Drug & supplement interaction

Iodine + Orlistat

Orlistat brand names: Xenical, Alli.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Iodine 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

Iodine 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 Iodine 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.

Iodine safety at a glance

Iodine overall Use caution Safe in normal dietary amounts, but high doses can cause thyroid problems.
Pregnancy Likely Safe When used orally and appropriately. Iodine is safe in amounts that do not exceed the tolerable upper intake level (UL) of 1100 mcg daily in those 18 years and o... Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Safe When used orally and appropriately. Iodine is safe in amounts that do not exceed the tolerable upper intake level (UL) of 1100 mcg daily in those 18 years and o... 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 Iodine? 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. Iodine has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being amiodarone (cordarone) (moderate), antithyroid drugs (moderate) and lithium (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

Iodine Does Interact With Other Medications

Iodine has 7 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.

Moderate 7 No known interaction 2,823 (incl. Orlistat)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Iodine

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Iodine 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. 4 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • A severe allergic reaction / An allergic reaction Worth acting on Additional detail

    Iodine

    “People who are allergic to iodine-containing foods or drugs are sometimes stated to have "iodine allergy", but the actual allergen is another agent such as seafood proteins or radiocontrast media. However, some people can be hypersensitive to iodine when used orally.”

    Iodine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

    4 sources cited
    1. 93001. Iodine Hypersensitivity. Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter 2011; 27(5):270504.
    2. 15. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
    3. 17561. Cabezas C, Bustamante B, Holgado W, Begue RE. Treatment of cutaneous sporotrichosis with one daily dose of potassium iodide. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1996;15:352-4. PubMed
    4. 17574. Sterling JB, Heymann WR. Potassium iodide in dermatology: a 19th century drug for the 21st century-uses, pharmacology, adverse effects, and contraindications. J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:691-7. PubMed

    Orlistat

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

  • Hives / Bleeding or bruising Worth acting on Additional detail

    Iodine

    Recorded for Iodine in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A severe allergic reaction / An allergic reaction above.

    Orlistat

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

  • Joint pain Additional detail

    Iodine

    Recorded for Iodine in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under A severe allergic reaction / An allergic reaction above.

    Orlistat

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

  • Diarrhea reported in 7.6% of FDA reports for Orlistat Additional detail

    Iodine

    “Orally, the commonly reported adverse effects of a saturated solution of potassium iodide (SSKI) are nausea (14%), abdominal pain (14%), metallic taste (4%), and diarrhea (4%). These side effects can be minimized by avoiding quick dosage increases.”

    Iodine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in diarrhea.

    5 sources cited
    1. 17561. Cabezas C, Bustamante B, Holgado W, Begue RE. Treatment of cutaneous sporotrichosis with one daily dose of potassium iodide. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1996;15:352-4. PubMed
    2. 17574. Sterling JB, Heymann WR. Potassium iodide in dermatology: a 19th century drug for the 21st century-uses, pharmacology, adverse effects, and contraindications. J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:691-7. PubMed
    3. 15. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
    4. 2138. Goodman GA, Rall TW, Nies AS, Taylor P. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed.
    5. 105877. Guenezan J, Garcia M, Strasters D, et al. Povidone Iodine Mouthwash, Gargle, and Nasal Spray to Reduce Nasopharyngeal Viral Load in Patients With COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021;147(4):400-401. PubMed

    Orlistat

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Orlistat, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Swelling Additional detail

    Iodine

    “Orally, common side effects of a saturated solution of potassium iodide (SSKI) included rhinorrhea (11%). Side effects can be minimized by avoiding quick dosage increases. Taking iodine chronically or in large amounts has also been reported to cause coryza, sneezing, cough, and pulmonary edema (15,2138).”

    Iodine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cough.

    5 sources cited
    1. 17561. Cabezas C, Bustamante B, Holgado W, Begue RE. Treatment of cutaneous sporotrichosis with one daily dose of potassium iodide. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1996;15:352-4. PubMed
    2. 17574. Sterling JB, Heymann WR. Potassium iodide in dermatology: a 19th century drug for the 21st century-uses, pharmacology, adverse effects, and contraindications. J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:691-7. PubMed
    3. 15. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
    4. 2138. Goodman GA, Rall TW, Nies AS, Taylor P. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed.
    5. 103077. Rovner MS, Wolf BJ, Rubin M, et al. Instillation of 5% Povidone-Iodine Ophthalmic Drops Decreases the Respiratory Rate in Children Undergoing Strabismus Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2019;56(6):378-382. PubMed

    Orlistat

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

  • Stomach pain Additional detail

    Iodine

    Recorded for Iodine in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Diarrhea above.

