Can Liraglutide Help You Lose Weight? Here's What You Need to Know

If you’re looking into starting a medicated weight loss journey, you may have heard of liraglutide. In this blog, we explore how liraglutide works, side effects, its benefits for weight loss and how to get started.

What is Liraglutide?

Liraglutide is a type of popular weight loss medication known as a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist or GLP-1. It’s the active ingredient in daily injectable medications such as Compounded Liraglutide*, as well as brand-name alternatives like Saxenda and Victoza. 

Liraglutide was first approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes by the FDA in 2010 and was later approved for chronic weight management in 2014. [1]

The Role of Liraglutide in Weight Loss

Liraglutide can be prescribed for the treatment of obesity in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or a BMI of over 27 if they have at least one other weight related health condition (such as adults with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, prediabetes, or obstructive sleep apnoea). 

Liraglutide works by mimicking a natural hormone in your body called GLP-1, which is released after eating. It helps regulate your appetite by acting on the part of your brain that controls hunger, making you feel fuller for longer. 

Liraglutide also helps lower blood sugar levels by increasing insulin and decreasing glucagon when your blood sugar is high, which can help reduce cravings for sugary foods. Additionally, liraglutide slightly slows down gastric emptying (how quickly your stomach empties), helping you stay fuller for longer after meals. Together, these effects make it easier to make and stick to healthy lifestyle changes like eating balanced meals, reducing portion sizes, and staying active. [2]

Clinical trials have shown that people taking Saxenda (subcutaneous liraglutide) for 56 weeks lost an average of 8% of their body weight. [3] A 2021 study also found that combining liraglutide with regular exercise led to even greater weight loss. That’s why this medication is most effective when used alongside lifestyle interventions like a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, for both losing weight and keeping it off. [4]

Safety and Side Effects

Like all prescription drugs, liraglutide can cause side effects. These can range from common, easily manageable symptoms to serious side effects that require immediate medical attention.

Most patients notice side effects after starting medication for the first time or immediately after a dose increase.

Common Side Effects

Liraglutide has some very common side effects including: nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting and headaches. [2]

You can manage and prevent these side effects by making a few lifestyle changes: 

1. Try eating smaller portions more often so that you don’t feel overly full after each meal.
2. Make sure you’re getting enough water and staying hydrated. The Mayo Clinic recommends about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women. [5]
3. Limit your intake of greasy or spicy foods as they can upset your stomach.

Other less common side effects of liraglutide include: indigestion, fatigue, dizziness, stomach pain, heartburn, bloating, burping, flatulence, injection site reaction and dry mouth.

Serious Side Effects

Rare but serious side effects of liraglutide include pancreatitis, acute gallbladder disease, acute kidney injury and anaphylactic reactions. [2]

Symptoms of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) may include:

• Severe stomach pain that doesn’t go away, especially if it spreads to your back or right side
• Pain that’s so intense it makes daily activities hard to manage
• Vomiting several times a day, or vomit that looks like coffee granules or contains blood
• Pain that doesn’t improve with rest or over-the-counter medication

Signs of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis):

• Shortness of breath
• Swelling of your lips, tongue, or throat
  

Signs of gallbladder issues:

• Sharp pain under your right ribcage, possibly spreading to your back or shoulder
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever or rapid heartbeat

If you notice any of these symptoms or experience any adverse effects, stop using your liraglutide treatment and contact your health care provider immediately by calling 911 or going to your local emergency department.

Finally, Liraglutide is not recommended for people who have serious liver or kidney conditions or for patients with a family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or with multiple endocrine neoplasia 2 (MEN2). [2] If there are any changes to your medical history, you must notify your healthcare provider immediately.

Using Compounded Liraglutide* Safely

Using your medication as directed and finding the right dose is important to help you achieve the best possible results while keeping you safe on your weight loss journey.

How to Inject Compounded Liraglutide*

Liraglutide is administered via subcutaneous injection once daily, which simply means by injecting the medication just under the skin using a disposable needle. Here’s our step-by-step guide to administering your Compounded Liraglutide injection.

