which freeze the cells of the warts.

Condoms are usually ineffectual in preventing the spread of warts. However they are usually a very effective means of reducing the risk of other sexual infections and therefore should be considered even after the warts have disappeared. Condoms can help protect you from the HPV virus. However, because condoms do not completely cover the skin surrounding the genitals, you can still get the HPV virus if you come into direct contact with genital warts. Condoms may help reduce the risk of HPV infection.

The basic difference between bronchitis and pneumonia is that bronchitis is primarily an inflammation of the air passageways called bronchi that lead from the trachea to the lungs. With pneumonia, there is an actual infection of the lungs with the alveoli (air sacs) filling up with fluid or pus, causing breathing problems.

Understanding the Differences in Bronchitis and Pnemonia

• Both bronchitis and pnemonia can start out innocuous enough from a cold or even an allergy.
• With bronchitis, you may develop a dry cough in the beginning but within a day or two you could have a moister cough which may bring up clear, yellowish or green phlegm.
• With pneumonia, the cough comes up from the lungs and may be green or spotted with blood.
• In terms of fever, you may get a mild one with bronchitis but pneumonia will usually cause you to have a higher fever of about 101?F or higher.
• In addition, the best way to determine pneumonia is to have a doctor x-ray your chest area. Bronchitis will present clear lungs while pneumonia will show signs of infection.

In treating bronchitis and pneumonia, it is also important to know whether they were caused by a virus or bacteria.

• Often, the doctor will test the mucus for signs of bacteria as well as conduct a blood test to verify things. When it comes to a bacterial infection, treating bronchitis and pneumonia will usually be through various forms of antibiotics.
• The blood and phlegm test will help doctors pinpoint what type of bacteria is present so that the proper antibiotic treatment can be chosen.

Treating Bronchitis and Pnemonia when Caused by a Virus

When a virus is the cause of these respiratory illnesses, there is no drug that can help so the infection has to run its course.

With bronchitis, it may take a week or two to clear up the infection and start feeling more normal. However, with pneumonia, the time frame could be several months because lungs take longer to heal.

• Treating bronchitis and pneumonia caused by viruses usually boils down to the symptoms. You can treat the symptoms and provide yourself some relief while the illness runs its course.
• Some remedies that can be used when treating bronchitis and pneumonia include breathing in steam several times a day either through a shower or vaporizer and drinking plenty of fluids like water, juice and soup which work to thin the mucus so that it can be expelled easier.
• Oxygen treatments may be necessary for viral pneumonia sufferers when breathing becomes labored or difficult.

Alli (pronounced AL-eye) is meant for overweight adults who are struggling to shed excess pounds. Alli is the only FDA approved, over-the-counter weight loss product. It works and its safe — that’s why it has got FDA approval for weight loss. It works by preventing your body from absorbing some of the fat you eat.

Following is a detailed Q&Ato obtain Alli Weight Loss Drug Review: A Mayo Clinic specialist discusses the effectiveness of Alli, an over-the-counter weight-loss pill. Another drug is available to aid your weight-loss efforts, but this time you don’t need a prescription.

With its easy access and weight-loss promises, is Alli the best answer for weight-loss so far?

Donald Hensrud, M.D., a preventive medicine and nutrition specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., answers common questions about Alli.

What is Alli?
Alli is the reduced-strength version of orlistat (Xenical), a prescription drug to treat obesity. It’s approved for over-the-counter sale to overweight adults 18 years and older. Alli is meant to be used in conjunction with a low-calorie, low-fat diet and regular exercise.

How does Alli work?
Alli promotes weight loss by decreasing absorption of fat by the intestines, which reduces the number of calories you absorb. Lipase, an enzyme found in the digestive tract, helps break down dietary fat into smaller components, so it can be used or stored for energy.

Alli works by disabling lipase, which prevents the enzyme from breaking down the fat while it’s in your digestive tract. The undigested fat continues through the intestines and is eliminated through bowel movements.Alli is taken with fat-containing meals, up to three times a day.

Because of how Alli works, it’s recommended that you eat no more than 15 grams of fat with each meal. Eating higher amounts of fat can cause unwanted effects, such as urgent bowel movements, diarrhea and gas with oily spotting. For more information click here.

How much weight could I lose using Alli?

Alli can help you lose weight, but the weight loss likely won’t be great — perhaps just a few pounds more than you would lose with diet and exercise alone.

Only a small number of studies have evaluated the effectiveness of Alli. And many of the weight-loss estimates are based on studies conducted on its prescription-strength counterpart, Xenical.The average weight loss for prescription-strength Xenical is modest — about 6 pounds greater than diet and exercise alone after one year.

So at half the strength, Alli could conceivably result in an average of 3 pounds lost in a year in addition to the approximately 8 pounds you could expect to lose from diet and exercise alone.

When shouldn’t I take Alli?

You shouldn’t take Alli if you:
- Are at a healthy weight
- Are taking cyclosporine Have had an organ transplant
- Have problems absorbing food
- The drug also may pose risks for anyone who takes blood-thinning medication or has diabetes or thyroid disease.

Orlistat decreases the absorption of certain fat-soluble vitamins — for example, vitamins A, D and E. So if you’re taking Alli, you need to take a daily vitamin supplement (at a time different from when you take Alli) to prevent potential nutrient deficiencies. For more information click here.

How long do I need to take Alli?

According to the manufacturer, most weight loss occurs within the first six months. Many people who take medications to lose weight regain the weight they lost when they stop taking the medication. Therefore, to keep the weight off, many people continue taking medications indefinitely along with eating a low-calorie diet and exercising regularly.

How does Alli fit into a healthy weight-loss plan?

As you consider Alli as a weight-loss aid, make sure that you make every effort to exercise, change your eating habits and adjust any other lifestyle factors that have contributed to your excess weight. Alli isn’t the easy answer to weight loss and is meant only to supplement — not replace — a healthy diet and regular exercise. Now, you can create the most effective weight-loss plan for you. For more information click here.