Short answer: The Xenical label dose is one 120 mg capsule three times a day with each main meal that contains fat, taken during the meal or up to 1 hour after. If a meal is skipped or has no fat, that dose can be left out. Doses above 120 mg three times a day added no benefit. A daily multivitamin is taken at least 2 hours apart, such as at bedtime.
This is what the FDA label says. Follow your prescriber. Your prescriber may use a different dose or pace than the label's standard schedule.
What Xenical is approved for: Xenical is approved for obesity management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, with a reduced-calorie diet, and to reduce the risk of weight regain after earlier weight loss, in people with a starting BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more, or 27 kg/m2 or more with other risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high blood fats (section 1). Use in adolescents 12 to 16 is supported by studies (section 8.4).
Source
XENICAL (orlistat) capsules, prescribing information and Patient Information. H2-Pharma (licensed by CHEPLAPHARM). DailyMed, version published January 12, 2026. DailyMed setid 6240792b-9224-2d10-e053-2a91aa0a2c3e
Xenical is a 120 mg capsule taken by mouth with each main meal that contains fat, during the meal or up to 1 hour after it (section 2.1).
The label pairs it with a nutritionally balanced, reduced-calorie diet with about 30% of calories from fat, spread over three main meals (section 2.1). The Patient Information gives examples: about 50 g of fat a day at 1500 calories, 60 g at 1800 and 67 g at 2000.
Because Xenical lowers absorption of some fat-soluble vitamins, a daily multivitamin with vitamins A, D, E, K and beta-carotene is taken at least 2 hours before or after Xenical, such as at bedtime (sections 2.1 and 5.1).
The table below is the label's schedule, from the Dosage and Administration section. Numbers are copied exactly; the section is in brackets.
| Item | What the label says |
|---|---|
| Recommended dose | One 120-mg capsule three times a day with each main meal containing fat (during or up to 1 hour after the meal) |
| Meal missed or has no fat | The dose of Xenical can be omitted |
| Higher doses | Doses above 120 mg three times a day have not been shown to provide additional benefit |
| Multivitamin | At least 2 hours before or after Xenical, such as at bedtime |
| Cyclosporine | Give cyclosporine 3 hours after Xenical |
| Levothyroxine | Take levothyroxine and Xenical at least 4 hours apart, and monitor thyroid function |
The effect of Xenical on stool fat shows within 24 to 48 hours of dosing. After stopping, stool fat usually returns to pretreatment levels within 48 to 72 hours.
People with diabetes may need lower doses of oral diabetes medicines such as sulfonylureas, or insulin, as weight loss changes blood sugar control.
People on stable doses of warfarin or other anticoagulants are monitored closely for changes in clotting tests, because vitamin K absorption may fall.
People on seizure medicines are watched for changes in how often or how badly seizures happen.
In people with HIV, viral load is checked often; if it rises and is confirmed, Xenical is stopped.
Single doses of 800 mg, and 400 mg three times a day for 15 days, were studied without significant adverse findings. After a significant overdose, the label recommends observation for 24 hours.
The label has no rule for a forgotten dose. It says that if a meal is occasionally missed or contains no fat, the Xenical dose for that meal can be omitted; the Patient Information says the same. Ask your pharmacist about a dose you forgot to take with a meal.
More on this: missed a dose of Xenical.
Underactive thyroid has been reported when Xenical and levothyroxine were taken together, so they are taken at least 4 hours apart and thyroid function is monitored.
In Dose Track you set up Xenical as a protocol with the dose and schedule your prescriber gave you. A protocol can hold dose steps, each with its own dose and length in days or weeks, so a step-up plan like the one on the label can be entered once and the app moves to the next step on its own. Reminders follow the schedule, and every dose is logged with the date and time, so you can see which step you are on and when your last dose was. The app follows what you enter; it does not choose or change a dose.
This page is what the FDA label says, in plain words. It is not medical advice. Follow your prescriber, and ask them or your pharmacist about anything here.