The Best Fat Blocker: Alli vs. Proactol by:Barb Dearing

The gloves are off as Proactol gets ready to take down Alli

, the champ in the fat blocker arena. But how do these two heavyweights compare toe-to-toe? Let's take a look at the stat sheets on these two diet pill favorites.

Fat blockers are relative rookies in the ultra-competitive world of diet pills and weight loss supplements. They are based on scientific technology that keeps the body from absorbing some of the fat that is consumed. While Alli and Proactol both claim to reduce fat absorption by about 25 percent, they achieve these results in very different ways.

Let's first take a look at the medical science behind Alli's fat blocking formula. Typically, enzymes in your intestines break down fat from food so your body can absorb the fat. But Orlistat, the active ingredient in Alli, attaches to some of these enzymes and prevents them from digesting about a quarter of the fat consumed. Because undigested fat is not absorbed, it passes out of the body instead of turning into calories.

The main active ingredient in Proactol is Neopuntia, a patented fiber complex derived from the Optuntia Ficus India Cactus (also known as Prickly Pear). There are actually two different kinds of fiber at work here - one soluble and one non-soluble. When Proactol's non-soluble fibers come into contact with dietary fats, they bind with them to form a fluid gel around the fat. This makes the fat complex too large to be absorbed by the body and the unabsorbed fat passed naturally through the body.

Proactol also contains soluble fibers that bind with bile acids to create a very viscous solution in the digestive system. This viscous solution slows down digestion and the absorption of glucose. The stomach finds the viscous solution a lot harder to digest, therefore, it remains in the stomach far longer than an ordinary meal usually would. This results in a feeling of being full for much longer. For this reason, Proactol is considered an appetite suppressant as well as a straight-out fat blocker.

As might be expected, the different ingredients in Alli and Proactol produce different side effects. The primary side effect for Alli occurs when users don't adhere to the "less 15 grams of fat per meal" rule. This excess fat can't be digested and results in loose stool, an urgent need to use the bathroom, and gas with an oily discharge. While Proactol claims that its all-natural ingredients create no side effects, users have been known to complain of constipation - the exact opposite of the effects experienced by Alli users!

Users of both Alli and Proactol report generally satisfactory results - if they ignore the unwanted side effects of both products. So which of these products is the best fat blocker for you? Well, that depends. Alli has been on the market a bit longer and is the only over-the-counter weight loss product to have received FDA approval (that means the Food and Drug Administration thinks its safe). On the other hand, if you are looking for an all-natural product, Proactol is the only fat blocker made from one-hundred-percent organically grown ingredients.

In the end, you're the only one who can determine the best fat blocker for your needs. You might want to visit the website recommended below to read actual user comments about these and other weight loss products.

About the author

Barb is a freelance writer specializing in the topics of health, beauty and weight loss. She used the following website to research user comments for the above article: http://www.consumer-health-report.com

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