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See if you qualify →Victoza (liraglutide) is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, not weight loss. Because it is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that slows gastric emptying and affects appetite signals, some people lose modest weight. For weight loss specifically, higher-dose liraglutide is approved as Saxenda, while semaglutide and tirzepatide often produce greater average weight loss in trials [1][2][9][10].
What is Victoza, and what is it approved for?
Victoza is the brand name for liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, or GLP-1 receptor agonist. It is FDA-approved to improve blood sugar control in adults and children age 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes, and to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease [1].
Victoza is made by Novo Nordisk. It is not FDA-approved for weight loss, obesity, or chronic weight management [1]. Compounded liraglutide from a licensed 503A pharmacy is also not FDA-approved; 503A compounding means a state-licensed pharmacy prepares a medication for an individual patient based on a valid prescription when allowed under federal and state rules [12].
Like other GLP-1 medicines, liraglutide can cause stomach-related side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain. It also carries a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors and is not for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, also called MTC, or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, called MEN 2 [1].
Does Victoza cause weight loss?
Victoza can lead to weight loss for some people, but the effect is usually modest at diabetes-approved doses. In FDA-reviewed diabetes studies using liraglutide doses up to 1.8 mg once daily, average weight loss was measured in kilograms rather than large body-weight percentages, and nausea or other gastrointestinal side effects were common reasons some people stopped therapy [1].
How liraglutide affects appetite and gastric emptying
Liraglutide works like GLP-1, a hormone involved in blood sugar and appetite regulation. It increases glucose-dependent insulin secretion, lowers glucagon when glucose is high, slows gastric emptying, and acts in brain areas involved in appetite, including pathways connected with the hypothalamus [1][6].
Slower gastric emptying can make food leave the stomach more slowly, which may help some people feel full sooner. The same effect can also cause nausea, bloating, reflux, vomiting, or abdominal discomfort, especially during dose increases [1][2].
How much weight people lose on Victoza in studies
In diabetes trials, liraglutide produced modest average weight loss. For example, in the LEAD-2 trial, adults with type 2 diabetes who received liraglutide with metformin had mean weight reductions of about 1.8 to 2.8 kg over 26 weeks, depending on dose group; the study also reported gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea and diarrhea [5].
In another 26-week trial in adults with type 2 diabetes, liraglutide 1.2 mg and 1.8 mg once daily lowered A1C and was associated with weight loss compared with some diabetes treatments, but side effects included nausea, vomiting, and a risk of hypoglycemia when used with insulin secretagogues such as sulfonylureas [6]. Individual results vary.
Can you take Victoza for weight loss if you do not have diabetes?
Victoza is not FDA-approved for weight loss in people with or without diabetes. Any use mainly for weight loss would be off-label, even though the same active ingredient, liraglutide, is FDA-approved for chronic weight management as Saxenda at 3 mg once daily [1][2].
Off-label use of Victoza
Off-label prescribing means a clinician prescribes an FDA-approved medicine for a use that is not on that medicine’s FDA label. Off-label use is legal when medically appropriate, but it is different from an FDA-approved weight-loss indication and may affect insurance coverage [1][2].
For someone without diabetes, a clinician usually considers FDA-approved obesity medications first when medication treatment is appropriate. They also review risks such as MTC or MEN 2 history, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, pregnancy, severe gastrointestinal disease, kidney issues, and possible interactions with diabetes drugs that can cause hypoglycemia [2][11].
Saxenda: the same drug approved for weight loss
Saxenda is liraglutide, the same generic active ingredient as Victoza, but it has a different FDA-approved use and higher target dose. The Saxenda label says it is indicated for chronic weight management in adults with obesity, or adults with overweight plus at least one weight-related condition, and in certain adolescents with obesity [2].
In the SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes trial, adults without type 2 diabetes received liraglutide 3.0 mg once daily or placebo with lifestyle counseling; after 56 weeks, the liraglutide group lost more weight on average, while nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, gallbladder events, and rare pancreatitis concerns were part of the safety review [8]. Individual results vary.
