Victoza, a once-daily injectable medicine primarily used for kind 2 diabetes, can be prescribed off-label for kind 1 diabetes, prediabetes, and weight reduction.
What’s Victoza?
This remedy is a once-daily, injectable medicine that is available in a pre-filled pen and comprises liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonist. It’s permitted for youngsters ages 10 and up and adults with kind 2 diabetes.
Related GLP-1 agonists, like Ozempic, are prescribed for comparable functions.
The injection works by decreasing glucose manufacturing within the liver and growing insulin secretion, which improves insulin sensitivity and helps handle blood sugar ranges.
Moreover, this medication slows digestion, serving to you are feeling full longer after meals.
Who can take Victoza?
Adults with a body-mass index (BMI, a measure of weight relative to top) of 30 or larger, and folks with a BMI of 27 or larger who’ve a number of weight-related medical situations, are sometimes prescribed the once-daily shot off-label.
The off-label use of the medicine for individuals with kind 1 diabetes shouldn’t be FDA-approved as a result of danger of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when combining Victoza with insulin. Nonetheless, its use has turn into more and more common in recent times.
It’s not beneficial for individuals with a private or household historical past of sure thyroid cancers on account of a possible elevated danger of thyroid carcinomas.
Can Victoza assist you reduce weight?
Sure, important proof means that it may assist with weight reduction.
Though not FDA-approved for this objective, the therapy suppresses urge for food, slows digestion, and reduces glucose manufacturing within the liver.
Many medical doctors prescribe it alongside a wholesome way of life, balanced eating regimen, and common train.
Medical trials have proven that individuals on this medicine following eating regimen and train pointers usually tend to lose 5 % to 10 % of their complete physique weight, with a median extra lack of 5.8 kilograms (kg; 12.75 kilos) past eating regimen and train alone.
How briskly does Victoza work for weight reduction?
Medical analysis signifies that weight reduction could start inside the first few weeks of taking the drug, although the quantity and timeframe will range by individual.
A 2023 meta-analysis revealed within the Journal of Medical Endocrinology & Metabolism discovered that liraglutide customers skilled important weight reduction, averaging 5.3 to six.0 kg (11.6 to 13.2 kilos) over 20 to 56 weeks, with probably the most notable reductions occurring inside the first 3 months of therapy.
This loss seems to be sustainable, as research over a 12 months or extra have proven continued outcomes.
Elements similar to beginning weight, eating regimen, train, and total well being will affect how shortly and the way a lot weight you lose on this medicine. Focus on your weight reduction and well being objectives along with your physician earlier than beginning Victoza.
Why am I not dropping pounds on Victoza?
Weight reduction on this remedy can stall for numerous causes.
Your dietary decisions, similar to consuming high-calorie or unhealthy meals, and low bodily exercise ranges could counteract the medicine’s results.
See extra in: Meals to Keep away from Whereas Taking Victoza.
Particular person metabolism, influenced by elements like age, genetics, or hormonal imbalances, additionally performs a job.
Moreover, should you’re on a decrease dose of the drug, the impression in your urge for food and metabolism may be much less pronounced.
Sure medical situations, like hypothyroidism or PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), can additional complicate weight reduction.
It’s necessary to remain constant along with your eating regimen, train, and medicine and seek the advice of your healthcare supplier for customized recommendation and potential dosage changes.
Be taught extra in: Victoza Dosing: How A lot Ought to You Take?
When is the perfect time to take Victoza for weight reduction?
In line with the producer, this medication will be taken any time of day, with or with out meals. One of the best time to take it’s each time it is going to be best so that you can get right into a routine and keep in mind your dose.
What are the unwanted effects?
Once you begin taking this medication, you could expertise some unwanted effects. In line with the drugmaker, widespread ones embrace:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Decreased urge for food
- Weight reduction
- Indigestion/heartburn
- Constipation
These signs normally enhance after a number of weeks. To assist decrease them, your physician could begin you on a decrease dose. Nonetheless, in case your unwanted effects persist or worsen, contact your physician instantly.
Extra critical, much less widespread unwanted effects embrace:
- Low blood sugar (particularly should you additionally take insulin)
- Allergic reactions
- Pancreatitis (irritation of the pancreas)
- Kidney points
- Gallbladder issues
Earlier than beginning this medicine, inform your physician of any private or household historical past of thyroid most cancers. Victoza carries a black field warning as a result of potential danger of thyroid tumors, together with medullary thyroid carcinoma, which has been noticed in animal research.
Whereas the chance to people shouldn’t be absolutely established, it’s necessary to debate this along with your healthcare supplier.
See extra in: Victoza Facet Results: What You Have to Know.
How a lot do you are taking for weight reduction?
This drug shouldn’t be explicitly permitted by the FDA for this objective, so there isn’t any beneficial dose.
When you’ve got kind 2 diabetes and are focused on dropping pounds, focus on your choices along with your physician. There are different medicines particularly permitted by the FDA for weight reduction, together with Saxenda, Wegovy, and Zepbound.
Who mustn’t take Victoza for weight reduction?
This GLP-1 agonist shouldn’t be beneficial for individuals with a private or household historical past of thyroid most cancers or a number of endocrine neoplasia syndrome, as animal research recommend a possible elevated danger of creating thyroid C-cell tumors.
Moreover, these with a historical past of pancreatitis are suggested in opposition to taking Victoza.
Individuals who use short-acting or rapid-acting insulin needs to be cautious when taking the medicine on account of an elevated danger of hypoglycemia.
Whereas this therapy is typically prescribed for individuals with kind 1 diabetes, notably these utilizing bolus or correction doses of insulin, it’s necessary to pay attention to the chance of low blood sugar ranges and know the best way to handle it.
Is Ozempic or Victoza higher for weight reduction?
Ozempic and Victoza perform equally, each serving to with weight reduction by suppressing urge for food, slowing digestion, and stabilizing blood sugar ranges. Whereas neither medicine is FDA-approved particularly for weight reduction, these results usually result in weight reduction in lots of customers.
A research revealed in late 2022 supplied robust proof of weight reduction with Victoza however famous that individuals tended to lose extra weight when taking Ozempic.
Nonetheless, there are necessary professionals and cons to every, so discussing choices along with your physician is important.
Be taught extra in Ozempic vs. Victoza: Which One Ought to You Select?
Did you discover this text useful? Click on Sure or No beneath to tell us!
