Ozempic vs Saxenda: Comparing the weekly and daily medications
Laying out the cards on the effectiveness, frequency and side effects for each medication.
Key takeaways
In some cases, carrying excess weight can lead to major cardiovascular events, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. But we get it: weight management is difficult and exhausting — especially when you feel like you've tried everything and nothing is working.
There is an increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, even though we have more information on weight loss at our fingertips than ever. This shows that knowledge of healthy eating and increasing activity alone will not do the trick.
This is where breakthrough weight loss medications can be helpful. While different weight loss drugs have been on the market for decades, there is a new variety of treatments, like Saxenda, Wegovy and Ozempic, now available.
Wondering what's the deal with Ozempic vs Saxenda? Let's find out.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a once-weekly injection that contains the active ingredient semaglutide and was initially developed to help people with type 2 diabetes control and lower blood sugar levels.
It reduces blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin secretion, which means it only works when blood glucose is high. It also lowers glucagon secretion — a hormone that increases blood glucose — when blood glucose is high.
However, Ozempic has also been used for weight loss treatment in recent times.
Can Ozempic be used for weight loss?
In the UK, Ozempic is licensed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, it has been prescribed off-label for weight loss and weight management.
However, the advent of weight loss medication Wegovy, which also contains the active ingredient semaglutide and is licensed for weight loss treatment in the UK (and is one of the medications we prescribe as part of our Weight Reset Programme), means that Ozempic is not really necessary for weight loss use anymore.
How does Wegovy work for weight loss?
Semaglutide, Wegovy's active ingredient, mimics a natural hormone in your body called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist GLP-1, which is produced by your digestive system in response to eating food [1]. It acts on both the brain and the digestive system to regulate how full you feel after a meal.
And, as a GLP-1 agonist, it slows down the emptying of your stomach into the rest of your digestive system. It also helps you feel fuller for longer and enhances your body's blood sugar level control. When combined with a reduced-calorie diet and increased exercise, GLP-1 medications like Wegovy can help you lose body weight.
As a higher-dose injection of semaglutide, Wegovy has been shown in clinical trials to be more effective for weight loss than some of its alternatives [2].
A study from 2021 looked at 1,961 obese and overweight adults who were randomly assigned Wegovy injections or a placebo [2]. After 68 weeks, those taking Wegovy lost an average of 15.3 kg, whereas the placebo group lost an average of 2.6 kg.
It's important to mention that the participants also implemented lifestyle changes, particularly in their diet and exercise habits, which helped enhance the impact of Wegovy as a weight loss drug.
Are there any side effects of Ozempic?
Like all medications, Ozempic is not immune to side effects. The most common side effects of Ozempic are nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach (abdominal) pain, fatigue, and constipation.
Although not everyone will experience all of these reactions, you may experience one, especially when you begin the treatment. These side effects are generally mild and usually reduce as your body gets used to the medication.
Other less common side effects can occur due to Ozempic. If you are experiencing any of the following while taking Ozempic, contact your doctor immediately:
- Inflammation of your pancreas
- Changes in vision
- Hypoglycemia (dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability, mood changes, sweating and jitteriness are some examples of having low blood sugar)
- Kidney problems
- Gallbladder problems
- Suicidal thoughts
What is Saxenda?
Saxenda is another safe, self-injectable weight loss medication that is steadily becoming a popular and effective weight loss solution. Like Ozempic, it comes as a prefilled pen for injecting.
Instead of semaglutide, Saxenda's main active ingredient is liraglutide which, just like Ozempic, works to emulate the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1 by regulating your appetite and blood sugar levels, which can lead to eating fewer calories and weight loss.
Saxenda is generally prescribed to people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, or people with a BMI of 27–29 with weight-related conditions, such as pre-diabetes.
Are there any side effects of Saxenda?
Similarly, consuming Saxenda can also have the side effects of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, and constipation, but these usually subside after the first few treatments (normally the first 3-4).
It also depends on whether or not you are taking other prescription drugs, as not all medications will sit nicely with Saxenda and drug interactions are possible.
Overall, the possible side effects of Saxenda and Ozempic are much the same.
What's the difference between Ozempic and Saxenda?
One of the main differences between the medications is that in the UK, Ozempic is licensed for diabetes, while Saxenda is approved to support weight loss.
As we know, the active ingredients in these medications are different. Although both semaglutide and liraglutide are part of a category of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, and both are used in obesity management, research around semaglutide is particularly promising — a big reason why we use Wegovy in our Weight Reset Programme.
Semaglutide was tested in 6 key trials (SUSTAIN 1) which involved 7,215 patients. 4,107 patients were treated with semaglutide and the others were in a placebo group with no active drug — or sometimes taking another diabetes treatment.