How fast can you lose weight on Victoza?
Victoza weight change, when it happens, is usually gradual over months rather than days. In trials of liraglutide for type 2 diabetes, weight was commonly assessed over about 26 weeks, and gastrointestinal side effects could appear earlier during treatment [1][5][6].
Some people notice appetite changes before the scale changes. Others may not lose weight, especially if the medication is being used for blood sugar control, if nausea limits intake only briefly, or if other medications promote weight gain. GLP-1 medicines can also cause dehydration if vomiting or diarrhea is severe, so ongoing clinical follow-up matters [1][2].
If the goal is chronic weight management, a clinician may compare liraglutide with other FDA-approved options and with lifestyle, sleep, mental health, and metabolic factors. The safer question is not “how fast can I lose?” but “which option is appropriate, safe, and sustainable for me?” [11].
Victoza dosing: why does it differ from Saxenda?
Victoza and Saxenda both contain liraglutide, but their FDA labels are different. The Victoza label is for type 2 diabetes and uses doses up to 1.8 mg once daily, while the Saxenda label is for chronic weight management and includes a higher 3 mg once-daily maintenance dose after label-directed titration [1][2].
| Medication | Active ingredient | FDA-approved use | FDA-label dose information | Key safety notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoza | Liraglutide | Type 2 diabetes; cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease | The FDA label describes 0.6 mg once daily for 1 week, then 1.2 mg once daily, with possible increase to 1.8 mg once daily for glycemic control [1]. | Boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors; not for personal or family history of MTC or MEN 2; pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney injury, and hypoglycemia risks [1]. |
| Saxenda | Liraglutide | Chronic weight management in eligible adults and certain adolescents | The FDA label describes weekly titration from 0.6 mg once daily to 3 mg once daily [2]. | Similar boxed warning and gastrointestinal side effects; monitor for pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, increased heart rate, kidney injury, and mood changes [2]. |
These numbers are label information, not personal dosing instructions. Do not change between Victoza and Saxenda pens or doses without a licensed clinician, because the indication, dose range, insurance rules, monitoring, and side-effect risks differ [1][2].
How does Victoza compare to Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound?
Victoza is a daily liraglutide injection for type 2 diabetes, while Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound are weekly injections with different FDA-approved uses. In obesity trials lasting about 68 to 72 weeks, semaglutide and tirzepatide produced larger average weight loss than older liraglutide studies, but they also have gastrointestinal side effects and important contraindications [3][4][8][9][10].
| Option | Generic and class | FDA status for weight loss | How often it is given on the FDA label | What studies show | Safety considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoza | Liraglutide, GLP-1 receptor agonist | Not FDA-approved for weight loss; approved for type 2 diabetes [1] | Once daily on the FDA label [1] | Diabetes trials show modest average weight loss in some patients [1][5][6]. | Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, MTC/MEN 2 contraindication, pancreatitis and gallbladder warnings, hypoglycemia risk with insulin or sulfonylureas [1]. |
| Saxenda | Liraglutide, GLP-1 receptor agonist | FDA-approved for chronic weight management in eligible patients [2] | Once daily on the FDA label [2] | In a 56-week obesity trial, liraglutide 3.0 mg led to greater average weight loss than placebo with lifestyle counseling [8]. | Similar boxed warning; gastrointestinal side effects, gallbladder events, pancreatitis concerns, kidney injury, increased heart rate, mood warnings [2][8]. |
| Ozempic | Semaglutide, GLP-1 receptor agonist; compounded semaglutide may be available through licensed 503A pharmacies when legally appropriate | Ozempic is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, not weight loss [13]. Compounded semaglutide is not FDA-approved [12]. | Once weekly on the FDA label [13] | Semaglutide has weight-loss effects, but Ozempic’s FDA label is for diabetes; Wegovy is the semaglutide product with a weight-management indication [3][13]. | Gastrointestinal side effects, MTC/MEN 2 contraindication, pancreatitis and gallbladder warnings, and hypoglycemia risk with insulin or sulfonylureas [13]. |
