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Saxenda Vs Wegovy For Weight Loss: Over The Counter Alternative To Wegovy And Saxenda Weight Loss

‘Saxenda’ is the trade or brand name for a common natural compound called ‘liraglutide’. Liraglutide is a wonderful compound that first came to light in 2010. Research indicated that liraglutide could help people with Type 2 diabetes.

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Saxenda Vs Wegovy For Weight Loss
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Introduction

There is an old saying - Health is wealth. Saxenda and Wegovy are two health medicines that help people lose weight. Weight is a complicated and often sensitive topic for many people. There is a lot of conflicting research on the issues of weight and metabolic processes. Such conflicting information is common around sensitive topics. Click Here To Buy This Over The Counter Alternative Weight Loss Pill

Some latest research suggests that manipulating hormonal interactions may help people manage their weight. These hormones help the body regulate various important digestive and metabolic processes. Thus, medicines that affect how these hormones work can influence weight and related issues.

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This article reviews Saxenda and Wegovy, two leading medicines prescribed for weight-related issues. This article compares these two medicines - including their benefits and possible side effects. After all, the only way a person can make the right choice is by understanding how these medicines work and which ones are right for them.

What Is Saxenda?

‘Saxenda’ is the trade or brand name for a common natural compound called ‘liraglutide’. Liraglutide is a wonderful compound that first came to light in 2010. Research indicated that liraglutide could help people with Type 2 diabetes. It was not a standalone drug, and doctors recommended lifestyle changes. So, patients combined their liraglutide medicine with dietary changes and exercise. The first liraglutide drug was called ‘Victoza’, and was prescribed for diabetics.

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However, research into the effects of liraglutide continued to yield more information. Experts realized that liraglutide could mimic the effect of a class of hormones called ‘glucagon-like peptide-1’ or ‘GLP-1’. This mimicking action helps liraglutide improve blood glucose levels and improve weight loss. Further research into liraglutide enabled experts to create Saxenda in 2017. This medicine is different from Victoza and helps manage weight.

What Is Wegovy?

Liraglutide is not the only GLP-1 mimicking compound in nature. Health and medical science constantly evolve, and new medicines are always on the horizon. Soon after experts discovered the health benefits of liraglutide, other teams discovered other compounds. One such compound was called semaglutide.
Semaglutide is also a natural compound that mimics the effect of GLP-1 hormones. Semaglutide also started its journey as a medicine that helped diabetics. One of the first semaglutide medicines was called ‘Ozempic’, which helped diabetics manage their symptoms. Ozempic hit the market in 2017, but its weight-management benefits became popular in four short years.

Thus, ‘Wegovy’ came about as one of the first weight-management medicines that used semaglutide. It helps people manage their weight healthily and reliably. Doctors usually prescribe this medicine to people with a body-mass index (BMI) of more than 30 kg per square meter. People with slightly lower BMI (more than 27 kg per square meter) who also have symptoms of diabetes can also benefit from Wegovy.

What Is A GLP-1 Hormone?

GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1. GLP-1 refers to a broad class of hormones in the human body. GLP-1 hormones help regulate various bodily functions, including digestion and metabolism. The body releases GLP-1 hormones when it starts eating food. GLP-1 hormones regulate the brain’s activity relating to food and appetite. Some research indicates that higher levels of GLP-1 may tell the brain that it does not feel hungry and can control food intake.

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Thus, using medicines that mimic the effect of GLP-1 can help prevent overeating. There is enough evidence to suggest that some people who are overweight may have trouble controlling their food intake. Their brains may not have enough GLP-1 hormones and thus end up overeating. Thus, using GLP-1 mimicking compounds may help prevent overeating. Thus, such medicines can help people manage their weight in the long run. Readers should note that Saxenda and Wegovy may only work well for some.

Who Makes These Two Medicines?

Saxenda and Wegovy are prescription medication drugs. As such, they require stringent manufacturing conditions and quality requirements. The Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk makes both Saxenda and Wegovy. It is a large and well-known pharmaceutical company that operates factories in various countries.

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Novo Nordisk uses its highly advanced laboratories and manufacturing units to make Saxenda and Wegovy. These medicines are subjected to cutting-edge purification techniques to ensure high purity. Advanced quality testing methods help ensure excellent quality.

What Do These Two Medicines Do?

