Both medications belong to a class of drugs calledglucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists.
This article will cover differences in effectiveness and dosing, as well as other information about Saxenda and Wegovy.
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What Is Saxenda?
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Saxenda is a brand of liraglutide that’s a once-daily injectable medication.
It is injected just under the skin by way of a pen injector.
In 2014, Saxenda became the first GLP-1 agonist approved for weight loss in people without diabetes.
This measurement is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by their height in meters squared.
How Does Saxenda Work?
Saxenda is a GLP-1 agonist, which mimics GLP-1, a hormone your body produces naturally.
GLP-1 causes your body to release insulin, suppresses your appetite, and makes you feel full for longer.
These actions together can help lead to weight loss.
This product is dosed differently than Saxenda, so they are not interchangeable.
What Is Wegovy?
Wegovy is a brand of semaglutide that’s a once-weekly injectable medication.
It comes as a pen injector that’s injected under the skin.
Wegovy should be used in addition to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
These other brands are dosed differently than Wegovy.
How Does Wegovy Work?
Being part of the same drug class, Wegovy works similarly to Saxenda.
It is also a GLP-1 agonist that suppresses your appetite and helps you feel fuller for longer.
However, it continues working for much longer than Saxenda.
Wegovy is active for around 165 hours after injection, while Saxenda lasts just 13 to 15 hours.
Wegovy is a weekly injection, whereas Saxenda must be given daily.
Is Saxenda or Wegovy More Effective?
These results came not only from the medication itself but with improvements in exercise and diet as well.
The National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) is a nationwide effort spanning public and private organizations.
It offers programs and education to help prevent bang out 2 diabetes across the United States.
Plenty of habits and lifestyle choices can help reduce blood sugar and give you a healthier body composition.
Precautions
Saxenda and Wegovy come with aboxed warning(the FDAs strictest warning) regardingthyroid C-cell tumors.
This is because GLP-1 agonists have been found to cause C-cell tumors in rats and mice.
GLP-1 agonist medications like Saxenda and Wegovy are not appropriate for everyone.
The risk of hypoglycemia is higher when taking multiple diabetes medications.
The dose of other diabetes medications may need to be lowered when you start a GLP-1 agonist.
In clinical trials, people taking Wegovy lost an average of almost twice the weight of those taking Saxenda.
Youve likely seen headlines on the news and social media about drugs like Saxenda and Wegovy.
Wegovy comes with only one dose per pen that should be refrigerated.
Discard after your dose.
Saxenda pens contain multiple doses per pen.
Remember to keep the pen cap on when youre not using it.
Food and Drug Administration.Saxenda prescribing information.
2021;38(6):2821-2839. doi:10.1007/s12325-021-01710-0
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Wegovy prescribing information.
2022;327(2):138. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.23619
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About the National Diabetes Prevention Program.
