Liraglutide, Saxenda and Victoza for Weight Loss

Liraglutide can absolutely be used for weight loss.In fact, Liraglutide is the first GLP-1 receptor agonist to be approved for weight loss worldwide.

The main difference between Liraglutide and Semaglutide is that Liraglutide comes in the form of a daily injection and is best known under the branded name of Saxenda. Novo Nordisk is the pharmaceutical company that has created both Semaglutide and Liraglutide. Just like Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, Liraglutide is the active ingredient in both Saxenda and Victoza. Liraglutide can also be used for both diabetes and weight loss.  The generic form would be considered off-label as only the branded forms of the medication get FDA approval for weight loss at this time. Saxenda has been used for weight loss since it was approved in early 2017, and it has been subject to various studies to determine how efficient the treatment is for weight management.

At The Natural Path, we have medical weight loss programs using Semaglutide and soon with Liraglutide. At this time, Semaglutide is on the “shortage list” and therefore can be made in compounding pharmacies. Once the branded forms of Semaglutide come off of the shortage list it will no longer be available in the generic/compounded form. Liraglutide will be losing it’s patent soon and therefore will be able to be compounded in 2024.

How does Liraglutide and Semaglutide work?

Liraglutide works by affecting your GLP-1 which can be called a “hunger hormone,” it acts by making you feel less hungry and helping you feel satiated for longer. These medications also stimulate the production of insulin in your pancreas. Insulin is the hormone that is responsible for controlling your blood sugar levels and it is produced after you eat to let your body know that it can store the sugar from your food and that don’t need any more at the moment. It is there trying to protect you. By telling your body to produce insulin, Liraglutide effectively helps you to feel full more quickly. It also helps to slow the production of a hormone called Glucagon.Glucagon is produced when your blood sugar levels drop and it sends signals to your brain to say that you’re hungry, so by reducing the amount of Glucagon produced Liraglutide and Semaglutide help you to feel less hungry.

Are Liraglutide and Saxenda the same thing?

Liraglutide and Saxenda are essentially the same thing. Liraglutide is the active ingredient in Saxenda. However, it should be noted that Liraglutide is not only used for weight loss. It can also be used for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. However, Saxenda is approved specifically for weight loss and FDA approved for that use. Saxenda is approved for weight loss in those with a BMI over 30 or over 27 with a co-morbid condition. It does seem confusing when drugs have the same mechanism of action but are FDA approved for different uses. Victoza also uses Liraglutide as it’s main active ingredient. However, this one is approved for diabetes type 2. The dosing for diabetes is generally less for the dosing needed for weight loss. Saxenda works by helping to reduce your appetite, making you less likely to snack throughout the day and helping you feel fuller for longer after a meal.  Many people that use the medication find that their portions are reduced along with their appetite, meaning that they consume fewer calories per day.

How fast does Saxenda work?

There’s no hard or fast rule for how this med will work for each individual. Many will notice changes at the lowest dose, while others

will need to titrate the dose up slowly over a number of weeks. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to tell how quickly the medication will work for you until you start taking it.

Generally, it’s recommended that by week 12 on the therapeutic dose, you should have lost around 5% or more of your starting weight.

However, if this doesn’t happen for you, you may want to take a look at other treatments instead.

It’s important to remember that Saxenda is a drug to help with weight loss, which is unfortunately never going to be an overnight process.

This means that a fair amount of patience is required when going through any form of weight management support.

However, within 3 months you should begin to see the effects of the treatment if it works for you.

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