Can Orlistat Help You Lose Weight? Here's What You Should Know

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

About

Constance Tambakis Odom, MD graduated in 1987 with her Doctorate of Medicine from the New York Medical College, and was an Anesthesiologist Resident from 1988 to 1991 at the Brookdale Medical Center PGY II (CA-I)-PGY IV (CA-III). She is Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology since 1998 and American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine since 2002. Constance Odom, MD is affiliated with the American Medical Association, American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiology, Georgia Society of Anesthesiology, Hellenic Medical Society of New York, North Carolina Society of Anesthesiology, and Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia.

Credentials

Medical Director At:

• Nu Image Medical
• MetroMedispa P.A.

Staff Anesthesiologist at:

• Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn, NC
• Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, NC
• Duplin General Hospital in Kenansville, NC

Director of Anesthesia Services at:

• Jacksonville Surgery Center in Jacksonville, NC

Written by our editorial team.

Last Edited 3 years ago · 5 min read

If you have had a friend take Orlistat to help them lose weight recently, you may be wondering if this could work for you too. Before you decide to buy Orlistat, you need to know some necessary information about this medication. Read on to learn more about Orlistat, its uses, and how to stay safe while using this medication. 

Orlistat

Orlistat is a medication that treats obesity. It is taken as a pill. You may have also heard of its prescription name Xenical or its over the counter name Alli. It helps people lose weight by preventing your body from absorbing fat in the foods you eat, which allows you to reduce your caloric intake naturally. Orlistat is hormone-free. This medication works best when it is paired with a low-calorie diet. 

Orlistat is known as a lipase inhibitor because of how it naturally prevents your body from absorbing fats. It is a relatively simple way to help your body lose excess weight if needed. While it is useful for boosting the amount of weight you lose, it is not going to help you drastically reduce your weight on its own. It must be paired with a healthy diet and exercise routine to be overly useful. 

Also, Orlistat is popular among weight loss professionals because it can help lower blood pressure and prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes from the sudden weight change. However, other professionals will argue that these benefits only appear if individuals make sure to follow a healthy diet and exercise routine with the medication. 

While some people prefer to take this medication with a prescription, it is not necessary. You can get over the counter versions of Orlistat at your local drug store. You can also take the Generic version for lowered costs. 

Medical Uses

Most people buy Orlistat to help them lose weight. The amount people lose on this medication can vary. Most people who take this medication can reduce their body mass by five percent or more. Some people can even lose more than 10 percent of their body mass. However, after stopping this medication, some people can regain a portion of the weight they lost. That is why many professionals, such as the ones at Nu Image Medical, promote lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and exercise routine, which can enhance the benefits of Orlistat and make your weight loss journey more successful. 

Additionally, pairing Orlistat with a healthy diet and exercise routine reduces the incidences of type 2 diabetes in obese people. When taking for long periods, it can also help lower blood pressure. 

Aside from these common uses, Orlistat is also being examined as a potential treatment for African trypanosomes. This prediction developed because of how the medication works to prevent your body from absorbing the fat from the foods you eat. Initial testing supported this prediction. These tests have shown that Orlistat is a highly potent way to get rid of these parasites. However, this medication surprised researchers because it appears to work better on the parasites residing in the bloodstream rather than fat deposits. Orlistat will likely become a new method used to treat these parasites. 

How It Works

Before you buy Orlistat, you need to know how it works. Orlistat works by inhibiting the lipases in your pancreas and intestines, which break down the fats you eat. When your lipases are blocked, your body does not process fats. It just excretes them unchanged. When the generally prescribed dose is taken three times daily before meals, this medication can prevent your body from absorbing up to 30 percent of the fats you eat. Higher doses are not more potent. The majority of Orlistat will stay in your gastric system rather than being absorbed into your body. It will be excreted along with your undigested fats. 

Additionally, Orlistat was recently found to inhibit the fatty acid synthase, an enzyme that contributes to the reproduction of cancer cells. This finding means that the medication has the potential to stop the formation of tumors. It can also help fight against the Trypanosoma brucei parasite. 

Orlistat Benefits

This medication helps promote weight loss and healthy body composition by preventing your body from absorbing the fats you eat. Orlistat can also help suppress your appetite. It is most effective when paired with a healthy diet and exercise routine. Fortunately, this medication helps boost your energy levels, so you will be ready to exercise. 

Orlistat has been shown to effectively lower the amount of fat in your blood and help lower blood pressure. It can also help improve your insulin sensitivity, which helps prevent type 2 diabetes and other blood sugar-related problems. 

Combination Treatments

One of the most popular ways people buy Orlistat is through combination weight-loss treatments, which combine this medication with others, such as Acarbose and Naltrexone. Orlistat is often paired with Acarbose because the two of them together can prevent your body from absorbing both fats and sugars from your diet, create a natural caloric deficit, and suppress hunger. Both of these medications are also capable of reducing a post-meal glucose spike, leading to lower blood sugar levels, and providing control over insulin resistance issues.

When another medication, such as Naltrexone, is added, these medications become the perfect way to treat obesity. The success of this combination occurs because these medications work together to suppress your appetite, decrease the fats and sugars your body digests, and naturally decrease your caloric intake without causing hunger and sluggishness. On these medications, you will no longer crave fats, sugars, and carbs so that you can restructure your life and have a healthier diet. 

Legal Information

Historically, people have only been able to get this medication by prescription. However, now you can buy Orlistat in most drug stores. The over the counter version of this medication is known as Alli. The FDA approved this medication in 2006. It was one of the first weight loss drugs that became available over the counter. However, this version is only available in half the dose that prescription Orlistat comes in. 

Originally, Orlistat was only available under the prescription name Xenical. However, the generic version has become popular and is a much cheaper option. If you enroll in the Wayt-Less program offered by Nu Image Medical, you will be given generic Orlistat to help keep costs low. 

Counterfeit Products

To stay safe, you must buy Orlistat from a trusted professional or your local drug store. Since online shopping has become popular, some people have attempted to make counterfeit versions of Alli, the over the counter version of Orlistat. These pills do not contain any Orlistat but include other medications that may not be safe for everyone. 

If you are considering taking Orlistat to help you lose weight, you must understand a little bit about this medication. Knowing what it is used for, how it works, and some of the benefits could make your decision much more manageable. Plus, learning a bit about the legality of this medication and where to purchase it are crucial for the success of your weight loss journey. So arm yourself with this information and be ready to start taking Orlistat today to boost your weight loss. 

Nu Image Medical® offers a new and futuristic approach to achieving optimal health and wellness. The company has been a weight loss, anti-aging and wellness provider since 2004 and offers medically supervised programs for medical weight loss, peptides, erectile dysfunction, scream cream, and hair loss (NuDew) 

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your physician about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Nu Image Medical may not offer the medications or services mentioned in this article.