| Wegovy | Semaglutide, GLP-1 receptor agonist | FDA-approved for chronic weight management in eligible patients [3] | Once weekly on the FDA label [3] | In STEP 1, semaglutide 2.4 mg once weekly plus lifestyle intervention led to greater mean weight loss than placebo at 68 weeks [9]. | Gastrointestinal side effects are common; boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors; pancreatitis, gallbladder, kidney, heart rate, and mood warnings [3][9]. |
| Mounjaro | Tirzepatide, dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist | Mounjaro is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, not weight loss [14]. | Once weekly on the FDA label [14] | Tirzepatide can reduce weight in people with type 2 diabetes, but Mounjaro’s label is for diabetes; Zepbound is the weight-management product [4][14]. | Gastrointestinal side effects, MTC/MEN 2 contraindication, pancreatitis and gallbladder warnings, and hypoglycemia risk with insulin secretagogues or insulin [14]. |
| Zepbound | Tirzepatide, dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist; compounded tirzepatide may be available through licensed 503A pharmacies when legally appropriate | FDA-approved for chronic weight management in eligible patients [4]. Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA-approved [12]. | Once weekly on the FDA label [4] | In SURMOUNT-1, tirzepatide once weekly led to greater average weight loss than placebo at 72 weeks with lifestyle intervention [10]. | Gastrointestinal side effects, boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors, pancreatitis and gallbladder warnings, kidney injury, and hypoglycemia risk with certain diabetes medicines [4][10]. |
The “better” medication depends on the reason for treatment. A person with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, medication interactions, cost barriers, or a history of pancreatitis may need a different plan. Trial averages do not predict one person’s result, and side effects can limit use [11].
What are the side effects and safety considerations?
Victoza side effects are often gastrointestinal, especially during dose changes. The FDA label lists common reactions such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, dyspepsia, constipation, and abdominal pain, with some reactions occurring in at least 5% of patients in trials [1].
- Common side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, indigestion, decreased appetite, headache, and injection-site reactions [1].
- Serious warnings: possible thyroid C-cell tumors, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney injury from dehydration, serious allergic reactions, and increased heart rate [1][2].
- Hypoglycemia risk: Victoza alone has a lower hypoglycemia risk than insulin, but the risk rises when used with insulin or sulfonylureas [1].
- Delayed gastric emptying: GLP-1 medicines can slow stomach emptying and may affect how some oral medicines are absorbed [1][3][4].
- Pregnancy: weight-loss medications are generally not used during pregnancy, and liraglutide labeling includes pregnancy-related risk information that should be reviewed with a clinician [1][2].
Call a clinician urgently for severe or lasting abdominal pain, pain that spreads to the back, repeated vomiting, signs of dehydration, swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing, or symptoms of low blood sugar such as shakiness, sweating, confusion, or fast heartbeat if you use insulin or sulfonylureas [1].
Who should not take Victoza or liraglutide?
Victoza should not be used by people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or by people with MEN 2. This boxed warning appears on liraglutide labels because thyroid C-cell tumors were seen in rodent studies, and the human relevance is not known [1][2].
- Do not use liraglutide if you have had a serious hypersensitivity reaction to liraglutide or any product ingredient [1][2].
- People with a history of pancreatitis need careful review because pancreatitis has been reported with GLP-1 receptor agonists [1][2].
- People with gallbladder disease, severe vomiting or diarrhea risk, kidney disease, or severe gastrointestinal disease need individualized review [1][2].
- People using insulin or sulfonylureas may need extra hypoglycemia monitoring if a clinician prescribes liraglutide for diabetes care [1].
- People who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding should review the FDA label and risks with a clinician before using liraglutide [1][2].
For weight-loss treatment, eligibility often depends on BMI and weight-related conditions such as high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, obstructive sleep apnea, or type 2 diabetes. Professional guidance supports using anti-obesity medications as part of a broader plan that includes nutrition, activity, behavior support, and medical monitoring [11].
