What types of weight loss medication are there?

Learn about Saxenda, Wegovy, and the new types of weight loss medications that are on the way

Victoza, Saxenda, Ozempic, Wegovy – you’ve probably heard these names mentioned in connection with weight loss drugs. Both Saxenda and Wegovy are approved in most of the world for the treatment of obesity. Wegovy can be considered the turbo version of Saxenda.

Victoza and Saxenda

Weight loss medications are sold under different names depending on the active ingredient. Liraglutide is sold under the names Victoza for diabetes treatment and Saxenda for the treatment of overweight. Saxenda is essentially just Victoza in a higher dose.

Ozempic and Wegovy

Semaglutide is sold under the names Ozempic for diabetes treatment and Wegovy for the treatment of overweight. Wegovy is essentially just Ozempic in a higher dose.

Wegovy is the turbo version of Saxenda

Both Saxenda and Wegovy are approved in most of the world for the treatment of overweight and obesity. One could say that Wegovy is the turbo version of Saxenda, as it has shown greater weight loss in clinical studies. Wegovy is therefore the preferred weight loss medication as it stands now. Wegovy comes in injection form. The patient must inject the dose into the subcutaneous tissue once a week. In the upcoming articles “How to inject yourself with weight loss medication” and “How to handle used needles,” you can read more about how to get started with the medication.

New weight loss medications on the way

Both Saxenda and Wegovy are produced by Novo Nordisk. Several pharmaceutical companies are developing new variants of weight loss medications, such as Eli Lilly, which is expected to launch a product containing Tirzepatide. Studies have shown even greater weight loss and treatment of prediabetes compared to Semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in Wegovy. In the article “New Weight Loss Medications on the Way,” you can read more about the new variants of weight loss medications that are expected to be launched soon.

Other medications for the treatment of overweight

There are other, older medications on the market that can be used for the treatment of overweight. These medications are not prescribed much anymore, as their effectiveness and side effect profile do not compare to the results that can be achieved with newer forms of weight loss medications like Wegovy.

However, there may still be patients who take medications that, for example, reduce the absorption of fat from food, such as Orlistat.