Fat Binders

Diet pills are considered a safe option for weight loss, but you’ll also need to put the work in for them to be effective. Like all medicines, they may not be the right weight loss option for you and you may experience side effects, but the benefits of diet pills are likely to outweigh the risks of obesity-related health conditions.

Yes, you’re able to get weight loss pills over the counter. One of our pharmacists will ask you a couple of health-related questions beforehand to make sure that the weight loss pills are the right option for you. An example of over the counter weight loss pills are Alli and Orlos that contain the active ingredient orlistat.

Orlistat works by blocking certain chemicals in your gut that digest fat, meaning around a third of the fat you eat won’t be absorbed by your body.

 

The undigested fat will pass through the body naturally - this is why it’s important to follow a low-fat diet whilst taking this medicine, as too much undigested fat can cause unwanted side effects like diarrhoea.

 

For orlistat to work properly, you should aim to eat meals with around 15g of fat or less whilst sticking to a lower-calorie diet - following the correct guidance will reduce the likelihood of unwanted side effects and help you to lose more weight than through dieting alone.

Like all medicines, you may experience side effects while taking Orlos. The active ingredient, orlistat, can commonly cause diarrhoea, wind, or oily discharge when a strict low-fat diet isn’t followed properly. These side effects can be prevented if you follow your low-fat diet exactly as you have been advised. For information on rare side effects, refer to the patient information leaflet.