Xenical: What It Is, How It Works, and Alternatives You Should Know

When you take Xenical, a prescription weight loss medication that stops your body from absorbing dietary fat. Also known as orlistat, it works right in your gut—blocking about 30% of the fat you eat from being absorbed, so it passes out of your body instead of storing as extra weight. This isn’t a magic pill. It doesn’t shrink your appetite or speed up your metabolism. It just makes your body treat fatty foods differently.

People use Xenical when diet and exercise alone aren’t enough, especially if they have obesity-related conditions like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. It’s not for casual use. Doctors typically recommend it only after you’ve tried lifestyle changes for at least a few months. And it only works if you’re eating less fat. If you eat a burger with extra cheese and fries, Xenical will block some of that fat—but you’ll also get unpleasant side effects like oily stools, frequent bathroom trips, and gas with discharge. That’s because the unabsorbed fat has to go somewhere.

Many people stop using Xenical because of these side effects. Others switch to alternatives like semaglutide, a newer weight loss drug that reduces appetite by mimicking a gut hormone, or phentermine, a short-term appetite suppressant often paired with topiramate. Unlike Xenical, these don’t interfere with digestion—they change how your brain tells you when you’re full. But they come with their own risks: nausea, increased heart rate, or even mood changes.

There’s also a non-prescription version of Xenical called Alli, which has half the dose. It’s easier to get, but the results are milder and the side effects are still the same. If you’re looking for something gentler, some people turn to fiber supplements like glucomannan or green tea extract, though the science behind them is weaker. What works best depends on your body, your diet, and your tolerance for side effects.

What you’ll find below is a collection of real comparisons—side-by-side looks at how Xenical stacks up against other weight loss options, how it affects cholesterol, what happens when you stop taking it, and how to manage the messy side effects without giving up. These aren’t marketing pages. They’re practical guides written for people who’ve tried the easy fixes and are now looking for real answers.