    Orlistat

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

  • A skin rash Additional detail

    Iodine

    “Orally, taking iodine chronically or in large amounts has been reported to cause acneform skin lesions called iododerma. In one case, a patient developed iododerma after consuming a specific product (Hoxsey's Brown Tonic) containing an unspecified quantity of potassium iodide.”

    Iodine · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in burns.

    5 sources cited
    1. 2138. Goodman GA, Rall TW, Nies AS, Taylor P. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed.
    2. 95431. Hammel JA, Selby JC. Pustular eruption in a patient with cancer treated with complementary and alternative medicine. JAMA Dermatology 2017 October; E1. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.3749. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed
    3. 15. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
    4. 56106. Ohkuma, M. Molluscum contagiosum treated with iodine solution and salicylic acid plaster. Int J Dermatol. 1990;29(6):443-445. PubMed
    5. 93001. Iodine Hypersensitivity. Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter 2011; 27(5):270504.

    Orlistat

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

  • Headache Additional detail

    Iodine

    “Orally, common side effects of a saturated solution of potassium iodide (SSKI) have included headache (7%). Side effects can be minimized by avoiding quick dosage increases.

    High intake of iodine may be associated with adverse cognitive outcomes in children.”

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

    3 sources cited
    1. 17561. Cabezas C, Bustamante B, Holgado W, Begue RE. Treatment of cutaneous sporotrichosis with one daily dose of potassium iodide. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1996;15:352-4. PubMed
    2. 17574. Sterling JB, Heymann WR. Potassium iodide in dermatology: a 19th century drug for the 21st century-uses, pharmacology, adverse effects, and contraindications. J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:691-7. PubMed
    3. 108709. Li F, Wan S, Zhang L, et al. A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Iodine Excess on the Intellectual Development of Children in Areas with High Iodine Levels in their Drinking Water. Biol Trace Elem Res 2022;200(4):1580-1590. PubMed

    Orlistat

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

Showing the 10 most notable of 11 shared effects — ranked by how unusual each one is, not just whether both lists mention it.

Reported for Iodine but not commonly for Orlistat: a change in thyroid levels, a change in taste, numbness or tingling and cough.

Effects for Orlistat come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Iodine 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

Iodine in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Safe

When used orally and appropriately. Iodine is safe in amounts that do not exceed the tolerable upper intake level (UL) of 1100 mcg daily in those 18 years and older or 900 mcg daily in those 14-18 years of age. Iodine needs increase during pregnancy and lactation and adequate intakes should begin as soon as a patient is aware of the pregnancy, or earlier in areas of potential deficiency. ...when used topically as a 2% solution. Iodine is an FDA-approved prescription product.

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Unsafe

When used orally in doses exceeding the UL. Higher intake can cause thyroid dysfunction. Also, higher intakes during pregnancy cause increased iodine levels in breast milk and infant blood samples. Higher iodine intake during pregnancy has also been associated with an increased risk of congenital hypothyroidism and reduced mental and physical development in the offspring.

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

We hold 14,226 real supplement products containing Iodine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Iodine. Even though Iodine 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 Iodine 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 Iodine
Top 5%

#20 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 Iodine reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Iodine 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 Iodine

What is Iodine?

Iodine
  • Preventing iodine deficiency
  • Supporting thyroid hormone production
  • General energy and metabolism support
  • Cognitive function
  • Radiation emergency thyroid protection

Iodine is an essential mineral your body needs to make thyroid hormones, and most people get enough from iodized salt, dairy, and seafood. Supplements help when you are truly deficient, but taking too much can harm the thyroid, so high-dose products should only be used under medical supervision.

