Dealing with weight loss often proves challenging, particularly when conventional strategies fail to yield the anticipated outcomes. However, there’s hope in Saxenda, a prescription medicine for weight loss available as an injection. This detailed guide dives into Saxenda’s world, shedding light on its working principle, advantages, possible side effects, and more. If Saxenda piques your interest regarding weight control, stay with us for critical revelations.
What is Saxenda?
Liraglutide sold under the brand name Saxenda is a medication used for weight loss by Obese or overweight persons who also have weight related problems. Saxenda is commonly used together with a healthy diet and exercises. Saxenda is a subcutaneous injection that should be administered once a day using a multi dosage pen. The main active ingredient in Saxenda is Liraglutide which is also contained in Victoza. Liraglutide promotes weight loss by lowering appetite and slowing down the release of gastric juice which makes you feel full for longer thereby decreasing your calorie intake. Saxenda is similar to a hormone that occurs naturally in the body and helps control blood sugar, insulin levels, and digestion. Saxenda belongs to a class of medicines called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists.
Mechanism of action of Saxenda
Liraglutide is an acylated glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist, derived from human GLP-1-(7-37), a less common form of endogenous GLP-1. It reduces meal-related hyperglycemia (for 24 hours after administration) by increasing insulin secretion (only) when required by increasing glucose levels, delaying gastric emptying, and suppressing prandial glucagon secretion. Liraglutide leads to insulin release in pancreatic beta cells in the presence of elevated blood glucose. This insulin secretion subsides as glucose concentrations decrease and approach euglycemia (normal blood glucose level). It also decreases glucagon secretion in a glucose-dependent manner and delays gastric emptying. Unlike endogenous GLP-1, liraglutide is stable against metabolic degradation by peptidases, with a plasma half-life of 13 hours.
Endogenous GLP-1 has a plasma half-life of 1.5–2 minutes due to degradation by the ubiquitous enzymes, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) and neutral endopeptidases (NEP). The half-life after intramuscular injection is approximately half an hour, so even administered this way, it has limited use as a therapeutic agent. The metabolically active forms of GLP-1 are the endogenous GLP-1-(7-36)NH2 and the more rare GLP-1-(7-37). The prolonged action of liraglutide is achieved by attaching a fatty acid molecule at one position of the GLP-1-(7-37) molecule, enabling it to both self-associate and bind to albumin within the subcutaneous tissue and bloodstream. The active GLP-1 is then released from albumin at a slow, consistent rate. Albumin binding also results in slower degradation and reduced renal elimination compared to that of GLP-1-(7-37).
What is the average weight loss with Saxenda?
In clinical studies, a greater number of people who took Saxenda for 56 weeks lost 5 to 10% of their body weight, compared with people who took a placebo. (A placebo is a substance that has no effect and is used as a control when testing medications). This means participants lost 12 to 23 pounds. People in the studies were overweight (BMI 27-29.9 kg/m2) or obese (BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2) before taking Saxenda.
How should I use Saxenda®?
- Read the Instructions for Usethat comes with Saxenda®
- Inject your dose of Saxenda®under the skin (subcutaneously) in your stomach area (abdomen), upper leg (thigh), or upper arm, as instructed by your health care provider. Do not inject into a vein or muscle
- Change (rotate) your injection site within the area you choose with each injection to reduce your risk of getting lumps under the skin (cutaneous amyloidosis). Do notuse the same site for each injection
Dosing information
Usual Adult Dose for Weight Loss:
Dose escalation should be followed to reduce the likelihood of gastrointestinal symptoms; dose escalation may be delayed by 1 additional week if necessary:
Week 1: Inject 0.6 mg subcutaneously once a day
Week 2: Inject 1.2 mg subcutaneously once a day
Week 3: Inject 1.8 mg subcutaneously once a day
Week 4: Inject 2.4 mg subcutaneously once a day
Week 5: Inject 3 mg subcutaneously once a day
Maintenance dose:
- 3 mg subcutaneously once a day-If maintenance dose is not tolerated, discontinuation is recommended; efficacy for chronic weight management has not been established at lower doses.
Usual Pediatric Dose for Weight Loss:
12 years and older:
Dose escalation should be followed to reduce the likelihood of gastrointestinal symptoms; dose escalation may be delayed if necessary based on tolerability; dose escalation may take up to 8 weeks:
Week 1: Inject 0.6 mg subcutaneously once a day
Week 2: Inject 1.2 mg subcutaneously once a day
Week 3: Inject 1.8 mg subcutaneously once a day
Week 4: Inject 2.4 mg subcutaneously once a day
Week 5: Inject 3 mg subcutaneously once a day
Maintenance dose:
- 4 or 3 mg subcutaneously once a day
- If maintenance dose is not tolerated, discontinuation is recommended; efficacy for chronic weight management has not been established at lower doses.
Saxenda side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Saxenda: hives; fast heartbeats; dizziness; trouble breathing or swallowing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- racing or pounding heartbeats;
- sudden changes in mood or behavior, suicidal thoughts;
- severe ongoing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
- signs of a thyroid tumor– swelling or a lump in your neck, trouble swallowing, a hoarse voice, feeling short of breath;
- gallbladder problems– fever, upper stomach pain, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes);
- symptoms of pancreatitis– severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea with or without vomiting, fast heart rate;
- severely low blood sugar– extreme weakness, confusion, tremors, sweating, fast heart rate, trouble speaking, nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing, fainting, and seizure (convulsions); or
- kidney problems– little or no urination; painful or difficult urination; swelling in your feet or ankles; feeling tired or short of breath.
Common Saxenda side effects may include:
- nausea (especially when you start using Saxenda), vomiting, stomach pain;
- increased heart rate;
- diarrhea, constipation;
- headache, dizziness; or
- feeling tired.