In studies, significant weight loss of at least 5% was seen after 8 weeks of treatment. After one year of treatment in adults, 85% of patients treated with Saxenda lost weight (an average of 21 lb. [9.5 kg] weight loss, or 9.2% of their weight). Your results may be different.
Some people start seeing results from Saxenda in the first two to four weeks. You may lose about 2%—4% of your body weight. However, during clinical trials, people taking Saxenda saw a significant weight loss of at least 5% after eight weeks of treatment.
On average, patients taking Saxenda for weight loss lost 8% to 10% of their starting body weight over a period of 6 to 12 months. In the clinical trials, some patients lost 15% or more of their starting weight in the first year using Saxenda.
In one study, results showed that about 60% of people who received Saxenda (liraglutide) lost more than 5% of body weight (on average, about 12 lbs), and about 30% of people lost more than 10% of body weight (on average, about 23 lbs).
If you have not lost 5% of your starting body weight after 12 weeks of taking Saxenda at the 3mg dose, you will need to stop taking it. A different weight loss treatment may be suitable for you, and a doctor or Asda Online Doctor can help.
In adults, it may take about 8 weeks before you start to see a significant weight loss (at least 5%) with Saxenda. In the first 2 to 4 weeks you may lose about 2% to 4% of your weight.
Saxenda starts working straight away, and you should see the effects within 2 weeks.
"This medication has led to significant amounts of weight loss, but when it stops, patients have reported gaining up to two-thirds of that weight back," Sutton said, citing published research.
An easy way to manage this is to aim for 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 days a week. Find an exercise which works for you - not only for your lifestyle but for your weight and fitness level. Build up the amount of exercise you do week on week before you find the right level for you.
Several factors could be at play if you're taking Saxenda and not losing weight, including: Diet—Saxenda is approved in conjunction with a low-calorie diet, so if you haven't adjusted your diet accordingly, that could work against the weight loss you might otherwise be achieving.
Saxenda comes in a 3ml pre-filled injection pen. When you first start Saxenda, a single pen will last 17 days and the first full pack of five pens will last six weeks. When you take Saxenda you need to gradually increase your dose in 0.6mg intervals, until you reach what is called the maintenance dose at 3mg daily.
You should only continue using Saxenda if you have lost at least 4% of your BMI after 12 weeks on the 3.0 mg/day dose or maximum tolerated dose (see section 3). Consult your doctor before you continue. Your doctor will start you on a diet and exercise programme. Stay on this programme while you are using Saxenda®.
In a clinical trial of more than 3,000 people with obesity or who had a weight-related medical condition, the majority of participants lost 5–10% of their body weight while on Saxenda. The average weight loss was 12–23 pounds over a 56-week timeframe (FDA, 2020).
Wegovy® is a more effective drug than Saxenda®. As demonstrated above, semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy®) leads to more clinically significant weight loss and blood sugar reductions than liraglutide (the active ingredient in Saxenda®).
Saxenda® is believed to work in a similar way, regulating your appetite to make you feel less hungry and feel full with less food—which can lead to eating fewer calories and losing weight. Your body naturally produces an appetite hormone that helps regulate your hunger.
Exercise. Another reason you may be gaining weight on Saxenda is you need more physical activity. Using medication alone is not enough, and getting enough exercise is essential to achieve weight loss results. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests 150 minutes of physical activity each week.
Does Saxenda cause hair loss? No, you shouldn't experience hair loss as a side effect of Saxenda. It wasn't reported in clinical trials of the drug.
The most common side effects of Saxenda® in adults include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, injection site reaction, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), headache, tiredness (fatigue), dizziness, stomach pain, and change in enzyme (lipase) levels in your blood.
If you miss your daily dose of Saxenda®, use Saxenda® as soon as you remember. Then, take your next daily dose as usual on the following day. Do not take an extra dose of Saxenda® or increase your dose on the following day to make up for your missed dose.
In general, men need a calorie intake of around 2,500 kcal a day. Women need slightly less, around 2,000 kcal a day.
Saxenda is a very popular anti-obesity drug in the US. This is because of its high efficacy rate, which naturally allures people into using the drug. As per research, the drug can lower an average of 4–8% extra body weight as compared to a placebo.
Following a Saxenda diet
Add a protein source to each meal. Eat a variety of proteins like lean cuts of red meat, fish, chicken, eggs, beans, and lentils. Eat whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, whole grain bread, and whole grain pasta.
If you've forgotten a dose of Saxenda®
If more then 12 hours from when you usually take Saxenda®, skip today's dose and resume your course of treatment as usual the following day. If you miss your dose of Saxenda® for three days or more, speak to a doctor about how to restart your treatment, as the dosage might change.
The medication can be taken at any time of day, regardless of the timing of your meals. However, it's best to inject Saxenda® at the same time each day, so choose a time that is most convenient for your schedule. For some, that's right after waking up in the morning or before getting ready for bed each night.