1. Start by washing your hands.
2. Gather your medication vial, alcohol swab, disposable needle and sharps bin on a clean surface. 
3. Check your medication for signs of damage or expiration.
4. Choose an injection site (abdomen, thigh, or upper arm) and clean the area with an alcohol swab. Remember to choose a new injection site each time you inject to prevent skin irritation at the injection site.
5. Remove the needle cap and draw up the prescribed dose into the syringe. 
6. Remove any air bubbles by flicking the syringe lightly.
7. Inject the medication by inserting the needle into your injection site at a 90-degree angle and slowly push the plunger down while counting to 5.
8. Dispose of the needle in a hard, plastic container.

Recommended Dosage Guidelines

Most people start their liraglutide journey with a low dose, which gently increases each week. This gradual approach helps your body adjust to the medication and minimize side effects. The goal of this process, called titration,  is to find a maintenance dose that works best for you, giving you effective results with the least discomfort. 

Daily doses:

Week 1: 0.6 mg once daily (20 units) 

Weeks 2: 1.2 mg once daily (40 units)

Weeks 3: 1.8 mg once daily (60 units)

Week 4: 2.8 mg once daily (80 units)

Week 5 onwards: 3 mg once daily (100 units) (maintenance dose)

If patients can't tolerate a higher dose during dose escalation, the increase can be delayed by one more week. However, the FDA recommends that treatment should be stopped if a patient cannot tolerate the 3 mg dose because lower doses (0.6, 1.2, 1.8, and 2.4 mg) have not been shown to be effective. [2]

Is Compounded Medication Safe?

Yes, compounded medication is considered safe. Compounded medication is simply a version of a drug that is prepared by a licensed pharmacist. These custom medications can help personalize the dose or remove certain allergens. For weight loss medications like liraglutide, compounded versions might be an option when the brand name medication isn’t available or isn’t covered by insurance.

While compounded medications are allowed under federal law, they haven’t gone through the same FDA approval process, which means they don’t undergo the standard FDA review for safety, effectiveness, or quality.

At Levity, we’re committed to quality and safety, which is why our partner pharmacies are accredited by NAPB and LegitScript meaning they must adhere to strict FDA and state regulations. Our medications are subjected to rigorous testing, encompassing potency, pH levels, sterility, and endotoxicity checks, ensuring efficacy and safety.

How Liraglutide Compares to Other GLP-1s

With so many GLP-1 receptor agonists on the market, it’s important to understand how different treatments compare when choosing a weight loss medication. There are some important differences between liraglutide and other popular options like injectable semaglutide (Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro). For example, liraglutide is taken every day while semaglutide and tirzepatide are usually taken once a week. Liraglutide may also result in less average weight loss, around 8%, compared to about 15% for semaglutide and 20% for tirzepatide in just over a year.

*Compounded drugs are permitted to be prescribed under federal law but are not FDA-approved and do not undergo FDA review for safety, effectiveness, or quality.

References:

[1] https://www.facebook.com/Drugscom. Liraglutide: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Warnings [Internet]. Drugs.com. 2024. Available from: https://www.drugs.com/liraglutide.html

[2] HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION These highlights do not include all the information needed to use SAXENDA® safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for SAXENDA. SAXENDA (liraglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use Initial U.S. Approval: 2010 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• [Internet]. Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2018/206321s007lbl.pdf

[3] Mehta A, Marso SP, Neeland IJ. Liraglutide for weight management: a critical review of the evidence. Obesity Science & Practice [Internet]. 2016 Dec 19;3(1):3–14. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5358074/

[4] Lundgren JR, Janus C, Jensen SBK, Juhl CR, Olsen LM, Christensen RM, et al. Healthy Weight Loss Maintenance with Exercise, Liraglutide, or Both Combined. New England Journal of Medicine. 2021 May 6;384(18):1719–30.

[5] Mayo Clinic. Water: How Much Should You Drink Every day? [Internet]. Mayo Clinic. 2022. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256