What Is the Best Weight Loss Tablet in the UK? Options Compared (October 2026)

01 · The short answer

Which weight loss tablet is right for you?

Wegovy tablets and Foundayo are the two licensed GLP-1 tablets, and a prescriber decides which suits you. In OASIS 4, adults on semaglutide 25mg tablets lost on average 13.6% of body weight over 64 weeks versus 2.2% on placebo.²² In ATTAIN-1, the highest orforglipron dose gave 12.4% over 72 weeks versus 0.9% on placebo.²³ These are separate trials with different people, durations and doses, so they should not be set against each other. Trial averages do not predict your own result.

02 · Tablet vs injection

Should you choose a tablet or an injection?

Choose by routine and suitability, not headline numbers alone. Wegovy tablets need a strict empty-stomach morning routine, Foundayo has no food or water rules, and Mounjaro needs one injection a week.²⁰ No trial has compared Mounjaro directly with either tablet.

The direct comparison that exists is SURMOUNT-5: tirzepatide averaged 20.2% weight loss versus 13.7% on injected semaglutide 2.4mg over 72 weeks.¹⁵ If you want an injection, the Mounjaro pen starts at £169.99 per month for the 2.5mg dose. Compare more in our best weight loss injections guide, or see all weight loss treatments.

03 · Wegovy tablets

Wegovy tablets: how they work in practice

Wegovy tablets contain semaglutide, taken once daily. Treatment starts at 1.5mg and steps up to 4mg, 9mg and then the 25mg maintenance dose, with at least one month at each dose.²⁰

Take the tablet on an empty stomach after fasting for at least 8 hours, swallowed whole with a sip of water (up to half a glass, about 120ml), then wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other tablets. Common side effects are digestive: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, indigestion and stomach pain.²²

04 · Foundayo

Foundayo (orforglipron): who it may suit

Foundayo is a once-daily GLP-1 tablet from Eli Lilly that can be taken at any time, with or without food. It starts at 0.8mg and the maximum is 17.2mg once daily, with at least 30 days at each dose.²¹

In ATTAIN-1, 10.3% of people on the highest dose stopped because of side effects, versus 2.7% on placebo.²³ Foundayo may make oral contraceptive pills less effective, so a non-oral or barrier method is advised for 30 days after starting and after each dose increase.²¹

05 · Over-the-counter options

Over-the-counter and "poor man's Ozempic" claims

No over-the-counter product matches a prescription GLP-1. Supplements such as berberine, sold as "natural GLP-1" or "poor man's Ozempic", are not medicines, are not regulated for this use and have no comparable trial evidence. Dosing is not standardised, and they come with no clinical oversight.

Read our guides to medically proven weight loss supplements and the best medically proven appetite suppressant for detail.

06 · Who can get them

Who is eligible and how to start

Both licensed tablets are for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 to under 30 with at least one weight-related condition, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity.²⁰ A prescriber checks your health and medicines first.

With us, you start with a free online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber. Unsuitable orders are refunded automatically, and delivery is free and next-day. See also what are the best weight loss pills and the tirzepatide tablet question.