Orlos is a capsule that blocks your body from absorbing fat, helping you lose weight.
Orlos is a weight loss tablet that works to prevent your body from absorbing the fat you eat from meals, helping you to lose at least 50% more weight than you would when dieting. It contains the active ingredient orlistat, which gets to work within just 24 to 48 hours of taking it.
Simply request Orlos from us by filling in a short online health questionnaire and one of our online doctors will review your request.
| Pack Size | Price |
|---|---|
| 60 mg - 84 capsule(s) | £99.00 |
| 60 mg - 168 capsule(s) | £149.00 |
A quick medical questionnaire, no in-person GP or pharmacy visit needed.
Our doctors typically review your request within hours to check if treatment is suitable.
Tracked delivery with Royal Mail in discreet packaging.
Orlos is a weight loss capsule available over the counter which means it does not require a doctor’s prescription. It is a branded version of orlistat generic at a lower dose of 60mg per capsule, just like alli. The only difference between the 2 medications is their name and price.
Orlos helps you lose weight by reducing the amount of fat your body absorbs from food, which is instead passed through your body as stool.
Orlos is used as a weight loss treatment in people who are overweight or obese.
Orlos is an oral capsule. It is a kind of medication called a lipase inhibitor.
The active ingredient in Orlos is orlistat.
Orlos contains 60mg of orlistat, which is a lipase inhibitor that stops the lipase enzyme from digesting fat and storing it in your body. This prevents your body from absorbing about 30% of fat from food that you eat. The fat is instead passed out of your stool waste when you go to the toilet.
This helps you to lose weight as you absorb less fat from the food you eat so have a lower calorie intake. Orlos should be taken while following a diet and exercise plan to make sure the calories you are eating contain low amounts of fat and more healthy, balanced meals. If you eat too much fat with Orlos, you aren’t likely to see much of a weight change as it doesn’t prevent the absorption of all dietary fat.
Studies show that Orlos supports weight loss journeys as it helps patients adjust to the changes necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
You need to take Orlos 3 times a day, once with water with each meal and it lasts to absorb the fat you take in from your meals. After taking Orlos, it will stay in your digestive system for 6 hours. If you decide to stop taking Orlos, it will be in your digestive system for 72 hours.
The active ingredient orlistat begins to work in as little as 24 to 48 hours after taking it. If you take Orlos as prescribed (with meals that contain fat), it will begin to work instantly. However, this does not mean you will see results right away. You should lose some weight gradually, after 2 to 3 weeks of treatment, and at least 5% after 3 months.
In clinical studies, almost 50% of patients reported a 5% weight loss within just the first 6 months of treatment of taking 60mg orlistat (Orlos).
Each patient sees different results depending on their circumstances. It is important that you take Orlos as instructed by a pharmacist, and maintain a balanced diet and exercise whilst taking the medication. The medication will not be effective if you do not take it with meals containing fat.
If you take Orlos and do not see results within 12 weeks, your pharmacist may recommend an alternative weight loss treatment.
Orlos is a tablet that you need to swallow whole with water, during, just before or within 1 hour after a meal that contains fat and up to 3 times a day. If you do not eat a meal that contains fat, you do not need to take Orlos.
Each tablet of Orlos contains 60 mg of orlistat, which is the recommended dosage for this medication. You should only take one tablet of Orlos with each meal that contains fat, up to 3 times a day. The maximum amount of Orlos you should take a day is 3 tablets, or 180mg.
You should start seeing noticeable weight loss results within 2 to 3 weeks of taking Orlos, but it will take 1 to 3 months to see the full effect.
Orlos is widely taken as a supplement alongside a balanced diet and exercise, helping to facilitate your adjustment to new lifestyle changes that are beneficial to your weight loss journey. This means that you should lose weight gradually when taking Orlos.
Each patient reacts to treatment differently, and some people may not see the results they want with Orlos. If you do not see noticeable weight loss results within 3 months, then Orlos may not be right for you, and you may want to try a different weight loss treatment.
You can buy Orlos online, over the counter in selected pharmacies, online through regulated services like ZAVA, or via a prescription from the NHS if your doctor thinks it could be suitable and you meet the criteria.
You can buy Orlos online from online doctor services. Simply request it by filling in an online health questionnaire and one of our doctors will review it. If the treatment is right for you, they will approve it and you can have it delivered fast and discreetly to your door within 24 hours.
Yes, you can buy Orlos over the counter. All you need to do is check if it is available at your local pharmacy.
Yes, you can get Orlos on the NHS. You would need a face-to-face consultation with your local GP if they think it is a suitable treatment for you. Your GP will only prescribe it to you if you:
Like all medications, Orlos has side effects, but not everyone will experience them.
Common side effects (affecting up to 1 in 10 people)
These are common side effects that are more likely to occur if you eat meals very high in fat when taking Orlos. This is due to how orlistat (the active ingredient in Orlos) works with your digestive system to get rid of fat. If these symptoms become persistent or bothersome, and begin to affect your daily life, speak with your doctor and they may suggest an alternative weight loss treatment.
If you experience any of the following serious, more rare side effects, stop taking the medication and contact your doctor immediately, dial 999 or visit A&E:
Side effects usually go away once your body adjusts to the treatment. If you experience persistent side effect symptoms with Orlos that begin to affect your daily life, you should speak with your doctor and they will likely recommend an alternative weight loss treatment.
