Jump to: What are GLP-1 receptor agonists? | Semaglutide and liraglutide for weight loss and type 2 diabetes | Wegovy VS Saxenda | Take home message
Wegovy® is more effective for weight loss and blood sugar improvements than Saxenda®. Studies have also shown that Wegovy® leads to fewer side effects and adverse events than Saxenda®, with people tolerating Wegovy® better.
So, if you’re looking for a GLP-1 receptor agonist to help you lose weight and improve your blood sugar levels, Wegovy® is the better option.
However, individual responses to medications vary between individuals. Be mindful of side effects and contact your healthcare team to determine the appropriate medication and dosage.
What are Wegovy® and Saxenda®?
Wegovy® and Saxenda® are GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of medications that reduce appetite to support weight loss from the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.
The active ingredient in Wegovy® is semaglutide, and liraglutide in Saxenda®. GLP-1 receptor agonists improve insulin function to lower blood sugar levels and delay gastric emptying, decreasing appetite.
Wegovy® and Saxenda® are approved for individuals living with obesity to help them eat fewer calories and lose weight. Still, you’ll also experience improved glycemic control due to the effect of GLP-1s on insulin function.
They were initially approved as prescription drugs and can be covered by your insurance, but are now widely available online for private purchase in the U.S.
One of the main differences between Wegovy® and Saxenda® is the dosing schedule. Both drugs are self-administered injections, but Wegovy® is administered once a week and Saxenda® once a day.
Dosing schedules:
Saxenda® and Wegovy® are available to purchase in the U.S. and via prescription from your doctor if your insurance provider covers them.
Not a magic pill
These medications are designed as additional tools for weight management interventions and shouldn’t be considered lifelong medications.
Instead, they should be used to help you kickstart your weight loss and healthy journey while you commit to living a healthier lifestyle.
At Second Nature, we’ve been trusted by the NHS in the UK since 2017 to support people with type 2 diabetes and obesity to lose weight and manage their blood sugar levels and lead healthier lifestyles for the long term.
If you’re considering purchasing Wegovy® (when it’s available) or Saxenda® but need support in making positive changes to your lifestyle, Second Nature could be an option for you.
In 2022, the NHS published data in the BMJ that compared the weight loss outcomes of five providers in the National Diabetes Prevention Programme.
Second Nature was more than twice as effective at supporting weight loss than the other four providers.
If you want to join over 150,000 people who’ve lost weight and kept it off, click here to take our health quiz.
Otherwise, keep reading as we dig into the science of Wegovy® and Saxenda® and how GLP-1s work.
1) What are GLP-1 receptor agonists?
When we eat food, our stomach releases a hormone that helps the body regulate hunger and blood sugar levels. This hormone is called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1). The actions of GLP-1 are the target of Wegovy® and Saxenda®.
This class of medications are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s). They mimic the actions of the hormone GLP-1.
GLP-1s help your pancreas release more insulin to lower blood sugar levels, delay emptying food from the stomach (also called gastric emptying), and reduce appetite via a mechanism in the brain.
There are two well-known GLP-1 medications available in the U.S.:
- Liraglutide (Saxenda®): Taken once a day.
- Semaglutide (Wegovy® and Ozempic®): Taken once a week.
Do GLP-1 receptor agonists work?
Clinical trials have demonstrated that GLP-1s are more effective at weight loss than other weight loss medication drugs like orlistat, which has a different mode of action for weight loss and lowering BMI (body mass index).
A systematic review and meta-analysis (a study analysing lots of different studies) analysed 28 trials in over 29,000 people investigating the effectiveness of five weight loss medications on weight loss.
The study found that all five medications were more effective than the placebo at supporting weight loss.
This trial included orlistat and the GLP-1 liraglutide and found that liraglutide was more effective at weight loss than orlistat and showed that participants taking liraglutide were twice as likely to achieve more than 5% weight loss than orlistat.
Due to the relationship between obesity, blood sugar levels, and cardiovascular disease, research shows a positive relationship between GLP-1s and heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and triglyceride levels.
Interestingly, more recent studies have shown that semaglutide (Wegovy® and Ozempic®) is more effective at supporting weight loss and type 2 diabetes than liraglutide (Saxenda®).
It’s not recommended for pregnant women or individuals with a family history of thyroid cancer to take GLP-1s.
Key points:
- GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) are a class of medications that mimic the actions of the hormone GLP-1, which helps regulate hunger and blood sugar levels.
- GLP-1s help the pancreas release more insulin, delay stomach emptying, and reduce appetite.
- Two well-known GLP-1 medications in the U.S. are liraglutide (Saxenda) and semaglutide (Wegovy® and Ozempic®).
- Research has suggested that GLP-1s are more effective at supporting weight loss than other weight loss medication drugs like orlistat.
- A systematic review and meta-analysis found that all five weight loss medications investigated were more effective than placebo at supporting weight loss.
- Liraglutide was more effective at weight loss than orlistat. Semaglutide is more effective at supporting weight loss and type 2 diabetes than liraglutide.
2) Semaglutide and liraglutide for weight loss and type 2 diabetes
A meta-analysis investigated the impact of semaglutide (Wegovy®) and liraglutide (Saxenda®) and suggested that semaglutide was more effective at lowering blood sugar levels (as measured by HbA1c).
