Orlistat: A Complete Overview

• Take one capsule three times a day, during or within one hour of consuming a fat containing meal (if you miss a dose do not double up at your next meal, you simply lose the benefit of Orlistat for that meal).
• If you eat a meal that has no fat, then you do not need a dose of Orlistat
• You should not take more than three Orlistat capsules per day
• Orlistat may reduce the absorption of fat soluble vitamins.To ensure adequate vitamin absorption you should take a multivitamin containing fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, K & beta carotene) once a day, at bedtime or 2 hours before or after taking your Orlistat.

Take this medication as directed by your doctor, by mouth with liquid sometime during each meal that contains fat or within 1 hour after the meal, usually 3 times daily. If you miss a meal or your meal contains no fat, skip that dose of the medication.

To decrease the chance of unpleasant side effects, it is very important that no more than 30% of the calories in your diet come from fat. Your daily intake of fat, protein, and carbohydrates should be evenly spread over 3 main meals.

Orlistat is generally safe and well tolerated, however, like all medicines there is a potential for side effects. Orlistat can cause digestive side effects related to undigested fats passing through the body but these generally occur early in your treatment and subside with time.

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhoea
• Flatulence
• Loose, oily stools

To minimise or avoid these unwanted effects the medication should be allied with a low fat diet. Remember everybody will have a weight loss journey unique to them and if you have any concerns centred around any side effects or aspect of your medication please reach out to one of our clinicians who will address them and provide appropriate support.

Orlistat is not a magic bullet but it will help to leverage your own efforts and boost your weight loss when combined with a healthy diet(reduced calories, low fat) and regular physical activity; most weight loss occur in the first 6 months.

A long term study demonstrated that patients taking orlistat, reported an average weight loss of almost 13 lbs. Another review reported that over the course of a year users of orlistat could expect to lose 7.5 lbs more than they would have achieved with diet and exercise alone.

• If you are allergic to any of the ingredients in Orlistat capsules
• If you have Chronic malabsorption syndrome
• History of Cholestasis
• If you are pregnant
• If you are breast-feeding
• If you are not overweight

• Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and bottle after “EXP”. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
• Do not store above 25°C
• Keep the container tightly closed to protect it from moisture.