Orlistat  reduced body weight ( weighted mean difference : −2.12 , p < 0.001 ) , total‐cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.30 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) , low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.27 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) , high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.034 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) and triglyceride ( weighted mean difference : −0.09 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) concentrations , while no effect on lipoprotein(a ) was observed .
Total‐ and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol‐lowering were associated negatively with duration of orlistat treatment and positively with body weight changes .
In conclusion , Orlistat treatment slightly reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels , but not lipoprotein(a ) levels .
Total‐ and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels reductions are more consistent in patients with greater body weight reduction and shorter duration of orlistat treatment .
We investigated the efficacy of orlistat on plasma lipids and body weight in a meta‐ analysis of 33 studies including 9732  participants .Orlistat  was associated with a slight but significant decrease in body weight , plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations , whereas plasma Lp(a ) levels were not affected by orlistat treatment .
Greater body weight reduction and lower duration of orlistat treatment promoted more consistent plasma total‐ and LDL‐cholesterol lowering
& NA ; Orlistat , an inhibitor of intestinal lipase , promotes body weight reduction .
The lipid‐lowering efficacy of orlistat is controversial and the effect of orlistat‐induced body weight reduction on lipid changes has not been explored in meta‐regression analyses .
HighlightsOrlistat is an inhibitor of intestinal lipase promoting body weight reduction , but whose lipid‐lowering efficacy is controversial .
Orlistat inhibits dietary cholesterol absorption.
OBJECTIVE Orlistat decreases the absorption of dietary triglycerides by inhibiting intestinal lipases . Orlistat therapy is associated with a greater decline in plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations than that expected from weight loss alone . Therefore , we evaluated the effect of orlistat treatment on dietary cholesterol absorption as a possible mechanism for the independent effect of orlistat on plasma cholesterol concentration . RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES Cholesterol absorption from a st and ardized meal , containing 72 mg of cholesterol , was determined in 18 subjects with class II abdominal obesity ( BMI , 35.0 to 39.9 kg/m(2 ) ) by simultaneous administration of intravenous ( [ (2)H(6 ) ] cholesterol ) and oral ( [ (2)H(5 ) ] cholesterol ) cholesterol tracers . In protocol 1 ( n = 9 ) , cholesterol absorption was determined on two different occasions , 10 to 20 days apart , to assess the reproducibility of the tracer method . In protocol 2 ( n = 9 ) , cholesterol absorption was determined with and without orlistat therapy in a prospect i ve , r and omized , crossover design to assess the effect of orlistat on cholesterol absorption . RESULTS In protocol 1 , cholesterol absorption from the test meal was the same on both occasions ( 53 + /- 5 % and 51 + /- 5 % ) . In protocol 2 , orlistat treatment caused a 25 % reduction in cholesterol absorption , from 59 + /- 6 % to 44 + /- 5 % ( p < 0.01 ) . DISCUSSION These data demonstrate that orlistat inhibits dietary cholesterol absorption , which may have beneficial effects on lipoprotein metabolism in obese subjects that are independent of weight loss itself
Orlistat  reduced body weight ( weighted mean difference : −2.12 , p < 0.001 ) , total‐cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.30 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) , low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.27 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) , high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ( weighted mean difference : −0.034 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) and triglyceride ( weighted mean difference : −0.09 mmol/L , p < 0.001 ) concentrations , while no effect on lipoprotein(a ) was observed .
Total‐ and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol‐lowering were associated negatively with duration of orlistat treatment and positively with body weight changes .
In conclusion , Orlistat treatment slightly reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels , but not lipoprotein(a ) levels .
Total‐ and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels reductions are more consistent in patients with greater body weight reduction and shorter duration of orlistat treatment .
We investigated the efficacy of orlistat on plasma lipids and body weight in a meta‐ analysis of 33 studies including 9732  participants .Orlistat  was associated with a slight but significant decrease in body weight , plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations , whereas plasma Lp(a ) levels were not affected by orlistat treatment .
Greater body weight reduction and lower duration of orlistat treatment promoted more consistent plasma total‐ and LDL‐cholesterol lowering
& NA ; Orlistat , an inhibitor of intestinal lipase , promotes body weight reduction .
The lipid‐lowering efficacy of orlistat is controversial and the effect of orlistat‐induced body weight reduction on lipid changes has not been explored in meta‐regression analyses .
HighlightsOrlistat is an inhibitor of intestinal lipase promoting body weight reduction , but whose lipid‐lowering efficacy is controversial .