Orlistat isn't effective for everyone and is by no means a miracle weight loss pill. Orlistat is recommended if you are overweight and if previous weight-reducing efforts have not worked. As long as you follow a sensible, balanced diet, as well as exercise regularly, you'll have a good chance of losing weight.
Orlistat will usually only be recommended if you've made a significant effort to lose weight through diet, exercise or changing your lifestyle. Even then, orlistat is only prescribed if you have a: body mass index (BMI) of 28 or more, and other weight-related conditions, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.
Your BMI: Must be 30 or above; or. Must be 28 or above, and you have a medical condition that would benefit from losing weight (such as diabetes or high blood pressure).
You must lose at least 5% of your weight by three months from starting orlistat; if not, treatment should be stopped.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a safety review of orlistat in 2010 because of rare reports of serious liver injury in people using it. The FDA found no evidence to confirm that orlistat was the cause of the reported liver injuries.