Mineral (element) · Tablets, capsules, liquid drops (Lugol's solution), potassium iodide (KI) tablets, kelp/seaweed supplements, iodized salt

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

Iodine: dosing

National health agencies have set general daily intake recommendations for iodine, and most healthy adults can meet their needs through a balanced diet and iodized salt.Standalone iodine products, such as Lugol's solution or high-dose tablets, can contain many times the amount your body needs in a day. These should not be used casually.

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

Read the full Iodine 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 & Iodine

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

0Major
7Moderate
0Minor
2,822No known interaction
7 Moderate 2,822 No interaction
Moderate

7 interactions

No interaction 2,822 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Iodine against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,822 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Iodine list.

See the full Iodine interactions page
See every supplement checked against Orlistat, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Iodine References

The 26 references that drive our Iodine 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. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.
  2. Goodman GA, Rall TW, Nies AS, Taylor P. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 9th ed.
  3. Ghent WR, Eskin BA, Low DA, Hill LP. Iodine replacement in fibrocystic disease of the breast. Can J Surg 1993;36:453-60.
  4. Potassium iodide for nuclear exposure. Pharmacist's Letter/Prescriber's Letter 2001;17(12):171214.
  5. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.
  6. Cabezas C, Bustamante B, Holgado W, Begue RE. Treatment of cutaneous sporotrichosis with one daily dose of potassium iodide. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1996;15:352-4. PubMed
  7. Sterling JB, Heymann WR. Potassium iodide in dermatology: a 19th century drug for the 21st century-uses, pharmacology, adverse effects, and contraindications. J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:691-7. PubMed
  8. Yarrington CD, Pearce EN. Dietary iodine in pregnancy and postpartum. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2011;54:459-70. PubMed
  9. Goel, S., Mandhani, A., Srivastava, A., Kapoor, R., Gogoi, S., Kumar, A., and Bhandari, M. Is povidone iodine an alternative to silver nitrate for renal pelvic instillation sclerotherapy in chyluria? BJU.Int 2004;94(7):1082-1085. PubMed
  10. Teng, W., Shan, Z., Teng, X., Guan, H., Li, Y., Teng, D., Jin, Y., Yu, X., Fan, C., Chong, W., Yang, F., Dai, H., Yu, Y., Li, J., Chen, Y., Zhao, D., Shi, X., Hu, F., Mao, J., Gu, X., Yang, R., Tong, Y., Wang, W., Gao, T., and Li, C. Effect of iodine int
  11. Crawford, B. A., Cowell, C. T., Emder, P. J., Learoyd, D. L., Chua, E. L., Sinn, J., and Jack, M. M. Iodine toxicity from soy milk and seaweed ingestion is associated with serious thyroid dysfunction. Med J Aust. 10-4-2010;193(7):413-415. PubMed
  12. Ohkuma, M. Molluscum contagiosum treated with iodine solution and salicylic acid plaster. Int J Dermatol. 1990;29(6):443-445. PubMed
  13. Connelly KJ, Boston BA, Pearce EN, Sesser D, Snyder D, Braverman LE, Pino S, LaFranchi SH. Congenital hypothyroidism caused by excess prenatal maternal iodine ingestion. J Pediatr. 2012 Oct;161(4):760-2. PubMed
  14. Kasahara T, Narumi S, Okasora K, Takaya R, Tamai H, Hasegawa T. Delayed onset congenital hypothyroidism in a patient with DUOX2 mutations and maternal iodine excess. Am J Med Genet A. 2013 Jan;161A(1):214-7.
  15. Murcia M, Rebagliato M, Iñiguez C, Lopez-Espinosa MJ, Estarlich M, Plaza B, Barona-Vilar C, Espada M, Vioque J, Ballester F. Effect of iodine supplementation during pregnancy on infant neurodevelopment at 1 year of age. Am J Epidemiol. 2011 Apr 1;173(7):8 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 Iodine and Orlistat Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Iodine with Orlistat?
We do not list a known interaction between Iodine 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 Iodine and Orlistat have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 10 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 Iodine and Orlistat combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Orlistat is filed under 2 classifications, and Iodine has documented interactions with 3 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 Iodine interact with any other medications?
Yes. Iodine has 7 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 — Iodine 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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Iodine monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Orlistat drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Orlistat supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Orlistat, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 26 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Orlistat and Iodine?

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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.