I have read all the material and everything says to "take it with a meal".  Is it better to take it before the meal or after?  Does it make a difference?

 Thanks

I would think, since the material said to "take it with a meal" do just that. Preferably before, just make it a habit.  I do believe you have an hour window for the pill to still be effective.

 As long as you take it within one hour before or after the meal you're ok. They suggest taking it with the meal so you don't forget to take it. I like to take it with a sip of water right before I start to eat so that I remember it.

I try to take it before I eat.  The purpose I have for doing that is then I am less likely to indulge in foods I should not eat and also people then are less likely to say "just have some cake, it won't hurt and then you can skip the pill".  My family means well but does not always understand.

If you take it before, take it just before you eat.  Otherwise, you will begin to metabolize it before you put food in your stomach for it to work with.  You can take it up to an hour after you finish eating. 

taterbuggie:

I have read all the material and everything says to "take it with a meal".  Is it better to take it before the meal or after?  Does it make a difference?

 Thanks

Hi taterbuggie, Alli can be taken up to 1 hour before, during, and up to 1 hour after a meal to be effective. It is recommended to be taken with your meals, simply as a reminder to take the dose and as a motivator to stay within your caloric and fat gram limits. Hope this helps. Sophia De Monte RPh

Hi theresa0908, Alli does not need to be metabolized, it is active once taken. It depends on you to have eaten in order for it to work since it requires the secretion of the digestive enzyme lipase. It does make more sense to take it with your meal. The dose is flexible enough so that it can be taken before (like if you are going out) or even after the meal. Alli is effective for 2 hours. Hope this clarifies. Sophia De Monte RPh

Thank you all for your answers.  I can't believe how helpful everyone is.

Thanks for asking this question.  I was wondering the same thing too. I must have missed the hour before/after in the handbooks. 

Anything that goes into your stomach is metabolized.  If it wasn't, it would remain in your stomach.  Metabolized doesn't mean activate [at least in this sense], it simply means that it is put through the digestive system of the body.  My point was, if you take it on an empty stomach, it will begin to be digested before the food is there for which it will work upon. 

Hi theresa0908,

Metabolized means to be broken down and activated and/or deactivated.  Alli will start working once it passes through the stomach and into the intestines.  It will work only if lipase has been secreted. The 2 hour window has been extensively studied and has proven that alli is effective from 1 hour before to up to 1 hour after a meal.

Hope this clarifies.

Sophia De Monte RPh

I would say take it right before you eat. I personally chose Alli because there are consequences to eating too much fat. I had goll stones and was forced into a low fat diet. If I went over five grams of fat in a meal I would be in the Emergency Room that night with such severe pain I thought I was going to die. After they removed the stones I went back to eating foods I shouldn't but durring the four months before the surgery I lost fourty pounds. I was devastated when I put that wieght back on. I am not saying I want the stones back but when I started reading about Alli and how you would regret going off the diet I jumped on the oppurtunity. Take it right before so you stay on plan. 

I suppose everyone has their own preferences, but for me, I take it right before I eat as I'm having my meal.  I've taken it after I've finished my meal as well.  However, for me, my bowels are moved more rapidly when I take it before I eat.  By the time I've finished my meal, I'm ready to relieve myself.  So far I've lost 7 pounds.  :)