Contrave is a prescription medication that helps to control cravings. Scientists still aren't quite sure how it works, but it thought to act on parts of the brain which control hunger and cravings. A similar medication has been used to help people stop smoking. Contrave must be used alongside healthy dietary changes and increasing exercise. One of the ingredients has caused some people to feel very low in mood, so it's important to watch out for this, and tell your family members about this side effect. It may not be recommended if you have a history of mood problems.

Mysimba is a medication which can help reduce cravings and hunger which alongside increasing exercise and maintaining a healthy diet can help you lose weight. We're still not entirely sure how Mysimba works on the brain, but similar medications have been used to help people stop smoking, showing it has an impact on cravings. Mysimba can have affects on your sleep and mood, and one of the ingredients can cause mood changes, so it's not recommended if you have suffered from mood changes, mania or depression in the past.

Alli is a medication that is available to be bought over the counter without a prescription. It contains orlistat, but in a lower dose than the prescription dose of orlistat or Xenical. Alli works by stopping the breakdown of fat in your stomach, so your body can't absorb it and it is passed out in your poo. This causes the common side effects in the bowel. Results while using Alli depend on increasing exercise and eating fewer calories than usual. Aim for around 30% fat content in each meal, but avoid Alli if there is no fat in your meal.

Xenical is the brand name for orlistat. This drug stops your body from absorbing fat which helps you to lose weight. However, it's advised that people using Xenical don't eat too much fat or it can cause more side effects. The weight loss you will see while taking Xenical is also dependent on eating in a small calories deficit and increasing your exercise levels.

Orlistat is a capsule that is taken just before or within an hour of each meal. It works by stopping the body from absorbing fat. Any fat you eat is passed out in your bowels and can make your poo more oily, loose and you need to go more often! You need to use orlistat alongside reducing calories and increasing exercise. And bear in mind that the side effects will be worse if you eat more fatty foods!

Mounjaro is the first injectable medicine which contains a drug called tirzepatide. Tirzepatide acts on 2 different hormone receptors in our body called GLP-1 and GIP. Both GLP-1 and GIP hormones work to increase insulin and regulate blood sugar levels in your body. GLP-1 also affects fullness and hunger levels. Mounjaro can be used as a really effective treatment for diabetes, but also used for weight loss. As tirzepatide works with two hormones in the body, it can lead to more weight loss than other injectables like Wegovy and Ozempic.

Saxenda was an early brand of a new class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists. These drugs have been designed to act like a hormone called GLP-1 in our body. GLP-1 makes us feel fuller by slowing the passage of food from the stomach, and reduces hunger. Therefore it makes us lose weight! A big advantage of Saxenda is that it has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes if you have type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, it is injected every day which can be a huge disadvantage for some people.

Rybelsus is a tablet form of semaglutide, the ingredient that is found in the injectables Ozempic and Wegovy. It works by controlling blood sugar levels and making you feel fuller and less hungry (so can also help weight loss). Rybelsus has been lisenced to treat type 2 diabetes, however, some doctors might prescribe it in an "off license" way to people who are looking for weight management options but can't use injections.

Wegovy was the first weekly injectable to be lisenced for weight management. It can be accessed on the NHS under certain criteria, but many people have been using it privately. The ingredient found in Wegovy mimics a hormone in the body called GLP-1. This hormones controls hunger and fullness. By using Wegovy, our body responds as it would do to GLP-1 so you naturally eat fewer calories leading to weight loss.

Ozempic is a weekly injectable medicine that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. The active drug found in Ozempic is very similar to one of our own natural hormones called GLP-1. GLP-1 helps to reduce blood sugar, but also reduces hunger and makes people feel fuller. This can help weight loss and has led to the popularity of Ozempic to be used privately for weight management. By helping to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce body fat, Ozempic can help your overall health and there's emerging research to show it can help regulate the menstrual cycle for those with PCOS. However, Ozempic may affect levels of hormone replacement therapy or menopausal hormonal therapy in the bloodstream so you should take care if using both of them together.