Drug & supplement interaction

Adrafinil + Orlistat

Orlistat brand names: Xenical, Alli.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Adrafinil and Orlistat in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Adrafinil and Orlistat

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Orlistat and Adrafinil in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Adrafinil safety at a glance

Adrafinil overall Use caution It converts to a prescription stimulant-like drug and may stress the liver, so it should not be used casually.
Pregnancy Possibly Unsafe When used orally. Adrafinil is a precursor to the stimulant prescription drug modafinil. Modafinil has been associated with reports of intrauterine growth restr... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Unsafe When used orally. Adrafinil is a precursor to the stimulant prescription drug modafinil. Modafinil has been associated with reports of intrauterine growth restr... Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Orlistat and Adrafinil? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Orlistat

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Orlistat is filed under 2 classifications — including oral drugs. Adrafinil has documented interactions with 11 drug classes — the most serious being modafinil (provigil) (major), antihypertensive drugs (moderate) and cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) substrates (moderate) — and none of Orlistat’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Adrafinil Does Interact With Other Medications

Adrafinil has 1 major, 1,056 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Orlistat isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Adrafinil

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Adrafinil. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Adrafinil and Orlistat May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

  • Anxiety or restlessness / Trouble sleeping Additional detail

    Adrafinil

    “Anecdotally, headache, poor concentration, irritability, sedation, disturbed sleep, unpleasant stimulation, and anxiety have been reported following intake of adrafinil. It is unknown if individuals reporting these symptoms were also taking other substances.

    Adrafinil is a precursor to the stimulant prescription drug modafinil. Insomnia, headache, and nervousness are common adverse effects of modafinil.”

    Adrafinil · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anxiety.

    4 sources cited
    1. 109225. Lowe DW, Dobson E, Jewett AG, Whisler EE. Adrafinil: Psychostimulant and purported nootropic? Am J Psych Res J. 2021;17(1):7-9. DOI
    2. 104950. Urban AE, Cubala WJ. The role of eugeroics in the treatment of affective disorders. Psychiatr Pol. 2020;54(1):21-33. PubMed
    3. 109229. Kumar R. Approved and investigational uses of modafinil: an evidence-based review. Drugs. 2008;68(13):1803-39. PubMed
    4. 109226. Thobois S, Xie J, Mollion H, Benatru I, Broussolle E. Adrafinil-induced orofacial dyskinesia. Mov Disord 2004;19(8):965-6. PubMed

    Orlistat

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Orlistat. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Tiredness Additional detail

    Adrafinil

    “Anecdotally, feelings of withdrawal have been reported following cessation of adrafinil. Symptoms included fatigue, irritability, lack of focus, headache, and gastrointestinal symptoms. It is unknown if individuals reporting these symptoms were also taking other substances.

    Adrafinil is a precursor to the stimulant prescription drug modafinil.”

    Adrafinil · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    3 sources cited
    1. 109225. Lowe DW, Dobson E, Jewett AG, Whisler EE. Adrafinil: Psychostimulant and purported nootropic? Am J Psych Res J. 2021;17(1):7-9. DOI
    2. 104950. Urban AE, Cubala WJ. The role of eugeroics in the treatment of affective disorders. Psychiatr Pol. 2020;54(1):21-33. PubMed
    3. 109229. Kumar R. Approved and investigational uses of modafinil: an evidence-based review. Drugs. 2008;68(13):1803-39. PubMed

    Orlistat

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Orlistat. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Headache Additional detail

    Adrafinil

    “There is limited reliable information available about the safe use of adrafinil. However, adrafinil is a precursor to the stimulant prescription drug modafinil and may cause similar adverse effects.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Disturbed sleep, headache, malodorous urine, and unpleasant stimulation.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Orally: Orofacial dyskinesia.”

    Adrafinil · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.

    Orlistat

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Orlistat. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Nausea Additional detail

    Adrafinil

    “Adrafinil is a precursor to the stimulant prescription drug modafinil. Nausea is a common adverse effect of modafinil. Decreased appetite is common in children and adolescents and may be related to weight loss.”

    Adrafinil · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in nausea and vomiting.

    2 sources cited
    1. 104950. Urban AE, Cubala WJ. The role of eugeroics in the treatment of affective disorders. Psychiatr Pol. 2020;54(1):21-33. PubMed
    2. 109229. Kumar R. Approved and investigational uses of modafinil: an evidence-based review. Drugs. 2008;68(13):1803-39. PubMed

    Orlistat

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Orlistat. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Adrafinil but not commonly for Orlistat: a severe skin reaction, reduced appetite, mood changes or irritability and raised blood pressure.