Saxenda and Wegovy are prescription-based medicines that can help people get their weight under control. Saxenda uses a natural compound called liraglutide as its active ingredient, whereas Wegovy contains semaglutide. Both these compounds mimic the effect of GLP-1 hormones in the body. Since GLP-1 hormones signal the brain to stop food intake, they play a key role in digestion. GLP-1 hormones also help keep the pancreas healthy and help in the production of insulin.

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Thus, medicines that mimic the action of GLP-1, like liraglutide and semaglutide, can help with these processes. These compounds started as medical solutions for managing symptoms of diabetes. However, researchers noticed that their effect was not limited to managing diabetes. They also mimicked GLP-1 hormones’ digestive regulation functions. Thus, liraglutide and semaglutide, under the trade names Saxenda and Wegovy, became popular medicines to help manage weight .

How Effective Are These Two Medicines At Managing Weight?

Though Saxenda and Wegovy contain GLP-1 inhibitors, and they act similarly, they are technically different compounds. Thus, it is natural that liraglutide and semaglutide will work at different rates in the body.

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Data suggest that liraglutide, used in Saxenda, can help people lose between 5% and 10% of their body weight. These studies combined doses of liraglutide with lifestyle and behavioral changes. These changes included changes in people’s diets and exercise regimens.

Similar scientific trials and experiments on semaglutide, used in Wegovy, yielded similar results. In these trials, people who took semaglutide appeared to lose as much as 15% of their initial weight. People in these trials also coupled semaglutide medication with significant lifestyle changes.

What Is The Right Dose For These Two Medicines?

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Liraglutide and semaglutide may act similarly, but they are different compounds. Thus, doctors prescribe different doses at different frequencies for the best results. The maximum permissible dose for liraglutide, the active ingredient in Saxenda, is 3 mg. Liraglutide requires daily doses to be effective.

Since semaglutide works slightly differently, its typical dosage range and frequency differ. Doctors normally suggest capping the maximum dose of Wegovy, whose active ingredient is semaglutide, at 2.4 mg. People normally take Wegovy once a week for maximum efficiency.

However, readers must note that these medicines are strictly regulated and available only via prescription. People struggling with weight and related issues should consult a qualified and trusted doctor. Medicines and drugs that help manage weight often carry serious side effects and other risks. Thus, people should strictly adhere to the doses recommended in the doctor’s prescriptions.

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Are There Any Side Effects To Using These Two Medicines?

Although Saxenda and Wegovy use different active ingredients, they produce fairly similar effects in the body. Thus, experts believe their side effects are similar as well. These medicines can produce various possible side effects, depending on various factors. These factors include interactions with other medicines or drugs, underlying conditions, or biological issues.

Here is a short list of possible side effects of Saxenda and Wegovy:
●    Nausea and vomiting.
●    Diarrhea and significantly decreased appetite.
●    Stomach pain, cramps, and indigestion.
●    Hypoglycemia, particularly among patients with Type 2 diabetes.
●    Acute diseases of various digestive organs like the pancreas, gallbladder, kidneys, etc.
●    Complications in pre-existing thyroid issues.

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Are These Two Medicines The Same?

The previous sections dealt with various aspects of Saxenda and Wegovy. As described in those previous sections, these two medicines have several similarities. They are both medical-grade drugs that require prescriptions. They are made by the same Danish pharmaceutical company - Novo Nordisk. They even work similarly by mimicking the effects of GLP-1 hormones. Saxenda and Wegovy are so similar that they also share similar side effects.

However, the key difference between Saxenda and Wegovy is the active ingredient. Saxenda uses liraglutide, whereas Wegovy relies on semaglutide. Users should consult a qualified doctor before use.

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Does One Of These Medicines Cost More Than The Other?

Because these two medicines are technically different compounds, they are made using different ingredients. Thus, these medicines will have different costs. The exact cost will be a complex function of a person’s geographical location, local laws, insurance factors etc.
However, here are the typical costs involved:

●    Saxenda: Monthly cost is around USD 1,300. With insurance, it may come to USD 25.
●    Wegovy: Monthly cost is around USD 1,500. With insurance, it may come to USD 25.

Which Of These Two Medicines Is Better?

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The previous sections compared the efficacy of liraglutide against semaglutide. Research suggests that semaglutide, used in Wegovy, can help people lose 15% of their weight. However, readers should ask their doctors for medical advice.

Conclusion

People often struggle to manage their weight. Doctors and other medical experts acknowledge the importance of medical solutions to these issues. Thus, doctors often prescribe liraglutide, used in Saxenda, to people seeking to manage weight issues. Semaglutide, used in Wegovy, is a similar medical drug.

Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.
 

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