Wegovy weight loss pill now available in UK - here's what you need to know

The once-a-day Wegovy weight loss pill is now available to buy privately from High Street and online pharmacies in the UK - but is not yet on the NHS.

It contains the same ingredient - semaglutide - as the Wegovy weight loss injections but is still advised to be used alongside a healthy diet and increased physical activity.

Aside from the obvious that one is in pill form and one is an injectable, both treatments work well and trials show they are similarly effective.

But if you don't like the idea of using something daily or it doesn't suit your lifestyle to fast (not eat) eight hours before taking a pill each day, the injection may be more convenient.

You can take the once-weekly jab any time of the day but it does need to be stored in the fridge.

It's available to people with a BMI of 30 and above (generally considered obese) or a BMI of 27-30 (overweight) if they also have certain weight-related health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.

And like the jab, a consultation - either online or face-to-face - is needed to make sure the pill is right for you.

A number of online and high street pharmacies say they will have stocks soon to send out.

Image source, Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesThe semaglutide in the jab and pill mimics the actions of a hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like-peptide-1), which is released from the intestine after people eat.

It acts on receptors in the brain that control appetite, making people feel fuller, less hungry and crave food less.

Very common side effects with both include stomach problems, like feeling sick, being sick (vomiting), constipation and diarrhoea.

With the jab, you may get little bit of skin redness, itching or mild swelling where you inject.