Orlistat blocks fat-calorie absorption by what percentage range, according to the text?

Orlistat blocks fat-calorie absorption by what percentage range, according to the text?

• A. 10-15%
• B. 25-30%
• C. 40-50%
• D. 5-10%

Answer: (B)

Orlistat reduces fat-calorie absorption by about 25-30%. It achieves this by inhibiting pancreatic lipase, the enzyme that breaks down dietary triglycerides into absorbable fatty acids and monoglycerides. When lipase is blocked, triglycerides aren’t digested and remain in the gut to be excreted, so fewer fat calories are absorbed. This around-quarter-to-a-third reduction in fat absorption is the figure you’ll typically see in pharmacology references. The other ranges would imply too little or too much effect for this drug: 5-10% or 10-15% would be minimal impact, while 40-50% would be unrealistically high compared to observed results.