| Injection | Active Ingredient(s) | Dosage | What It's Approved For | How to Take It | When to Take It / Frequency | Effectiveness (% of people who lost ≥5% body weight) | Prescription Only |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy | Semaglutide | 2.4 mg | Weight management in adults with BMI ≥30, or ≥27 with comorbidities | Subcutaneous injection | Once weekly | ~85% of people lost ≥5% of their initial body weight | Yes |
| Saxenda | Liraglutide | 3.0 mg | Weight management in adults with BMI ≥30, or ≥27 with comorbidities | Subcutaneous injection | Once daily | ~63% of people lost ≥5% of their initial body weight | Yes |
| Ozempic | Semaglutide | 0.25 mg - 1.0 mg | Type 2 diabetes; used off-label for weight loss | Subcutaneous injection | Once weekly | ~62% of people lost ≥5% of their initial body weight (off-label use) | Yes |
| Mounjaro | Tirzepatide | 5 mg - 15 mg | Type 2 diabetes; under research for weight loss approval | Subcutaneous injection | Once weekly | ~80-85% of people lost ≥5% of their initial body weight (based on trials) | Yes |
| Victoza | Liraglutide | 1.2 mg - 1.8 mg | Type 2 diabetes; used off-label for weight loss | Subcutaneous injection | Once daily | ~56% of people lost ≥5% of their initial body weight (off-label use) | Yes |
Key Insights:
- Wegovy and Mounjaro show the highest effectiveness for weight loss, with around 80-85% of users losing 5% or more of their initial body weight.
- Saxenda and Victoza are both based on the active ingredient Liraglutide, with Saxenda approved specifically for weight management and Victoza used primarily for diabetes management but sometimes used off-label for weight loss.
- Ozempic, although approved for diabetes, is often prescribed off-label for weight loss due to its efficacy, with around 62% of users achieving significant weight loss.
- All these injections are prescription-only, requiring consultation with a healthcare provider for safe and appropriate use.
Here are some sources that support the key insights regarding the effectiveness and usage of these weight loss injections:
- Wegovy (Semaglutide):
- Effectiveness: Clinical trials for Wegovy showed that around 85% of participants lost 5% or more of their body weight when combined with lifestyle interventions.
- Source: Wilding, J. P. H., et al. (2021). "Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity." The New England Journal of Medicine. Link
- Saxenda (Liraglutide):
- Effectiveness: Studies have demonstrated that approximately 63% of participants lost at least 5% of their initial body weight.
- Source: Pi-Sunyer, X., et al. (2015). "A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management." The New England Journal of Medicine. Link
- Ozempic (Semaglutide):
- Effectiveness: In off-label weight loss studies, about 62% of participants lost 5% or more of their body weight.
- Source: Davies, M., et al. (2017). "Semaglutide as a weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist in overweight or obese individuals." The Lancet. Link
- Mounjaro (Tirzepatide):
- Effectiveness: Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) is shown to be highly effective in trials, with 80-85% of participants losing 5% or more of their body weight.
- Source: Jastreboff, A. M., et al. (2022). "Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity." The New England Journal of Medicine. Link
- Victoza (Liraglutide):
- Effectiveness: For off-label weight loss use, around 56% of participants lost at least 5% of their initial body weight.
- Source: Astrup, A., et al. (2009). "Liraglutide for weight management in Type 2 diabetes." Lancet. Link
These references provide clinical data and research results backing the key insights presented about the weight loss injections.