You have probably seen the commercials or read the direct mail pieces about the Alli diet drug by now. This over-the-counter version is one-half the strength of Xenical, but it's the same drug. "Alli" is pronounced, "ally," as in friend or associate. The Alli diet program is more than just a pill: it involves a reduced calorie, low fat diet, regular walking and toning exercises, and behavioral changes.

The incentive that the Alli Diet pill offers is that even if you cheat on your low fat diet even in the least bit you will experience the fury of the Alli diet pill's side effects. Alli affectionately calls these side effects "treatment effects," using the verbiage found in the Alli Companion Guide. If you're using the Alli diet pill, cheating on your diet just isn't worth the consequences.

Alli, marketed over the counter by GlaxoSmithKline, and under the trade name Xenical by Roche, prevents about 30% of dietary fat from being absorbed. The amount of weight loss will vary among individuals. Steatorrhea, fecal incontinence, frequent or urgent bowel movements, and flatulence are among the primary side effects of the drug, and most of the other effects are gastrointestinal-related. GlaxoSmithKline recommends that Alli users wear dark pants or keep spare clothes available at work until they "have a sense of any treatment effects."

One nonprofit group, Public Citizen, says Alli has been shown in studies to cause pre-cancerous lesions in the colons of mice. Director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group, Dr. Sidney M. Wolfe, said while it is not known whether these pre-cancerous lesions will lead to colon cancer, he and other cancer experts do not believe use of the weight loss-drug is a risk worth taking.

The US has been worried about its population's growing beefiness for a long time, expecially since some 65% of adults are overweight or obese. The problem is also starting to take hold in Europe. Alli is expected to become one of the latest wonder drugs on the US market, in spite of its side effects. Potential customers who see the Alli pill as a quick path to weight loss ought to know that it works better alongside traditional weight loss programs such as exercise and light dieting.

When you use Alli diet pills, the excess fat that passes out of your body is not harmful. It actually looks something like the oil on top of a pizza. Learning how to handle the different side effects is an important part of being successful with Alli. Here's how to take control:

· Before you begin taking Alli, start trimming the fat from your diet. Start taking Alli on a weekend or public holiday, so that you can stay close to home if you experience a treatment effect.

· Spread your daily fat gram allowance of 15 grams on average meals eaten throughout the day.

· The best place to go when you feel gassy is the bathroom.

· Learn to spot the foods that trigger side effects by using a journal.