Orlistat capsules
Orlistat is a weight loss treatment which reduces the amount of fat absorbed from food and helps to reduce overall weight. It is the most common weight loss treatment recommended by GPs in the UK.
This is a prescription only medication. In order to purchase this medication, please complete our short medical questionnaire for one of our prescribers. The prescriber will review your medical history to issue your prescription. Once approved, your medication will be delivered in discreet packaging directly to your door.
- Generic medicine
- Reduces up to a third of fat absorbed from food
- Proven to achieve weight loss
- Cheaper than branded alternative
This is a prescription only medication. In order to purchase this medication, please complete our short medical questionnaire for one of our prescribers. The prescriber will review your medical history to issue your prescription. Once approved, your medication will be delivered in discreet packaging directly to your door.
What is Orlistat?
Orlistatis an effective branded weight loss treatment. It contains the drug Orlistat 120mg. It is very effective in reducing weight when combined with lifestyle and dietary changes.
How does it works?
Orlistat prevents enzymes in your gut from digesting fats eaten during a meal. The undigested fat cannot be absorbed and passes through the gut into the stools to be eliminated from the body.
It is effective in aiding weight loss when combined with lifestyle changes such as exercise and a calorie controlled diet.
How effective is Orlistat?
Orlistat can reduce up to a third of fat absorbed from the stomach during a meal. This combined with a calorie controlled diet and exercise is proven to be highly effective in reducing weight.
The target weight loss over a course of 12 weeks is usually at least 5%. This weight loss can only be achieved through a combination of a reduced calorie diet and exercise in conjunction with the medication.
Is Orlistat safe?
Orlistat is safe to use for most people. Side-effects are very common, however these depend on individual diets. If the meals contain too much fat, Orlistat will prevent absorption of these leading to side-effects. These side-effects can be greatly reduced with dietary changes to reduce the fat and calorie content of each meal.
Orlistat can also reduce the absorption of some vitamins so it is advised to take a daily multivitamin when using this treatment.
Safety of Orlistat has been studied in clinical trials for up to 4 years duration with no major concerns for most people.
Who can use Orlistat?
Orlistat is recommended for all adults with a BMI greater than 30. People with a BMI greater than 28 may also be able to use Orlistat if they have certain risk factors, such as diabetes.
Orlistatis an effective branded weight loss treatment. It contains the drug Orlistat 120mg. It is very effective in reducing weight when combined with lifestyle and dietary changes.
How does it works?
Orlistat prevents enzymes in your gut from digesting fats eaten during a meal. The undigested fat cannot be absorbed and passes through the gut into the stools to be eliminated from the body.
It is effective in aiding weight loss when combined with lifestyle changes such as exercise and a calorie controlled diet.
How effective is Orlistat?
Orlistat can reduce up to a third of fat absorbed from the stomach during a meal. This combined with a calorie controlled diet and exercise is proven to be highly effective in reducing weight.
The target weight loss over a course of 12 weeks is usually at least 5%. This weight loss can only be achieved through a combination of a reduced calorie diet and exercise in conjunction with the medication.
Is Orlistat safe?
Orlistat is safe to use for most people. Side-effects are very common, however these depend on individual diets. If the meals contain too much fat, Orlistat will prevent absorption of these leading to side-effects. These side-effects can be greatly reduced with dietary changes to reduce the fat and calorie content of each meal.
Orlistat can also reduce the absorption of some vitamins so it is advised to take a daily multivitamin when using this treatment.
Safety of Orlistat has been studied in clinical trials for up to 4 years duration with no major concerns for most people.
Who can use Orlistat?
Orlistat is recommended for all adults with a BMI greater than 30. People with a BMI greater than 28 may also be able to use Orlistat if they have certain risk factors, such as diabetes.
Orlistat must be used in conjunction with a balanced, calorie controlled diet and lifestyle changes to gain the maximum benefit from this treatment. The diet should be rich in fruits and vegetables, fibre and low in fat (no more than 15 g of fat per meal). As with any weight loss plan, over-consumption of calories will reduce the benefits seen with this treatment.
• Orlistat should be taken three times a day with the 3 main meals of the day.
• It can be taken just before, during or upto one hour after a meal.
• The capsule should be swallowed whole with water.
Orlistat only works in the presence if dietary fat. If a meal contains no fat then Orlistat need not be taken.
If a meal contains high amounts of fat, Orlistat can be omitted to avoid side-effects. Although advisable for some occasions, doing this regularly will reduce the effects of this medicine.
Further courses of Orlistat will depend on achieving a weight loss target of at least 5% body weight over a 12 week course.
It is advisable to take a multivitamin along with orlistat.
• Orlistat should be taken three times a day with the 3 main meals of the day.
• It can be taken just before, during or upto one hour after a meal.
• The capsule should be swallowed whole with water.
Orlistat only works in the presence if dietary fat. If a meal contains no fat then Orlistat need not be taken.
If a meal contains high amounts of fat, Orlistat can be omitted to avoid side-effects. Although advisable for some occasions, doing this regularly will reduce the effects of this medicine.
