What is orlistat?
Orlistat is a medication used for weight management. It helps prevent the absorption of fat from the food you eat, which can make it easier to lose weight.
What are Xenical and Alli?
Xenical is a branded version of orlistat 120mg. Both treatments are medically equivalent, but Xenical costs more because of its premium brand name.
Alli is a branded version of orlistat 60mg. Both treatments are medically equivalent, but Alli costs more because of its premium brand name. It’s half the strength of Xenical and orlistat 120mg, and it’s available without a prescription.
When should you use orlistat?
If you’ve previously tried losing weight through diet and exercise without results, you may consider other treatments. Orlistat is clinically proven to help you lose 50% more weight than just dieting alone.
Orlistat is only suitable for people with a BMI over 30, or people with a BMI over 28 who have conditions related to weight, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Start a 2 minute consultation now to see if you’re eligible for treatment
How does orlistat work?
Orlistat attaches itself to some of the enzymes in your body that break down fat. This stops you from absorbing the fat from the food you eat.
The medication blocks around one third of the fat from the food you eat from being digested. Any fat that isn’t digested is passed from your body in your stools. Orlistat only blocks fat absorption, and causes weight loss, when taken alongside meals that contain fat. Taking it alongside low-fat foods has no impact.
Orlistat isn’t a stimulant or an appetite suppressant. It only works within your digestive system, so it shouldn’t affect your heart rate, brain or ability to sleep.
Weight loss targets
When you start taking orlistat, you’ll be given a target to lose 5% of your current weight in the first 3 months. If you do this, you can continue with treatment. Pharmacists can prescribe orlistat for up to two years.
Each time you order orlistat, you’ll need to update the pharmacist with your current weight. If your weight goes up across any 3 month period, you’ll stop treatment. If you lose enough weight to drop out BMI below 28, we can no longer supply orlistat.
Some people find they don’t lose weight with orlistat. You can take a 6 month break and try another course of treatment, or speak to your GP about your options.
How to take orlistat
Take one 120mg pill with a drink at each main meal that contains fat, up to a maximum of three per day. Each time you take it, your meal should contain no more than 30% of calories from fat. This can help you lose weight and reduce the potential gastrointestinal side effects from the medication.
You should evenly divide your daily intake of fat, carbohydrates and protein across three main meals. Take orlistat during meals or up to an hour afterwards. If you occasionally miss a meal, or eat a meal without fat, you can skip your dose. Taking more than three 120mg capsules a day hasn’t been shown to have any extra weight loss benefit.
Orlistat interferes with your body’s absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. You should take a daily multivitamin supplement that contains beta carotene and vitamins A, D, E and K once a day, at least two hours before or after taking orlistat.
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