Is Orlistat safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Orlistat. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
Orlistat is poorly absorbed orally, but a small amount has been detected in the milk of one woman. It is unlikely that orlistat will be absorbed by the infant in amounts that would adversely affect the breastfed infant. Because it inhibits the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, mothers using it should take a multivitamin supplement at bedtime.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Orlistat was detected in the milk of one mother at a concentration of 2.3 ng/gram of milk. Because milk donors were anonymized in the study, it was not known if the mother was taking orlistat or at what dose.[1]
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Orlistat in pregnancy
LactMed covers breastfeeding only. For what the NHS and the US prescribing label say about pregnancy, see:
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Orlistat is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Orlistat” (LM886). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.