30 Day Workout Challenge

My Alli is an over-the-counter drug containing the active ingredient orlistat. After reviewing thestudies done on orlistat, and giving the prescription version of orlistat, (link to Xenical) Xenical, a try, I started using My Alli for 30 days.

My Alli's orlistat supplies used to be Roche Pharmaceuticals, the same company that provides Xenical with their orlistat, but My Alli changed orlistat provider in 2012.

Directions: Take 1 capsule, up to 3 a day, with each meal containing fat.

Take a multivitamin once a day at bedtime.

Claims: Fat blocking

Ease of use: The capsule is average size, made of a coating that gets slick easily and goes down well. It has no smell whatsoever. I had no trouble taking it with either food or water.

FDA: Orlistat is approved for both prescription (Xenical) use in a 120 mg dose and over-the-counter (My Alli) use in a 60 mg dose. It is also available by prescription in Canada and over-the-counter in Australia and the EU.

Xenical is a prescription drug containing the active ingredient orlistat. After reviewing the studies done on orlistat, I started using it for 30 days.

Xenical's orlistat is from Roche Pharmaeuticals. (This is in contract to My Alli's orlistat supplier, which is an unnamed Indian pharmaceutical company.)

Directions: Take 1 capsule, up to 3 a day, with each meal containing fat.

Take a multivitamin once a day at bedtime.

Claims: Fat blocking

Ease of use: The capsule is average size, made of a coating that gets slick easily and goes down well. It has no smell whatsoever. I had no trouble taking it with either food or water.

FDA: Orlistat is approved for both prescription (Xenical) use in a 120 mg dose and over-the-counter (My Alli) use in a 60 mg dose. It is also available by prescription in Canada and over-the-counter in Australia and the EU.

Orlistat is found in prescription Xenical in 120 mg doses and over-the-counter My Alli in 60 mg doses.

Orlistate has been used in a number of fat control and fat loss studies. Trials which used control groups and used patients with uncomplicated obesity (that is patients who did not have obesity due to untreated medical conditions) showed statistically significant differences between the placebo control group and the orlistat group on who achieved more weight loss. Those using orlistat achieved significantly greater results (5% or greater decrease in body mass on average). It not only resulted in more weight loss, it resulted in a decrease in health complications related to being overweight or obese, such as high blood pressure.

We did a close look at the herbal supplement Forskolin and so now it's time to use LG 365's Forskolin for 30 days and see if it stacks up to its own claims.

Directions: Take one capsule daily with a glass of water. Preferably before a meal.

Claims: Weight loss, 'belly buster', appetite suppressant, increased energy, increased mood, nicer skin

Ease of use: The capsule has only a light odor. It goes down easily with both food and water. I had no issues with it getting caught in my throat.

FDA: No statements made by LG 365 are approved by the FDA.

I cannot see any substantial difference in my weight loss than would be expected from my exercise program. Nor did I feel like I had more energy or an elevated mood. I felt very normal while taking LG 365 Forskolin.

Coleus forskolii is one of the newest 'wonder drugs' that TV personalities and websites are pushing to help with weight loss. The box claims it will boost metabolism, that it's a powerful fat burner and will increase NRG levels. As with almost all supplements, these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

The close look at LG 365 Forskolin is going to be short and sweet unlike some supplements which contain everything but the bathroom sink. There are only three ingredients.

The capsule itself is made of vegetable cellulose. These are good capsule options for people who want to keep vegetarian or vegan. A quick test in vinegar confirmed that the capsule will dissolve easily once it hits the stomach. The pH of vinegar is a bit weaker than stomach acids.

Now for the contents of the capsule.

Rice flour is the inactive ingredient filler. It's a gluten free filler; there's nothing good or bad about it.

Forskolin is what you're really paying for here as it's the only other ingredient. It's what's being pushed as a weight loss miracle by TV personalities like Dr. Oz. But is there any science to back up his touting of this 'miracle'? The short answer is no.

After going over and evaluating the usefulness of each of the ingredients in EvolutionSix Fat Loss Formula I took it for 30 days and am ready to evaluate its effectiveness in real world terms.

Let's take a look.

Vitamin B6 aids in the synthesis of hemoglobin and enhances oxygen binding to hemoglobin. Toxic doses of dietary supplement Vitamin B6 for extended periods of time can result in neurological issues. As such this should not be taken with any Vitamin B complexes for additional Vitamin B6 supplements.

It won't help you lose weight, but in the levels present in the Fat Loss Formula there will not be any negative side effects – except very potently scented urine and possibly sweat.

Iodine (from kelp) serves an important role in helping regulate the thyroid. Most people struggling to lose weight probably know the importance of the thyroid in managing weight to a certain extent. In developed countries iodine is added to table salt and while this has reduced problems iodine deficiency is still a problem. This may be even more of a problem for people who are dieting as they avoid salt and may not know what foods are high in iodine – or even that they need foods high in it.

This will not help someone lose weight, but getting enough iodine into the diet in important to stave off physical and mental illnesses which can cause weight gain. Iodine toxicity is a problem though, especially in selenium deficient people – which this supplement contains none of.

Chromium(III) picolinate is necessary for glucose to be used properly in the body, however, deficiency is rare. The human body already process glucose properly and if it is not, doctor's intervention is needed, not a non-FDA approved supplement. In addition the EvolutionSix packaging warns not to take this supplement with other supplements due to chromium toxicity concerns. Studies on the toxicity of chromium(III) are variable but seem to point to poor absorption of the substance meaning it's really, really hard to overdose on it.

A poorly studied addition to this supplement that probably offers no benefits your body isn't already accomplishing on its own and may be dangerous to one's health.