Orlistat 120mg
A lower-strength form of orlistat, a lipase inhibitor, authorised across the EU without prescription for adults who are overweight.
General information, not medical advice. Docalo does not sell medicines, and prescription-only medicines are prescribed only after an individual medical assessment.
What Orlistat 120mg is and how it works
alli contains 60 mg of orlistat, half the dose of the prescription-only 120 mg product. Orlistat blocks the gut enzymes that digest fat, so part of the fat in a meal passes through undigested.
It does not act on appetite. It is used together with a mildly reduced-calorie, lower-fat diet, and a pharmacist checks whether it is suitable before supplying it.
Who it may suit, according to the label
- Adults aged 18 and over who are overweight, with a BMI of 28 kg/m² or more.
- Used together with a mildly reduced-calorie, lower-fat diet.
- For no longer than six months.
Only a doctor who knows your history can decide whether a medicine suits you.
How to use Orlistat 120mg
With each main meal. One 60 mg capsule with water immediately before, during or up to one hour after each main meal, up to three capsules a day.
Skip it with a fat-free meal. If a meal is missed or contains no fat, skip that capsule.
A multivitamin at bedtime. Orlistat can reduce the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, so a multivitamin is taken at bedtime, away from the capsules.
Review at 12 weeks. If no weight has been lost after 12 weeks, the product information advises speaking to a pharmacist or doctor; it may be necessary to stop.
Common side effects
Get urgent medical help if (whatever the frequency): Yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine or severe itching, Severe stomach pain, or blood in the stool, Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or trouble breathing
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people): oily spotting from the bottom, wind with oily discharge, urgent bowel movements, oily or fatty stools, passing oily matter, wind (flatulence), soft stools
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people): stomach pain, faecal incontinence, liquid stools, more frequent bowel movements, anxiety, often about the gut side effects
Safety
Do not use Orlistat 120mg if
- You are under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding
- You take ciclosporin, or warfarin or another oral anticoagulant
- You have chronic malabsorption syndrome or cholestasis
- You have ever had an allergic reaction to orlistat or any ingredient in the capsule
People taking levothyroxine, an antiepileptic or an HIV medicine should ask a pharmacist or doctor before using it. Always read the patient leaflet in the pack.
Read the safety summaryYour questions answered
Is alli the same as Xenical?
How long can alli be used?
More questions
Why take a multivitamin with alli?
References
This page summarises the official product information and the published sources below.
- alli (orlistat): European public assessment report European Medicines Agency, 2009
- alli 60 mg hard capsules: Annex I Summary of Product Characteristics European Medicines Agency, 2026
- Xenical (orlistat 120 mg): European public assessment report, the prescription-only strength European Medicines Agency, 1998
- XENical in the prevention of Diabetes in Obese Subjects (XENDOS). Diabetes Care 2004;27:155-61 Diabetes Care, 2004
Other medicines used in weight management
Talk to a doctor about weight care
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Talk to a doctor about weight careGeneral information, not medical advice. Docalo does not sell medicines, and prescription-only medicines are prescribed only after an individual medical assessment.
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