Wegovy vs Saxenda: Which Weight Loss Treatment is Better?

Although you may not have heard of Saxenda, it was one of the very first weight loss injections to be made available in the UK. Injected daily, Saxenda works by reducing your appetite and slowing the passage of food through your digestive system. This may make you feel fuller for longer and help you to consume fewer calories.

Wegovy, which is another weight loss injection, works in a similar way but has a different active ingredient and only needs to be injected once every seven days. Both Saxenda and Wegovy are prescription-only medications. This means that you’ll need to speak to a doctor and have your suitability for them assess before you can get access to them.

When you look at Wegovy vs Saxenda, they may appear to be very similar, so it can be difficult to know which might be best for you. You may also feel a little overwhelmed by the number of options now available and could struggle to work out what makes one weight loss jab different from another.

We know that choosing between weight loss treatments can be a challenge. To help you decide which option best suits your health, lifestyle and weight loss goals, we’ve put together a simple comparison. By looking at the key differences between Wegovy and Saxenda, we’ll help you better understand your options and find the treatment that’s right for you.

Wegovy Weight Loss Injections

Wegovy is a specially formulated medication that’s clinically proven to aid weight loss. Taken as a weekly injection, it could help to control your appetite and prevent you eating more than you need to.

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Includes free delivery & prescription

At the moment, Saxenda is out of stock in most UK pharmacies. Good alternatives to Saxenda that you may like to consider include Wegovy and Mounjaro.

Mounjaro Weight Loss Injections

from£148.99

Mounjaro is a prescription-only weight loss medication that’s designed to reduce your appetite and help you to feel fuller for longer.

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Includes free delivery & prescription

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Understanding Saxenda And Wegovy

Wegovy is now one of the best known and most popular weight loss medications in the UK. If you take Wegovy injections, improve your diet and increase the amount of exercise you do, you could lose up to 15% of your starting body weight in the first year of treatment.

The active ingredient in Wegovy is Semaglutide. This mimics a hormone called GLP-1 that’s naturally produced by your body and acts on receptors in the brain to tell you you’re full. By mimicking this hormone, Semaglutide is able to trigger the GLP-1 receptor and trick your body into thinking you aren’t hungry. This may reduce your appetite and make fatty and sugary foods - which are usually high in calories - less tempting.

Saxenda contains an active ingredient called Liraglutide. This also acts on the GLP-1 receptor to shrink your appetite and help stop overeating. Research has shown that Saxenda, combined with increased exercise and an improved diet, could help you lose between 5% and 10% of your starting body weight in the first year of treatment.

One of the main differences between Wegovy and Saxenda is that Wegovy is a weekly injection, while Saxenda needs to be taken every day. This may make Wegovy a more convenient option for your weight loss journey.

Another important difference is that Wegovy has been shown to be more effective. On average, people who use Wegovy lose more weight than those who take Saxenda.

Comparing Effectiveness And Results

Understandably, most people who are choosing between weight loss treatments want to know which option will be the most effective. Although results will vary depending on your starting weight, lifestyle and diet, Wegovy is generally considered to be more effective than Saxenda.

One 68-week study showed that almost half of adults (48%) taking Wegovy lost around 15% of their starting body weight. What’s more, 66% of adults lost 10% or more of their starting weight.

The average starting weight for adults in the study was 16st 7lbs (105.4kg). This means that those who lost 15% of their body weight were an average of 2st 7lbs (15.9kg) lighter by the end of the study. While those who lost 10% were 1st 8lbs (10.5kg) lighter.

If you had a starting weight of 16st 7lbs (105.4kg) and took Saxenda, you could lose between 1st 8lbs (10.5kg) and 11lbs (5.2kg) in the first year of treatment.

This research shows that Wegovy is likely to help you lose more weight than Saxenda. However, it’s important to remember that these are just averages. In order to maximise your weight loss results, you’ll need to improve your diet, hydrate and increase the amount of exercise you do.

Dosing And Administration

Wegovy and Saxenda have different dosing schedules. Wegovy is taken as a weekly jab, while Saxenda has to be injected at roughly the same time every day. We know this isn’t always practical, and it means that for many people, Wegovy is a more convenient treatment. Taking just one weekly injection will save you time and could make it easier to fit your weight loss treatment around your lifestyle.

