Library/For Weight Loss/Liraglutide

FDA ApprovedGLP-1✓ Free to read

Liraglutide

Also called Saxenda / Victoza

A daily shot that makes you less hungry, the original FDA-approved GLP-1 for weight loss.

Updated 20 May 2026Read 4 minBacked by 60 studies

The quick version

What it is: A daily shot that copies the fullness hormone GLP-1
Is it FDA-approved?: Yes, for weight loss and type 2 diabetes
How strong is the proof?: Very strong: big human trials and a long safety record
How you take it: A small shot under the skin, every day
Typical result: About 8% of body weight lost
Biggest catch: Daily shot, and a smaller weight number than the weekly drugs

Any word with a dotted underline is a science word — tap it for a plain-English meaning.

In plain words.

Liraglutide is a medicine you inject every day. Its brand names are Saxenda for weight loss and Victoza for diabetes.

Your gut makes a hormone called that tells your brain you are full. Liraglutide copies that hormone. So you feel hungry less, eat less, and lose weight. It uses the same target as semaglutide, but it clears your body faster, so you dose it daily.

It is . It was the first approved for weight loss. There is now a cheaper generic too.

What people use it for.

Most people take it to lose weight. Doctors also use it for type 2 diabetes to help control blood sugar.

It has one special use. It is the only approved for kids and teens, ages 12 and up, for obesity. That is done with a pediatric hormone doctor, not as a shortcut.

Does it actually work?

Yes, it works, and it is very well studied.

In the big SCALE trial, with 3,731 people, the average weight loss was about 8.0% over 56 weeks on the top dose. A separate diabetes trial (LEADER) showed it also protects the heart.

Be clear about the size, though. That 8% is roughly half of what tirzepatide gets (about 22.5%). So it works, but the newer weekly drugs hit harder. That is a real gap, not a marketing trick.

what you’ve probably heard.

The claims floating around online, and how true they actually are.

“It's basically Ozempic, just a daily shot instead of weekly.”

half true

Same target, yes. But it clears your body faster, so you dose every day, and the average loss is about 8%, roughly half of what the weekly drugs pull off.

“The daily shot melts fat just as fast as the weekly ones.”

overblown

Liraglutide does work, about 8% of body weight in the SCALE trial over 56 weeks, think 200 pounds down to about 184. But that is roughly half of what tirzepatide gets, so the daily shot lands below the weekly drugs, not level with them.

“Weight-loss shots aren't for teenagers.”

This is the one exception. Liraglutide is the only cleared for kids and teens 12 and up, done with a pediatric hormone doctor.

“The cheap generic is a downgrade from real Saxenda.”

not quite

The Hikma generic is the same molecule at the low end of the price range, around $469 versus Saxenda's top dollar. For a lot of people, price is the only reason to pick it, and it is a fair one.

How you take it.

You take it as a small shot under the skin () once a day. People use the belly, thigh, or upper arm.

You start low and go up slowly. That slow climb is called . It gives your stomach time to adjust. The Saxenda plan steps up to the full 3.0 mg dose over about five weeks.

The daily shot is the main downside. Seven shots a week is more hassle than one. That hassle is why many people drift off it.

What to watch out for.

The common stuff

Most side effects are stomach problems: feeling sick, throwing up, diarrhea, or being backed up. They are usually worst right after a dose increase, then settle. Smaller meals and going up slowly help.

The serious stuff

It carries the FDA's strongest warning (a "black box") for a rare thyroid cancer. Do not use it if you or a close family member has had this cancer, or a condition called MEN-2.
Do not use it if you have a history of pancreatitis (a swollen, painful pancreas).

If anything feels wrong, talk to a real doctor. We are not your doctor.

Where people get it.

Here are the ways to get it, safest to riskiest.

Brand and generic. Real pharmacy products with a prescription. Safest. Prices run wide, about $469–$1,349 a month. The Hikma generic of Victoza is the cheap end (around $469). The Saxenda brand is the top end.
. Made by special pharmacies, about $165–$500 a month. But most stopped making it after the shortage ended in early 2025.
Research-only (). Sold "for research only," about $300–$1,000 a month at the full daily dose. That daily dose makes it pricey and weak value here. Most people use a weekly instead.

One product tip: liraglutide pens come pre-mixed as a liquid. So any "powder" sold as liraglutide is suspect. It also breaks down faster than semaglutide, so warm shipping can leave it weak.

Our honest take.

The that proved the whole category, and it still does one thing none of the newer shots can: it is the only one cleared for kids as young as 12. For an adult, expect to lose about 8% of your body weight, think 200 pounds down to roughly 184. That is real, and it sits on a longer safety record than anything weekly.

The honest catch is two parts. It is a shot every single day, not once a week, and that daily-shot tax is why a lot of people drift off it. And 8% is roughly half of what tirzepatide gets (about 22.5%, more like 200 down to 155).

So say yes if you are a teen 12 to 17, if semaglutide's stomach effects wrecked you, or if price is the wall and the cheap Hikma generic is what gets you through the door. If you are an adult chasing the biggest number and you can get tirzepatide, start there instead.

The studies behind this.

We read the research so you don't have to. Here's where the facts on this page come from.

Learn about these too.

We're not your doctor, and this isn't medical advice. It's a plain-English summary of what the research says, so you can have a smarter conversation with someone who is.

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