Our Weight Loss treatments contain the drug Orlistat.
Orlistat works by reducing the amount of dietary fat absorbed from food. By taking orlistat along with meals, upto a third of fats consumed as part of the meal will not be absorbed from the gut and will pass into the stools to be removed from the body. As these fats are not absorbed, the amount calories gained from each meal is reduced effectively helping to reduce the calories consumed leading to weight loss.
Orlistat, when combined with a reduced calorie diet and exercise, can help to reduce over 5% of body weight over the duration of a 12 week course.
Further courses of orlistat are only recommended if a minimum target of 5% weight loss is achieved in 12 weeks, and your presciber will usually use this as a guide when prescribing further treatment.
Orlistat works by reducing the amount of dietary fat absorbed from food. By taking orlistat along with meals, upto a third of fats consumed as part of the meal will not be absorbed from the gut and will pass into the stools to be removed from the body. As these fats are not absorbed, the amount calories gained from each meal is reduced effectively helping to reduce the calories consumed leading to weight loss.
Orlistat, when combined with a reduced calorie diet and exercise, can help to reduce over 5% of body weight over the duration of a 12 week course.
Further courses of orlistat are only recommended if a minimum target of 5% weight loss is achieved in 12 weeks, and your presciber will usually use this as a guide when prescribing further treatment.
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.
Some of these side-effects include:
Orlistat can also reduce the absorption of some vitamins so it is advised to take a daily multivitamin when using this treatment.
Some of these side-effects include:
- Abdominal pain/discomfort
- Flatulence with oily discharge
- Oily stools
- Loose stools
- Diarrhoea and soft stools
- Increased urgency to pass stools
Orlistat can also reduce the absorption of some vitamins so it is advised to take a daily multivitamin when using this treatment.
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 please visit Lose weight - Better Health - NHS (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 please visit Lose weight - Better Health - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Olistat is available as a generic drug and under the brand name Xenical.