The study showed that a 0.5mg dose of semaglutide led to a more significant reduction (0.17%) in HbA1c than liraglutide.
The 1mg dose of semaglutide showed a further benefit compared to 1.2mg and 1.7mg of Saxenda at 0.47% and 0.3%, respectively.
However, the studies used to compare the two drugs were from individual trials, comparing one of the medications with a placebo (a sugar pill). They hadn’t yet been compared directly with one another.
Fortunately, a randomised controlled trial was conducted in 2022 investigating the impact of semaglutide and liraglutide on weight loss in individuals living with obesity.
The results showed that the participants in the semaglutide group lost 15.8% of their body weight compared to 6.4% in the liraglutide group.
Semaglutide was also shown to be more tolerated than liraglutide. 13.5% of participants in the semaglutide group discontinued their treatment due to side effects, compared to 27.6% with liraglutide.
Over 80% of participants in both groups reported common side effects and GI-related issues such as constipation, cramping, bloating, and diarrhoea.
Due to the positive results from these studies, semaglutide was FDA-approved in 2021. Liraglutide received FDA approval in 2014.
Key points:
- A meta-analysis compared the impact of semaglutide (Wegovy®) and liraglutide (Saxenda®) on lowering blood sugar levels (measured by HbA1c) and suggested that semaglutide was more effective than liraglutide
- A randomised controlled trial conducted in 2022 investigated the impact of semaglutide and liraglutide on weight loss in individuals living with obesity
- The results showed that semaglutide was more effective at weight loss (15.8% body weight loss) than liraglutide (6.4% body weight loss)
- Semaglutide was also better tolerated than liraglutide, with fewer participants discontinuing treatment due to side effects, but GI-related issues were common in both groups
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3) Wegovy VS Saxenda
Effectiveness
Wegovy® is a more effective drug than Saxenda®. As demonstrated above, semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy®) leads to more clinically significant weight loss and blood sugar reductions than liraglutide (the active ingredient in Saxenda®).
So, if you were looking at trying GLP-1 medications for weight loss or blood sugar improvements, Wegovy® would be the better choice.
Side effects and safety
Wegovy® seems to be a better-tolerated drug than Saxenda®. As discussed above, in a randomised controlled trial comparing the two, 50% more people discontinued their treatment due to the side effects of Saxenda® compared to Wegovy®.
Still, over 80% of individuals taking both medications can expect to experience severe and mild side effects like nausea, constipation, and cramping.
But the discomfort from these side effects appears greater with Saxenda® than with Wegovy®. However, individual responses to medications vary significantly. Some people might do well on Saxenda® but not on Wegovy® (and vice-versa).
It’s essential to weigh the pros and cons of your medication and report any side effects to your healthcare team.
Cost
Saxenda®
The cost depends on where you’re purchasing it from and how long you intend to use the medication.
However, the current price for a complete package of Saxenda® in the U.S. is around $1,430. Check with your insurance provider to see if they will cover all or some of this.
Wegovy®
Similarly, The cost depends on where you’re purchasing it from and how long you intend to use the medication.
However, the current price for a complete package of Wegovy® in the U.S. is around $1,350. Check with your insurance provider to see if they will cover all or some of this.
Key points:
- Wegovy® is more effective than Saxenda® at supporting weight loss and blood sugar reductions.
- Wegovy® seems to lead to fewer side effects and is better tolerated than Saxenda®.
- However, individuals will vary in their response to medications, so choose the right one for you.
- Both medications are expensive if you opt to purchase them privately. Check with your insurance provider to see what the price will be on your current coverage.
Take home message
The recent innovations in GLP-1 medications are pretty remarkable and have caused quite a stir in the world of healthcare.
We’re in new territory where obesity and type 2 diabetes medications treat an underlying cause instead of merely treating the symptoms to support better management.
However, these drugs shouldn’t be seen as miracle cures; they’re not designed to be used for life.
They’ve been designed to be taken alongside lifestyle changes that will enable you to eventually come off the medications and maintain your lower weight for the long term.
The harsh reality is that we still don’t know the long-term effects of these medications on our health. There are examples of drugs being withdrawn from the market as more long-term data comes to light.
Lorcaserin was a weight loss drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. but was recently withdrawn as data indicated that it increased cancer risk.
The example of lorcaserin is why you must weigh the pros and cons when your doctor prescribes medication or before you purchase it yourself and start treatment. Report any side effects to your healthcare team.
GLP-1s are safe and effective for most people in the short to medium term, but we don’t have long-term data to be sure they’re not causing severe adverse effects elsewhere.
At Second Nature, we’re not against using medications to support people in making healthy changes and reducing their risk of chronic disease.
However, we don’t recommend using medications as a reason not to make healthy lifestyle changes. The causes of obesity and type 2 diabetes aren’t merely rooted in biology but also in psychology and sociology.
With these medications, you may lose weight and reduce blood sugar levels. But will you be happier? Will you be more fulfilled? Will you be content with your life and social relationships?
For that, you may need to consider a lifestyle change, and if that’s something you want to commit to alongside taking GLP-1 medications, Second Nature could work for you.
If you want to join over 150,000 people who’ve lost weight and kept it off, click here to take our health quiz.