If you experience side effects during your treatment with Orlos, they should go away on their own. However, if these symptoms become bothersome or persistent, you should speak with your doctor or a pharmacist. If you experience rare or serious side effects you should dial 999 or go to A&E.
Orlos may not be right for everybody. You should not take it if you:
For more specific information about interactions prior to taking Orlos, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
Note: If you are taking the contraceptive pill the effects of Orlos may include diarrhoea which may limit the effectiveness of the pill if it’s long-lasting or severe. If you are taking contraception and thinking of taking Orlos, speak with your doctor or a pharmacist and they will advise the best solution for you and your weight loss journey.
If you do not think that Orlos is the right treatment for your weight loss journey, we offer a range of alternatives at ZAVA online doctor, such as (but not limited to):
Below we compare these alternatives to Orlos, so you can decide what might be right for you:
Orlos is the generic version of alli. This means there is no difference between the two treatments apart from the price and brand. Both Orlos and alli can help you lose around 50% more weight than you would if you only dieted alone.
Orlos, orlistat and Xenical all contain the same active ingredient orlistat, and work the same way. The main difference is that Orlos contains 60mg of orlistat, whereas orlistat (the generic version of Xenical) and Xenical contain 120mg. Therefore it’s worth noting that effects of treatment with orlos 60mg capsules might be more mild and gradual.
Orlos, orlistat and Xenical are all treatments that must be taken alongside lifestyle changes like following a healthy balanced diet and exercise.
Mysimba is an oral tablet just like Orlos. It contains the active ingredients naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride which work to reduce your appetite. These ingredients work with the part of your brain that is responsible for hunger.
Much like Orlos, it is most effective when taken alongside a healthy balanced diet and exercise.
If you take Mysimba, you’ll start with taking 1 tablet every day until you gradually increase to 2 tablets twice a day after 4 weeks of your body adjusting to the treatment.
Clinical studies have reported patients losing an average of 8.1% of their starting weight after 56 weeks of treatment.
If you are unsure if oral tablets like Orlos are the right weight loss treatment for you, weight loss injections like Mounjaro and Wegovy are also options that are available. However, weight loss injections are only available by prescription, unlike Orlos and alli which you can collect over the counter or request online with ease.
Note: to receive treatment with weight loss injections you must have a BMI over 30 (or over 27 if you have additional weight-related health conditions).
Weight loss injections reduce your appetite, helping you to lose weight and fulfil your weight loss goals. Both Wegovy and Mounjaro dosages are increased gradually so that your body can adjust to the treatment and lifestyle change requirements. Like Orlos, Mounjaro and Wegovy are most effective when taken alongside healthy nutritional and lifestyle changes recommended by a healthcare professional.
At ZAVA, we can support you with this all the way. We offer free holistic support packages developed by our in-house nutritionists and doctors, as well as medical check-ins throughout your treatment with us. Find out more about weight loss treatments and ordering with ZAVA in our weight loss FAQs.
If you are still uncertain about what treatment might be best for you and your weight loss journey, you can always consult one of our online doctors at ZAVA through a brief online consultation questionnaire.
Brenda studied medicine at St Georges University of London and has most recently worked in John Radcliffe Oxford University Hospitals, covering acute and general medicine. Before her medical career, Brenda was a medical scientist in microbiology working in several NHS diagnostic laboratories across England. She has also completed her Masters in Public Health and MSc in Genomic Medicine. She is currently a GP registrar.
Last reviewed: 11 Jul 2025
Orlistat for the management of overweight individuals and obesity: a review of potential for the 60-mg, over-the-counter dosage, Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, Taylor & Francis [accessed 26 August 2024]
Obesity, NHS [accessed 26 August 2024]
Mysimba, EMC [accessed 27 August 2024]
Wegovy, EMC [accessed 28 August 2024]
Mounjaro, EMC [accessed 28 August 2024]
alli, EMC [accessed 19 September 2024]
Fiona, Newcastle
"Finally, I feel much lighter. I lost weight in all different parts of my body. It feels good to look in the mirror, and I feel much happier than before. Everything - so life in general - feels better. I love it when people give me compliments. When big people lose a bit of weight, it’s difficult for other people to see the difference. But since I have lost a considerable amount of weight, people do realise and compliment me. That makes me very happy. I will keep going!"
Neal. H, Scotland
"I use the phrase genuinely life changing. I still have arthritis in my knee and can't walk like I used to, but I can do so much more. I can now go into a high-street shop and buy a pair of jeans off the peg without being told, "We can order that size in", "It's only available on the website", or more likely, only from some awful shop. I feel normal again and not embarrassed about my size."
A.P, London
"My weight loss experience has been tremendous—far better than I could have hoped for! I have lost 23 kg in the six months since I started this treatment. At my heaviest, I simply didn't recognise myself. Today, I feel like my old (youthful) self. My mood, confidence, and general happiness have all greatly improved.”
Anna, Scotland
"Since I started taking the medication, I have regained so much more stamina and energy - the entire experience is definitely worth it! Obviously, my body feels lighter, and I feel physically a lot better and able to do stuff. I'm able to walk for longer, and my fatigue has definitely improved.”
Our doctors are regulated by the CQC and GPhC, the same bodies overseeing NHS care.
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