Effects for Orlistat come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Adrafinil come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 25,755 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Orlistat that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Adrafinil in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When used orally. Adrafinil is a precursor to the stimulant prescription drug modafinil. Modafinil has been associated with reports of intrauterine growth restriction and spontaneous abortion. Also, animal studies show that developmental toxicity occurs with use of modafinil during pregnancy. Although modafinil, and possibly adrafinil, might have addictive potential, the potential for abuse is low. However, there have been anecdotal reports of withdrawal symptoms following use of adrafinil, alone or in combination with other products. Avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Orlistat

This page covers Adrafinil only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Orlistat page lists 18 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Coffee Charcoal (moderate), European Mandrake (moderate), Fish Oil (moderate) and Glucomannan (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 8 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Orlistat page

“People who take Orlistat (Xenical, Alli) for weight loss often browse the very supplement aisle where fiber products and fish oil sit, and both show up on this page, so it deserves genuine attention before you mix anything in. Nearly all 18 ingredients on file can change how oral medications absorb from the gut, and the single major-ra…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Orlistat interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Adrafinil as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 7 real supplement products containing Adrafinil, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Adrafinil. Even though Adrafinil itself has no known interaction with Orlistat, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Adrafinil and Orlistat Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Adrafinil
Steady interest

#738 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Orlistat
Top half

#896 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Adrafinil reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Adrafinil and Orlistat records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Adrafinil

What is Adrafinil?

Adrafinil
  • Wakefulness and alertness
  • Fatigue
  • Focus and concentration
  • Cognitive enhancement (nootropic)
  • Daytime sleepiness

Adrafinil is a synthetic compound that the body converts into modafinil, a prescription wakefulness-promoting drug. It is sometimes sold as a nootropic supplement, but it is unregulated, carries real risks (especially to the liver), and is banned in some sports and countries. Talk with a doctor or pharmacist before using it.

Synthetic compound (not from a plant) · Capsules, tablets, powder

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Adrafinil is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Adrafinil record says about it on its own.

Adrafinil: dosing

There is no officially established or standardized supplement dose for adrafinil, and it is not approved as a dietary supplement by health authorities. Doses used historically as a prescription medicine were determined by doctors and are not the same as casual self-dosing.If a product is used, follow the directions on the label and do not exceed them. Because of the liver risk, it is generally not recommended for daily or long-term use, and periodic liver function testing may be wise.

From our Adrafinil monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Adrafinil monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Orlistat

What Is Orlistat Used For?

Brand names: Xenical, Alli

Xenical and prescription-strength orlistat are approved to help obese adults lose weight and keep it off when used with a reduced-calorie diet. They are intended for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher if other risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterol or fat levels in the blood) are present.

Alli is the over-the-counter version, approved for weight loss in overweight adults 18 and older when used with a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet and exercise program.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Orlistat

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (25,755 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Rectal discharge 2,434 reports
Gastrointestinal disorder 2,186 reports
Constipation 1,991 reports
Diarrhea 1,960 reports
Weight increased 1,944 reports
See full Orlistat drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Adrafinil

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Adrafinil — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

1Major
1,056Moderate
0Minor
1,772No known interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

1,056 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,056 moderate interactions — see all 1,056 on the Adrafinil page.

No interaction 1,772 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Adrafinil References

The 7 references that drive our Adrafinil monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Urban AE, Cubala WJ. The role of eugeroics in the treatment of affective disorders. Psychiatr Pol. 2020;54(1):21-33. PubMed
  2. Lowe DW, Dobson E, Jewett AG, Whisler EE. Adrafinil: Psychostimulant and purported nootropic? Am J Psych Res J. 2021;17(1):7-9. DOI
  3. Thobois S, Xie J, Mollion H, Benatru I, Broussolle E. Adrafinil-induced orofacial dyskinesia. Mov Disord 2004;19(8):965-6. PubMed
  4. Chariot J, Appia F, Vaille C, Rozé C. Effect of modafinil on pancreatic exocrine secretion in rats. A comparison with adrafinil and related drugs. Fundam Clin Pharmacol 1987;1(4):243-52. PubMed
  5. Kumar R. Approved and investigational uses of modafinil: an evidence-based review. Drugs. 2008;68(13):1803-39. PubMed
  6. Provigil (modafinil) [package insert]. North Wales, PA: Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. Published: January 2015. Accessed on: Nov 11, 2022.
  7. Kinslow, CJ, Shapiro SD, Grunebaum MF, Miller EC. Acute hypertensive crisis and severe headache after concurrent use of armodafinil and tranylcypromine: Case report and review of the literature. Clinical Short Communication. October 2018; 393:1-3. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Adrafinil and Orlistat Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Adrafinil with Orlistat?
We do not list a known interaction between Adrafinil and Orlistat. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Adrafinil and Orlistat have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 5 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
How was the Adrafinil and Orlistat combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Orlistat is filed under 2 classifications, and Adrafinil has documented interactions with 11 drug classes — none of Orlistat's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Adrafinil interact with any other medications?
Yes. Adrafinil has 1,057 documented drug interactions in our database — Orlistat is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Orlistat interact with any supplements?
Yes. Orlistat has documented interactions with 18 supplements in our database — Adrafinil is not one of them. The Orlistat interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Orlistat and Adrafinil?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.