Medicated weight loss tablets

If you’re looking to take the first step in your weight loss journey, we offer weight loss injections and nutrition support. Tablets like Xenical or Orlistat are also available to support weight loss. These can affect fat absorption. 

If you are interested in these treatments, complete a consultation. These include questions about your current health, medication and lifestyle habits as well as checking your BMI. Orlistat and Xenical are suitable for patients with a BMI of 30kg/m2 or higher or 28 kg/m2 or higher if you suffer from another risk factor like hypertension or type 2 diabetes.

Once you have completed your consultation, our NHS-experienced clinical team will review and help to decide an appropriate treatment plan. 

In our weight loss tablets page, we’ll: 

• Review our available weight loss tablets – Xenical and Orlistat: what are they and how to they work 

• Look at other treatments – Information on GLP-1 tablet treatments, which are unavailable to be prescribed for weight loss in the UK. Be careful if you are offered these as they are currently unlicensed and illegal

• Run through our weight loss clinic – How does our process work? 

• Answer some popular questions on tablets – Are weight loss tablets safe? Are tablet or injection treatments more effective? 

Available weight loss tablets 

We can currently prescribe Xenical online (following clinical approval). This tablet is also accessible in its generic form, Orlistat. These treatments are suitable for patients with a BMI of 30 kg/m2+ (or 28 kg/m2+ if you have a risk factor like diabetes) and is usually taken with each of the three main meals per day. If you miss a meal or your meal doesn’t contain any fat, don’t take the Orlistat capsule.

These work by changing how your body absorbs fat from the foods you eat – they prevent the fat from being absorbed into your body and instead pass it out with your stools. Clinical studies show that Orlistat can prevent your body from breaking down approximately 30% of the fat you eat.  

“Orlistat should be taken as part of a balanced and calorie-controlled diet that is rich in fruit and vegetables. When taking Orlistat and Xenical you should eat a lower-fat diet as this is essential to minimising gastrointestinal side effects.” – Dr Bhavini Shah 

How does our weight loss service work? 

For weight loss treatment and support, our service works as follows: 

1. Complete a consultation – make sure to include all relevant health information and request the treatment you would like 

2. An experienced clinician will review your consultation to make sure it is suitable 

3. If suitable, they will then need to check your BMI. Find out how to upload your BMI 

4. If it is your first order of Xenical or Orlistat, please collect from a participating pharmacy so they can verify your height and weight (this is for your safety) 

5. For repeat orders, choose how to get your treatment from a range of delivery and collection options 

What are GLP-1 tablets? 

GLP-1 agonists are a type of medication commonly seen in weight loss injections like Mounjaro. They mimic the effect of GLP-1 digestive hormones - normally produced in the body after eating - to slow gastric emptying, regulate blood sugar and helping you feel fuller for longer.  

While GLP-1 injections are available for suitable patients, there are also several oral tablets that have a GLP-1 active ingredient.  

However, these treatments are not available on LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor. They are either only prescribed for type 2 diabetes treatment and not for weight loss like Rybelsus or have yet to finish clinical trials like Orforglipron or the Wegovy pill. None of these are currently available to be prescribed for weight loss in the UK, so be aware if you see any of these for sale. Purchasing these online may be unsafe, illegal or counterfeit. 

Proven results in clinical studies 

Clinical studies for Xenical / Orlistat has shown that patients may lose over 10% of their body weight over six months. 

What are the side effects of weight loss tablets? 

Very common side effects (i.e. ones that would affect more than one in ten patients) for Xenical / Orlistat include:

• Headaches 

• Abdominal pain 

• Steatorrhoea 

• Oily spotting 

• Flatulence with discharge

The treatment can also be contraindicated in patients with malabsorption or cholestasis, as well as affect the absorption of ciclosporin and fat-soluble vitamins. For more information, look at the patient information leaflet. 

While still unavailable for prescription to assist weight loss in the UK, most common side effect in clinical trials for oral semaglutide in diabetes use were nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting, though these were mostly mild. As mentioned above, these medicines are not licensed for weight loss in the UK. 

What’s the difference between weight loss injections and tablets? 

Other than the obvious difference in how the treatments are taken, there are several differences between a weight loss tablet like Orlistat and weight loss injections like Mounjaro and Wegovy: 

• How often treatment is taken – Wegovy and Mounjaro are taken weekly while Xenical / Orlistat are taken up to three times a day. Other tablets are designed to be taken daily 

• How the treatments work – As mentioned above, GLP-1 injections mimic digestive hormones to suppress appetite. Xenical prevents your body from breaking down fat you have eaten so it can be passed out of the body 

• Pricing – For the latest price information, visit our weight loss treatment hub 

• Effectiveness – Clinical studies showed patients on the highest doses of Wegovy and Mounjaro lost 20.7% and 22.5% of their starting weights respectively over a 72 week period. Weight loss tablet effectiveness can be seen in the section ‘Proven results in clinical studies’ 

Regardless of the type of treatment, it is advised to make healthy lifestyle changes to get the best results.