Treatment with semaglutide demonstrated meaningful weight loss for up to 2 years compared to a placebo or other diabetes treatments. Results were similar across different ages, genders, races and ethnicities. In these trials, after 1 year of treatment, up to 63% of patients lost 5% or more of their body weight and up to 27% of patients lost 10% or more of their body weight.
In one particular trial, conducted over 2 years, using 1mg of semaglutide with lifestyle interventions — such as diet changes and exercise — was compared with patients who only had lifestyle interventions [3]. Patients lost an average of 4.9kg with semaglutide compared to losing only 0.5kg without the drug.
Lastly, the frequency of injections differs as well. Saxenda is a once-daily injectable medication, while Ozempic is taken once a week. The reason for this comes down to the active ingredients: semaglutide, in Wegovy and Ozempic, acts for far longer than liraglutide, in Saxenda, which needs to be replenished daily.
If you're wanting to lose weight, Wegovy is the far more effective and more convenient treatment when compared to Saxenda.
Can you take Ozempic and Saxenda together?
No. Doctors do not recommend you take both medications at the same time. Both Saxenda and Ozempic work to regulate your blood sugar levels. Doubling up on this type of medication can lead to complications if your blood sugar drops too low.
Taking Saxenda and Ozempic together can result in a spike in serious side effects, and increase your risk of rare complications. If you are thinking about switching between medications, do so under the careful guidance of your healthcare provider.
Losing weight with Wegovy
That's why we combine weight loss injections with health coaching and community support in our Weight Reset Programme. Our programme focuses on these 3 key areas to support you in losing weight sustainably and with the knowledge that you'll be able to keep it off in the long term.
Juniper's Weight Reset Programme can be broken down into the following areas:
- A biological reset: We prescribe weight loss injections (Wegovy or Mounjaro) that targets the receptors in the brain that control your appetite. The medication works to lower your body’s ‘set point’, which is the weight it fights to maintain at a biological level. This helps you to lose weight.
- A behavioural reset: Our clinicians, health coaches and community supports you every step of the way. In our programme, you’ll learn sustainable nutritional, exercise and lifestyle choices, tracking your progress to help you form long-term habits that stick. These habits will not only help you lose weight but keep it off for good.
- Our community: Numerous studies have shown that people in group communities achieve greater weight loss than those who do it alone [4]. That’s why we’re here. We’re dedicated to helping women make lifestyle changes that are often difficult to achieve on their own.
In some cases, carrying excess weight can lead to major cardiovascular events, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. But we get it: weight management is difficult and exhausting — especially when you feel like you've tried everything and nothing is working.
There is an increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, even though we have more information on weight loss at our fingertips than ever. This shows that knowledge of healthy eating and increasing activity alone will not do the trick.
This is where breakthrough weight loss medications can be helpful. While different weight loss drugs have been on the market for decades, there is a new variety of treatments, like Saxenda, Wegovy and Ozempic, now available.
Wondering what's the deal with Ozempic vs Saxenda? Let's find out.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a once-weekly injection that contains the active ingredient semaglutide and was initially developed to help people with type 2 diabetes control and lower blood sugar levels.
It reduces blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin secretion, which means it only works when blood glucose is high. It also lowers glucagon secretion — a hormone that increases blood glucose — when blood glucose is high.
However, Ozempic has also been used for weight loss treatment in recent times.
Can Ozempic be used for weight loss?
In the UK, Ozempic is licensed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, it has been prescribed off-label for weight loss and weight management.
However, the advent of weight loss medication Wegovy, which also contains the active ingredient semaglutide and is licensed for weight loss treatment in the UK (and is one of the medications we prescribe as part of our Weight Reset Programme), means that Ozempic is not really necessary for weight loss use anymore.
How does Wegovy work for weight loss?
Semaglutide, Wegovy's active ingredient, mimics a natural hormone in your body called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist GLP-1, which is produced by your digestive system in response to eating food [1]. It acts on both the brain and the digestive system to regulate how full you feel after a meal.
And, as a GLP-1 agonist, it slows down the emptying of your stomach into the rest of your digestive system. It also helps you feel fuller for longer and enhances your body's blood sugar level control. When combined with a reduced-calorie diet and increased exercise, GLP-1 medications like Wegovy can help you lose body weight.
As a higher-dose injection of semaglutide, Wegovy has been shown in clinical trials to be more effective for weight loss than some of its alternatives [2].
A study from 2021 looked at 1,961 obese and overweight adults who were randomly assigned Wegovy injections or a placebo [2]. After 68 weeks, those taking Wegovy lost an average of 15.3 kg, whereas the placebo group lost an average of 2.6 kg.
It's important to mention that the participants also implemented lifestyle changes, particularly in their diet and exercise habits, which helped enhance the impact of Wegovy as a weight loss drug.
Are there any side effects of Ozempic?
Like all medications, Ozempic is not immune to side effects. The most common side effects of Ozempic are nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach (abdominal) pain, fatigue, and constipation.
