Research
Macro partitioning
Orlistat provides modest weight loss and cardiovascular risk reduction, but its efficacy is heavily dependent on dietary fat restriction.
Orlistat is an older weight loss medication that works by blocking fat absorption. It is less effective than newer drugs and requires you to eat a low-fat diet to avoid unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects like oily diarrhea. It may offer some cardiovascular benefits for people with metabolic syndrome.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
Orlistat is a pancreatic lipase and gastric lipase inhibitor that can lead to a decrease in fat absorption by as much as 30%. It has a modest weight loss effect which depends mostly on diet.
Why this rating
Based on randomized controlled trials (XENDOS, ATTEMPT).
Source
Novel Anti-obesity Therapies and their Different Effects and Safety Profiles: A Critical Overview
Özge Telci Çaklılı et al. · Diabetes Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity · 2023
narrative_reviewCited 30×
Read the paper This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →