A healthcare professional may recommend weight loss medications, commonly referred to as anti-obesity meds, to aid in weight loss in patients who are obese or overweight. These drugs operate by decreasing hunger, elevating satiety, or preventing the absorption of fat.
You may have undoubtedly encountered these names at least a few times if you’ve been reading about metabolic health and how it relates to weight: Both the GLP-1 drugs Wegovy® (semaglutide) and Saxenda® (liraglutide) are used to treat obesity and overeating.
When they begin their one-year metabolic reset, all Calibrate members will be evaluated and considered for Wegovy® and Saxenda®, along with a number of other potential GLP-1 drugs. You might be wondering what makes one different from the other if both are recommended for weight loss. How do they function? And which is superior to the other?
Are they the same product?
Both Saxenda® and Wegovy® are GLP-1 receptor agonists, which means they function by resembling the GLP-1 hormone that is naturally produced by our bodies. They do, however, have many active ingredients: Liraglutide is an ingredient in Wegovy® and Saxenda®.
The crucial point to remember is that both liraglutide and semaglutide have undergone extensive research and have received FDA approval.
Wegovy® (semaglutide) and Saxenda® (liraglutide), which are both members of the larger class of GLP-1 medications, function by having effects that are comparable to those of the GLP-1 hormone your body naturally generates. For further information, please visit the website. It focuses on brain regions that control hunger and food intake and is essential for controlling blood sugar levels.
According to research, individuals who carry a higher body weight suffer decreased natural GLP-1 signalling, which may cause them to overeat and feel hungrier between meals. In order to successfully regulate blood sugar, these pathways and signals can be supported by GLP-1 medicines.
Because of this, GLP-1 receptor agonists are effective tools for lowering A1C and causing weight loss. However, they must be used in conjunction with lifestyle modifications, including exercise, healthy eating, stress management, and sleep, in order to promote a healthier metabolism.
FOR WHAT PURPOSE ARE WEGOVY® AND SAXENDA® RECOMMENDED?
NovoNordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical manufacturer, makes both Wegovy® and Saxenda®. NovoNordisk has made the following claims about weight loss with Saxenda® and Wegovy®, respectively:
Liraglutide injection Saxenda®, 3 mg, is an injectable prescription drug intended to treat adults with obesity (BMI 30) or excess weight (BMI 27) who also have weight-related medical issues. […] Saxenda® should be used along with a lower-calorie diet and more exercise.
Saxenda, a weight-loss medication available only by prescription, works by reducing hunger and hastening the onset of fullness. You can take the following steps to improve Saxenda’s capacity to aid in weight loss:
Follow the dosage instructions: The email address you give will only be used to send this message. It’s vital to carefully follow the guidelines and not take more medication than is prescribed.
Combine with a balanced diet: If you want to reduce weight, it’s imperative that you eat a healthy, balanced diet. Increase your diet of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains while reducing processed and high-fat foods.
Exercise frequently: Regular exercise can aid in weight loss efforts. Strive to engage in moderate activity most days of the week for at least 30 minutes.
Drink water. Drinking water is an excellent way to satisfy your hunger and feel full.
Keep a progress journal. Maintaining a weight loss progress journal may help you stay motivated and make the necessary adjustments to your strategy.
It’s important to keep in mind that Saxenda is not a magic weight-loss solution and shouldn’t be substituted for a healthy lifestyle. It’s also important to address any potential side effects with your doctor before using a prescription drug called Saxenda to help people lose weight. The amount of weight loss possible during the first month of Saxenda use depends on a person’s starting weight, diet, exercise regimen, and personal response to the medication.
According to clinical research, Saxenda users lost an average of 4–5% of their body weight in the first month after using the drug. Some individuals may lose more or less weight than this due to the variability of individual outcomes. doctor and to follow up periodically to make sure the drug is functioning as planned.
Patients are given the medication Saxenda to help them lose weight. A person’s initial weight, diet, exercise regimen, and personal response to the medication are all important factors that can affect how much weight they can lose in the first month after starting Saxenda.
In clinical trials, people using Saxenda lost an average of 4–5% of their body weight in the first month of treatment. However, individual results may vary, and some individuals may lose more or less weight than this.
For people with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 (obesity) or 27 kg/m2 (overweight) and at least one weight-related comorbid condition, Wegovy® (semaglutide) injectable 2.4 mg is recommended as an adjuvant to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity (e.g., hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or dyslipidemia).
The Calibrate programme does not entail calorie counting, despite NovoNordisk’s reference to a "restricted calorie diet" in the phrase above: Instead, you’ll concentrate on selecting wholesome foods and cutting back on quickly digesting carbohydrates in favour of wholesome proteins and fats. This places a greater emphasis on total well-being (rather than a restrictive mindset).
WEGOVY® VS. SAXENDA® DOSING SCHEDULES:
Remember that your calibrated doctor will choose your precise dosing regimen depending on your individual medical history and drug tolerance. Your dose regimen may vary from the one in the table above.
WHICH IS BETTER, SAXENDA® OR WEGOVY®?
There isn’t a drug that is objectively "better" than another. What works best for you will depend on your specific medical history, health profile, and a number of other factors.
When comparing Saxenda® with Wegovy®, it’s important to keep the following distinctions in mind between the two medications’ clinical trial results:
Researchers from the Danish pharmaceutical firm NovoNordisk originally created semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy®, in 2012. It was discovered to have a longer half-life than liraglutide, making it more practical for many people to take. Semaglutide only needs to be injected once per week, unlike liraglutide, which needs to be administered daily via injection.
A study that was released in JAMA in January 2022 came to the conclusion that "Among adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes, once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide compared with once-daily subcutaneous liraglutide, added to counselling for diet and physical activity, resulted in significantly greater weight loss at 68 weeks."
It should be noted that this study did not assess individuals’ overall metabolic health; rather, it evaluated weight loss alone. Your medical team may recommend Saxenda®, Wegovy®, or another GLP-1 receptor agonist as a part of your Metabolic Reset programme if you are a Calibrate member.
Due to their capacity to control your body’s natural hunger signals and overall metabolic function, both drugs have been demonstrated to be beneficial at improving metabolic health when used in combination with lifestyle modifications. In actuality, Calibrate members who use Saxenda® and Wegovy® lose 15% or more of their body weight on average.
HOW MUCH WEIGHT CAN YOU LOSE WITH SAXENDA® OR WEGOVY®?
The main objective of any GLP-1 drug, including Saxenda®, Wegovy®, and others, is to enhance your metabolic health. By doing this, you’ll lower your risk of developing a number of serious health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, a heart attack, stroke, and all-cause mortality.
One of the major pillars of the Calibrate concept is that the primary objective of better metabolic health comes before treating overweight or obesity through weight loss. Of course, when using Saxenda® or Wegovy® as a part of the Calibrate programme, weight reduction can still be anticipated.
The purpose of Calibrate’s Four Pillars of Metabolic Health is to assist users in getting the most out of using Saxenda®, Wegovy®, or other GLP-1 drugs. These pillars include food, sleep, exercise, and mental health. As a Calibrate member, you will get individualised accountability coaching combined with supervision and support from a qualified doctor who will write your prescription.
With semaglutide 2.4 mg, Wegovy® clinical trials demonstrated an average weight loss of 15.8% after 68 weeks. Moreover, Saxenda® trials revealed clinically substantial weight loss: adult participants in a 68-week research study who took liraglutide 3.0mg lost an average of 8% of their total body weight. In both of these trials, the drugs were combined with rigorous lifestyle modifications.
Every GLP-1 medication member is guaranteed a weight loss of at least 10% by Calibrate. Term (See.)
When you sign up for Calibrate, you’ll fill out a thorough health intake form that includes blood testing, which your Calibrate doctor will carefully analyse before creating your treatment plan and writing your prescription. The accountability coaching team will then be assigned to you, and they will keep an eye on your progress both in 1:1 meetings and through the app as you learn and take in the curriculum.
Remember that not everyone is a good candidate for Wegovy® or Saxenda®. Depending on your particular circumstances and health insurance coverage, calibrate doctors may prescribe additional drugs.
CAN SAXENDA® AND WEGOVY® BE USED TOGETHER?
It is not recommended to use liraglutide and semaglutide simultaneously. Concurrent use of GLP-1 medicines is not beneficial because they all work in the same way. For more details, speak with a healthcare professional.
Key TAKEAWAYS
•Wegovy® and Saxenda® are two potential GLP-1 drugs you might be administered as a part of the Calibrate programme. Both are classified as GLP-1 receptor agonists (among several others).
•Wegovy® and Saxenda® differ in a number of ways, including the following: Wegovy® and Saxenda® are FDA-approved drugs made by NovoNordisk for treating obesity and being overweight. The former contains semaglutide and is injected once weekly, while the latter contains liraglutide and is injected every day.
•It’s not recommended to use Wegovy and Saxenda at the same time; consult your calibrate physician for additional information.
A balanced and healthy diet, frequent exercise, and stress management are other lifestyle adjustments that are often necessary for long-term weight loss success. This is where a weight loss meal plan is crucial, and as we are all aware, Keto is well-known when it comes to weight loss meal plans.
The ketogenic diet, commonly referred to as the "keto diet," is a high-fat, low-carb diet designed to cause the body to enter a state of ketosis. When the body is in ketosis, fat is used as fuel rather than glucose from carbohydrates. By lowering hunger and encouraging fat burning, the keto diet may aid in weight loss.
It is crucial to consult your healthcare practitioner before using medicine in combination with the ketogenic diet to lose weight. They can assess your health, decide whether you should use weight-loss drugs, and offer advice on how to safely follow a ketogenic diet.
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Article by: Olayinka Giwa April 10, 2023