Drug & supplement interaction

Rhodiola + Orlistat

Orlistat brand names: Xenical, Alli.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Rhodiola 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

Rhodiola 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 Rhodiola 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.

Rhodiola safety at a glance

Rhodiola overall Use caution Generally well tolerated for short-term use, but long-term safety is not well studied.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety data, so it is best avoided during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety data, so it is best avoided while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Orlistat and Rhodiola? 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. Rhodiola has documented interactions with 10 drug classes — the most serious being antidiabetes drugs (moderate), antihypertensive drugs (moderate) and cytochrome p450 2c9 (cyp2c9) 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

Rhodiola Does Interact With Other Medications

Rhodiola has 624 moderate, 647 minor 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 624 Minor 647 No known interaction 1,559 (incl. Orlistat)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Rhodiola

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Rhodiola and Orlistat May Share a Side Effect

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.

  • Dizziness Additional detail

    Rhodiola

    “Orally, rhodiola extract can cause dizziness.”

    Rhodiola · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in vertigo.

    1 source cited
    1. 16410. Bystritsky A, Kerwin L, Feusner JD. A pilot study of Rhodiola rosea (Rhodax) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). J Altern Complement Med 2008;14:175-80.

    Orlistat

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

Reported for Rhodiola but not commonly for Orlistat: dry mouth.

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

Overlapping uses

What Orlistat Is Prescribed For, and What Rhodiola Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Orlistat is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Rhodiola is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Orlistat is prescribed for: 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.

Rhodiola has been studied for:

  • Diabetes studied, not established Rhodiola has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Rhodiola for diabetes

    Although there has been interest in using oral rhodiola for diabetes, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of rhodiola for this condition.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Orlistat on your own; if you are taking Rhodiola for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Rhodiola or Orlistat

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Rhodiola or Orlistat, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Orlistat

This page covers Rhodiola 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 Rhodiola as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 2,713 real supplement products containing Rhodiola, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Rhodiola. Even though Rhodiola 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 Rhodiola 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 Rhodiola
Top 5%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Orlistat
Top half

#897 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 Rhodiola reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Rhodiola 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 Rhodiola

What is Rhodiola?

Rhodiola
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Stress and coping (adaptogen)
  • Mental performance and focus
  • Mild depression
  • Physical and exercise performance

Rhodiola is an herb traditionally used to fight fatigue and help the body cope with stress. Some small studies suggest it may modestly reduce fatigue and improve mood, but the evidence is limited and not strong. It is generally well tolerated for short-term use, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before trying it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Rhodiola rosea · Crassulaceae · Roots and rhizomes · Capsules, tablets, extracts, tinctures, tea

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

Rhodiola: dosing

There is no official, well-established dose for Rhodiola. Studies have used a range of amounts and different extract strengths, so it is hard to recommend one exact dose.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and choose extracts standardized to rosavins and salidroside. Many people take it earlier in the day because it may be stimulating.

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

Read the full Rhodiola 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 & Rhodiola

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

0Major
624Moderate
647Minor
1,558No known interaction
624 Moderate 647 Minor 1,558 No interaction
Moderate

624 interactions

Showing 60 of 624 moderate interactions — see all 624 on the Rhodiola page.

Minor

647 interactions

Showing 60 of 647 minor interactions — see all 647 on the Rhodiola page.

No interaction 1,558 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 1,558 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Rhodiola list.

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

Rhodiola References

The 13 references that drive our Rhodiola 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. Kim SH, Hyun SH, Choung SY. Antioxidative effects of Cinnamomi cassiae and Rhodiola rosea extracts in liver of diabetic mice. Biofactors 2006;26:209-19.
  2. Kwon YI, Jang HD, Shetty K. Evaluation of Rhodiola crenulata and Rhodiola rosea for management of type II diabetes and hypertension. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2006;15:425-32.
  3. Bystritsky A, Kerwin L, Feusner JD. A pilot study of Rhodiola rosea (Rhodax) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). J Altern Complement Med 2008;14:175-80.
  4. Shevtsov VA, Zholus BI, Shervarly VI, et al. A randomized trial of two different doses of a SHR-5 Rhodiola rosea extract versus placebo and control of capacity for mental work. Phytomedicine 2003;10:95-105. PubMed
  5. Apostolidis E, Kwon YI, Shetty K. Potential of cranberry-based herbal synergies for diabetes and hypertension management. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2006;15:433-41.
  6. Hellum BH, Tosse A, Hoybakk K, et al. Potent in vitro inhibition of CYP3A4 and P-glycoprotein by Rhodiola rosea. Planta Med 2010;76:331-8.
  7. Skopriska-Rozewska E, Wojcik R, Siwicki AK, et al. The effect of Rhodiola quadrifida extracts on cellular immunity in mice and rats. Pol J Vet Sci 2008;11:105-11.
  8. Mishra KP, Chanda S, Shukla K, Ganju L. Adjuvant effect of aqueous extract of Rhodiola imbricate rhizome on the immune responses to tetanus toxoid and ovalbumin in rats. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2010;32:141-6.
  9. Li HX, Sze SC, Tong Y, Ng TB. Production of Th1- and Th2-dependent cytokines induced by the Chinese medicine herb, Rhodiola algida, on human peripheral blood monocytes. J Ethnopharmacol 2009;123:257-66. PubMed
  10. Mishra KP, Ganju L, Chanda S, et al. Aqueous extract of Rhodiola imbricate rhizome stimulates Toll-like receptor 4, granzyme-B and Th1 cytokines in vitro. Immunobiology 2009;214:27-31.
  11. Thu OK, Nilsen OG, Hellum B. In vitro inhibition of cytochrome P-450 activities and quantification of constituents in a selection of commercial Rhodiola rosea products. Pharm Bio. 2016 Dec;54(12):3249-3256.
  12. Thu OK, Spigset O, Nilsen OG, Hellum B. Effect of commercial Rhodiola rosea on CYP enzyme activity in humans. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2016 Mar;72(3):295-300. PubMed
  13. Woron J, Siwek M. Unwanted effects of psychotropic drug interactions with medicinal products and diet supplements containing plant extracts. Psychiatr Pol 2018;52(6):983-96. 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 Rhodiola and Orlistat Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Rhodiola with Orlistat?
We do not list a known interaction between Rhodiola 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 Rhodiola and Orlistat have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to one 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.
Are Rhodiola and Orlistat used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Rhodiola in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Orlistat is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Rhodiola and Orlistat combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Orlistat is filed under 2 classifications, and Rhodiola has documented interactions with 10 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 Rhodiola interact with any other medications?
Yes. Rhodiola has 1,271 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 — Rhodiola 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

Rhodiola 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 13 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Orlistat and Rhodiola?

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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.