Research
Macro partitioning
Orlistat, an anti-absorptive medication, produces modest weight loss (2.8-4.8% total body weight loss) by inhibiting gastric and pancreatic lipase.
Orlistat is an oral medication that works by blocking fat absorption, leading to modest weight loss (around 3-5%). It is less effective than newer injectable options and can cause gastrointestinal side effects like oily stools and urgency, which may limit its use.
GoodSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Orlistat inhibits gastric and pancreatic lipase, preventing triglycerides from being hydrolyzed and decreasing the absorption of free fatty acids from the diet. Weight reduction (denoted henceforth with the minus [-] sign) ranges from −2.8 to −4.8% total body weight loss (TBWL).
Why this rating
Supported by multiple trials (Xendos, Kang 2010).
Source
Pharmacotherapy for Obesity: Recent Updates
Thomas W. Fredrick et al. · Clinical Pharmacology Advances and Applications · 2025
DOI 10.2147/cpaa.s497904
narrative_review
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Tirzepatide, a dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist, produces superior total body weight loss (up to 20.9% at 72 weeks) compared to placebo and other anti-obesity medications.Strong
- Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, produces significant weight loss (up to 15.8% at 68 weeks) and improves cardiovascular outcomes in patients with obesity or type 2 diabetes.Strong
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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 →