Although not everyone will experience all of these reactions, you may experience one, especially when you begin the treatment. These side effects are generally mild and usually reduce as your body gets used to the medication.
Other less common side effects can occur due to Ozempic. If you are experiencing any of the following while taking Ozempic, contact your doctor immediately:
- Inflammation of your pancreas
- Changes in vision
- Hypoglycemia (dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability, mood changes, sweating and jitteriness are some examples of having low blood sugar)
- Kidney problems
- Gallbladder problems
- Suicidal thoughts
What is Saxenda?
Saxenda is another safe, self-injectable weight loss medication that is steadily becoming a popular and effective weight loss solution. Like Ozempic, it comes as a prefilled pen for injecting.
Instead of semaglutide, Saxenda's main active ingredient is liraglutide which, just like Ozempic, works to emulate the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1 by regulating your appetite and blood sugar levels, which can lead to eating fewer calories and weight loss.
Saxenda is generally prescribed to people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, or people with a BMI of 27–29 with weight-related conditions, such as pre-diabetes.
Are there any side effects of Saxenda?
Similarly, consuming Saxenda can also have the side effects of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, and constipation, but these usually subside after the first few treatments (normally the first 3-4).
It also depends on whether or not you are taking other prescription drugs, as not all medications will sit nicely with Saxenda and drug interactions are possible.
Overall, the possible side effects of Saxenda and Ozempic are much the same.
What's the difference between Ozempic and Saxenda?
One of the main differences between the medications is that in the UK, Ozempic is licensed for diabetes, while Saxenda is approved to support weight loss.
As we know, the active ingredients in these medications are different. Although both semaglutide and liraglutide are part of a category of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, and both are used in obesity management, research around semaglutide is particularly promising — a big reason why we use Wegovy in our Weight Reset Programme.
Semaglutide was tested in 6 key trials (SUSTAIN 1) which involved 7,215 patients. 4,107 patients were treated with semaglutide and the others were in a placebo group with no active drug — or sometimes taking another diabetes treatment.
Treatment with semaglutide demonstrated meaningful weight loss for up to 2 years compared to a placebo or other diabetes treatments. Results were similar across different ages, genders, races and ethnicities. In these trials, after 1 year of treatment, up to 63% of patients lost 5% or more of their body weight and up to 27% of patients lost 10% or more of their body weight.
In one particular trial, conducted over 2 years, using 1mg of semaglutide with lifestyle interventions — such as diet changes and exercise — was compared with patients who only had lifestyle interventions [3]. Patients lost an average of 4.9kg with semaglutide compared to losing only 0.5kg without the drug.
Lastly, the frequency of injections differs as well. Saxenda is a once-daily injectable medication, while Ozempic is taken once a week. The reason for this comes down to the active ingredients: semaglutide, in Wegovy and Ozempic, acts for far longer than liraglutide, in Saxenda, which needs to be replenished daily.
If you're wanting to lose weight, Wegovy is the far more effective and more convenient treatment when compared to Saxenda.
Can you take Ozempic and Saxenda together?
No. Doctors do not recommend you take both medications at the same time. Both Saxenda and Ozempic work to regulate your blood sugar levels. Doubling up on this type of medication can lead to complications if your blood sugar drops too low.
Taking Saxenda and Ozempic together can result in a spike in serious side effects, and increase your risk of rare complications. If you are thinking about switching between medications, do so under the careful guidance of your healthcare provider.
Losing weight with Wegovy
That's why we combine weight loss injections with health coaching and community support in our Weight Reset Programme. Our programme focuses on these 3 key areas to support you in losing weight sustainably and with the knowledge that you'll be able to keep it off in the long term.
Juniper's Weight Reset Programme can be broken down into the following areas:
- A biological reset: We prescribe weight loss injections (Wegovy or Mounjaro) that targets the receptors in the brain that control your appetite. The medication works to lower your body’s ‘set point’, which is the weight it fights to maintain at a biological level. This helps you to lose weight.
- A behavioural reset: Our clinicians, health coaches and community supports you every step of the way. In our programme, you’ll learn sustainable nutritional, exercise and lifestyle choices, tracking your progress to help you form long-term habits that stick. These habits will not only help you lose weight but keep it off for good.
- Our community: Numerous studies have shown that people in group communities achieve greater weight loss than those who do it alone [4]. That’s why we’re here. We’re dedicated to helping women make lifestyle changes that are often difficult to achieve on their own.
- Clinically-backed weight loss treatments
- Personalised nutrition and exercise plan
- Trusted by 30,000 members around the world
“I was always on this yo-yo diet scenario, which never worked. I always just felt hungry throughout the dieting process and it actually kinda gets you down”
“Juniper has been my weight loss miracle, we all need help on our weight loss journey, especially because it gets harder the longer it goes on.”
“Juniper's just given me my confidence back. That's what my friends are saying, “You've got your smile back, you've got your sparkle back,” which I know I'd lost.”