Since Saxenda has to be taken every day, you may need to carry your injection pen around with you. You’ll need to stick to your injection schedule if you want to maximise your results, so will have to find time to take your medication at as close to the same time each day as possible.

Both Wegovy and Saxenda come in preloaded injection pens. These are designed to be easy and quick to use. Both medications can be injected in the thigh, tummy or upper arm.

If you’re prescribed Wegovy, you’ll start on a low dose of 0.25mg per week. Once your body has adjusted to the medication, your doctor will then gradually increase your dose, up to a maximum of 2.4mg per week.

Saxenda treatment also begins with a low dose. The normal starting dose for Saxenda is 0.6mg per day. This is then slowly increased to 3mg per day.

Side Effects And Safety

Whether you choose Wegovy or Saxenda, you may have to cope with some side effects. According to one study, around 80% of people taking these medications experienced some mild symptoms. These could include:

• nausea
• constipation
• diarrhoea
• stomach pain

There is some research to suggest that Wegovy may be better tolerated than Saxenda. What this means is that side effects may be fewer or less severe. In a randomised trial, 13.5% of participants stopped treatment with Wegovy because of the side effects they experienced. While for Saxenda, this figure was 27.6%.

This could be because Saxenda is a daily injection, so the level of the medication in your system is constantly being topped up. Alternatively, it could be because Wegovy and Saxenda have different active ingredients.

Cost And Accessibility

Although access to Wegovy is limited on the NHS, it is readily available through private prescription. If you decide to go private, you’ll still need to complete a consultation with a doctor to find the right weight loss treatment for you. Once you have a valid prescription, you can purchase the medication quickly and discreetly through online providers, including The Independent Pharmacy.

The cost of Wegovy varies depending on the strength of the injection you require. But you should expect to pay between £149 and £249 per month for your medication.

Saxenda is also available through the NHS and on private prescription. However, it’s out of stock at most UK pharmacies, making the medication very difficult to find. It’s important to consider this when making your choice as a shortage of supply could cause an interruption to your weight loss treatment.

Another effective weight loss injection is Mounjaro. Like Wegovy, Mounjaro is easily accessible from UK pharmacies with a valid prescription. It’s been shown to be even more effective than either Wegovy or Saxenda, so could be a good choice for your weight loss journey. On average, Mounjaro costs between £149 and £199 per month. Again, you’ll need to have your suitability for Mounjaro checked before you can obtain a prescription.

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Making Your Choice

The choice of which weight loss medication to take is a very personal one and will come down to your preferences, your lifestyle, your budget and your weight loss goals.

Think about how your weight loss treatment will fit into your lifestyle. Do you have time to take an injection every day, or would a once per week treatment suit you better?

It’s also important to consider the availability of your medication. Any interruptions to your treatment could impact your results, so it may be a good idea to opt for a medication that is readily available from UK pharmacies.

Finally, it’s essential to think about your weight loss goals. Most people find that Wegovy and Mounjaro are more effective than Saxenda. This means you may be able to lose more weight with either Wegovy or Mounjaro than with Saxenda.

When choosing a weight loss medication, it’s important that you speak to a doctor or healthcare professional. They’ll be able to give you expert advice on which medication may be right for you and how you can maximise your weight loss results.

It is essential that you speak to a licensed medical professional before starting any weight loss medication. They can provide personalised, expert guidance, assess potential risks and ensure that your chosen treatment is safe and suitable for your health needs.

Everyone’s needs vary, and different people respond differently to weight loss medication. In the majority of people, Wegovy has been shown to be more effective than Saxenda. As Wegovy is a weekly weight loss jab, it may also be more convenient for you than Saxenda which needs to be injected at the same time every day.

To learn more about the different weight loss medications available, and discuss your personal needs and requirements, get in touch with a member of our team. You’ll need to complete a discreet three minute consultation to discuss your health, lifestyle and weight loss goals. Our team will then recommend the treatment that’s most appropriate for you.

Sources:

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/ask-the-experts/wegovy

https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/long-lose-weight-wegovy-3570091/

https://www.uchealth.org/today/wegovy-vs-ozempic-the-truth-about-new-weight-loss-drugs/

https://www.wegovy.com/about-wegovy/managing-weight-with-wegovy.htm

https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/long-lose-weight-wegovy-3570091