Further courses of Orlistat will depend on achieving a weight loss target of at least 5% body weight over a 12 week course.
It is advisable to take a multivitamin along with orlistat.
Do not take Orlistat
• if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to orlistat or to any of the other ingredients of Orlistat
• if you have chronic malabsorption syndrome
• if you have cholestasis (liver disorder)
• if you have chronic kidney disease
• if you are breast-feeding
This medicine can cause harmless changes in your bowel habits, such as fatty or oily stools, due to the elimination of undigested fat in your faeces. The possibility of this happening may increase if Orlistat is taken with a diet high in fat.
The use of an additional contraceptive method is recommended to prevent possible failure of oral contraception that could occur in case of severe diarrhoea.
• if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to orlistat or to any of the other ingredients of Orlistat
• if you have chronic malabsorption syndrome
• if you have cholestasis (liver disorder)
• if you have chronic kidney disease
• if you are breast-feeding
This medicine can cause harmless changes in your bowel habits, such as fatty or oily stools, due to the elimination of undigested fat in your faeces. The possibility of this happening may increase if Orlistat is taken with a diet high in fat.
The use of an additional contraceptive method is recommended to prevent possible failure of oral contraception that could occur in case of severe diarrhoea.
The majority of unwanted effects related to the use of Orlistat relate to its action of reducing fat absorption and allowing excess fat to pass into the stools.
Symptoms include:
• Abdominal pain/discomfort
• Flatulence with oily discharge
• Oily stools
• Loose stools
• Diarrhoea and soft stools
• Increased urgency to pass stools
Normally, these symptoms disappear if you keep to the recommended diet plan and reduce fat intake of no more than 15 g of fat per meal.
Other side-effects include:
• Headache,
• low blood sugar levels
• Rectal pain/discomfort,
• bloating
• tooth/gum disorder,
• irregularity of menstrual cycle,
• tiredness.
Symptoms include:
• Abdominal pain/discomfort
• Flatulence with oily discharge
• Oily stools
• Loose stools
• Diarrhoea and soft stools
• Increased urgency to pass stools
Normally, these symptoms disappear if you keep to the recommended diet plan and reduce fat intake of no more than 15 g of fat per meal.
Other side-effects include:
• Headache,
• low blood sugar levels
• Rectal pain/discomfort,
• bloating
• tooth/gum disorder,
• irregularity of menstrual cycle,
• tiredness.
Orlistat can alter the way some medicines work. Please speak to your prescriber or a pharmacist before commencing treatment as some doses may need to be adjusted.
This is particularly important if also taking:
• Anticoagulant drugs (e.g. warfarin)
• Ciclosporin.
• Iodine salts and/or levothyroxine.
• Amiodarone.
• Medicines to treat HIV.
• Medicines for depression, psychiatric disorders or anxiousness
• Medicines for epilepsy.
• Acarbose for diabetes
Orlistat reduces the absorption of supplements of some fat soluble nutrients, particularly beta-carotene and vitamin E.
This is particularly important if also taking:
• Anticoagulant drugs (e.g. warfarin)
• Ciclosporin.
• Iodine salts and/or levothyroxine.
• Amiodarone.
• Medicines to treat HIV.
• Medicines for depression, psychiatric disorders or anxiousness
• Medicines for epilepsy.
• Acarbose for diabetes
Orlistat reduces the absorption of supplements of some fat soluble nutrients, particularly beta-carotene and vitamin E.
• The active substance is orlistat. Each hard capsule contains 120mg orlistat.
• The other ingredients are:
capsule filling: microcrystalline cellulose PH112, sodium starch glycolate (type A), colloidal anhydrous
silica, sodium laurilsulfate;
capsule shell: gelatin, titanium dioxide (E171), indigo carmine (E132).
• The other ingredients are:
capsule filling: microcrystalline cellulose PH112, sodium starch glycolate (type A), colloidal anhydrous
silica, sodium laurilsulfate;
capsule shell: gelatin, titanium dioxide (E171), indigo carmine (E132).
An alternative to orlistat is Alli, which contains the same active ingredient but is half the strength and is available to purchase over-the-counter.
Other options available include weight loss injections, weight loss groups, surgery and several over the counter weight loss supplements.
Most treatments only work in conjunction with dietary and lifestyle changes. Such changes, such as regular exercise, reduced meals sizes, consuming less calories, reducing intake of fats and sugar and committing to a healthier lifestyle will be very effective even without taking medication. Several groups and programmes are available to help lose weight in your local community, at local gyms as well as through the NHS.
If you are interested in more weight loss information available from the NHS visit Lose weight - Better Health (www.nhs.uk)
Other options available include weight loss injections, weight loss groups, surgery and several over the counter weight loss supplements.
Most treatments only work in conjunction with dietary and lifestyle changes. Such changes, such as regular exercise, reduced meals sizes, consuming less calories, reducing intake of fats and sugar and committing to a healthier lifestyle will be very effective even without taking medication. Several groups and programmes are available to help lose weight in your local community, at local gyms as well as through the NHS.
If you are interested in more weight loss information available from the NHS visit Lose weight - Better Health (www.nhs.uk)
