Xenical

What is Xenical?

Xenical is a weight loss capsule that stops around one third of the fat that you eat from being processed into the body. It’s a fat binding treatment, which means it helps the body to get rid of fat before it’s absorbed.

Xenical should be used in partnership with a low kilojoule diet and regular exercise, even if it’s just a few minutes a day to get your heart rate up.

Orlistat is the active ingredient in Xenical 120mg capsules. It’s a branded version of the generic weight loss capsule: ‘Prolistat’.

How does Xenical work?

It helps enzymes to get rid of fat from the body without absorbing it. It’s very effective for many people who use it, but everyone has the potential of reacting differently to the medication.

Xenical only eliminates fat from your diet: it cannot remove fat that’s already been processed by the body. This is why exercise is so important. If the meal you’re eating contains no fat, it won’t provide any benefits for weight loss.

Is Xenical the right weight loss treatment for me?

Fat binding weight loss products like Xenical are only suitable for people whose BMI is at least 30 (or 28 if you have other risk factors such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes). Xenical is a capsule treatment, so if capsules are a preferred form of weight loss medication for you, it may be the right fit.

Whether Xenical is the best weight loss product for you will also depend on how prone you are to certain side effects, if you have a particular health condition, or if you are currently taking other medication that may interact with Xenical. We’ll take all these things into consideration as part of your Treated consultation, before deciding if it’s a safe and appropriate treatment for you.

How to take Xenical

Take one capsule with each of your three main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) every day. You can take it just before, during or up to one hour after your meal. Swallow the capsule whole with water.

Xenical is only effective when you consume dietary fat, so if you miss a main meal or if you have a meal that doesn’t contain any fat, you don’t need to take it.

What to eat when taking Xenical

Xenical should be used alongside a well-balanced, calorie controlled diet that’s rich in fruit and vegetables, and contains an average of 30% of calories from fat sources. Your daily intake of carbohydrate, protein and fat should be spread over three meals.

To get the most benefit from Xenical, avoid consuming foods that contain fat between meals, such as chocolate, biscuits and savoury snacks.

If I miss a Xenical capsule, what should I do?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember (so long as this is within one hour of your last meal). You can then continue to take it as you normally would. Don’t take twice the amount to make up for a missed dose.

If you miss several doses, tell us. Don’t make any adjustments to your dose without chatting to our clinician about it first, and if you have any other questions, just let them know.

Medically reviewed by

Dr Daniel Atkinson

GP Clinical Lead

on August 02, 2022.

Meet Daniel