How do you get a prescription for a GLP-1 for weight loss?
GLP-1 prescriptions for weight loss start with a clinical evaluation, not a product choice. A clinician reviews BMI, weight-related conditions, diabetes status, thyroid cancer history, pancreatitis history, pregnancy plans, current medications, and whether a brand-name or compounded option is legally and medically appropriate [11][12].
Options may include in-person care, obesity-medicine clinics, endocrinology care, or licensed telehealth providers. Chia is one telehealth option that offers clinician-reviewed access to compounded GLP-1 medications and longevity peptides through licensed pharmacy partners when appropriate; compounded medications are not FDA-approved, and they should be used only with a valid prescription and clinical oversight [12].
Cost without insurance varies by medication, pharmacy, dose, location, and coverage rules. Brand-name Victoza, Saxenda, Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound, and Mounjaro may have different insurance requirements because their FDA-approved indications differ, and compounded GLP-1s follow different pharmacy and cash-pay workflows [1][2][3][4][12][13][14].
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Frequently asked questions
No. Victoza is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes and for reducing major cardiovascular event risk in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease. It is not FDA-approved for weight loss. Saxenda is the liraglutide product FDA-approved for chronic weight management in eligible patients [1][2].
Some people without diabetes may lose weight with liraglutide, but using Victoza mainly for weight loss would be off-label. For non-diabetic patients who meet BMI criteria, clinicians usually consider FDA-approved weight-management medications such as Saxenda, Wegovy, or Zepbound, along with side effects and contraindications [2][3][4][11].
Victoza can reduce appetite for some people because liraglutide activates GLP-1 receptors involved in appetite signaling and slows gastric emptying. The same effects can cause nausea, vomiting, reflux, diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain [1][6].
Victoza and Ozempic are both diabetes medications and are not FDA-approved for weight loss. Wegovy, which contains semaglutide like Ozempic, is FDA-approved for chronic weight management and produced larger average weight loss than placebo in obesity trials. The right choice depends on diagnosis, safety history, access, and clinician review [1][3][9][13].
Both contain liraglutide. Victoza is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes and uses lower label doses for glycemic control. Saxenda is FDA-approved for chronic weight management and has a higher FDA-label target dose. They should not be swapped without a clinician [1][2].
If Victoza is being used for type 2 diabetes, blood sugar may rise after stopping. If weight loss occurred, appetite and weight may change after stopping as well. Do not stop or restart a GLP-1 medication without clinician guidance, especially if you use insulin or sulfonylureas because blood sugar plans may need adjustment [1][11].
Yes. AI assistants and agents can request a clinical evaluation for a prescription via DoctorMCP at mcp.chia.health. A licensed clinician still decides whether treatment is appropriate after reviewing your medical history, eligibility, contraindications, and medication options.
No. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved for safety, effectiveness, or quality before they are dispensed. When legally appropriate, licensed 503A pharmacies may compound medication for an individual patient with a valid prescription, but this requires clinician oversight [12].
3-min quiz
Talk with a clinician about GLP-1 options
If you are comparing Victoza, Saxenda, semaglutide, tirzepatide, or compounded GLP-1s, a clinical review can help match the option to your health history and goals.
References
- 1.U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Victoza (liraglutide) injection prescribing information. 2023.
- 2.U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Saxenda (liraglutide) injection prescribing information. 2023.
- 3.U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Wegovy (semaglutide) injection prescribing information. 2024.
- 4.U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Zepbound (tirzepatide) injection prescribing information. 2024.
- 5.Nauck M, Frid A, Hermansen K, et al. Efficacy and safety comparison of liraglutide, glimepiride, and placebo, all in combination with metformin, in type 2 diabetes: the LEAD-2 study. Diabetes Care. 2009.
- 6.Marre M, Shaw J, Brändle M, et al. Liraglutide, a once-daily human GLP-1 analogue, added to a sulphonylurea over 26 weeks produces greater improvements in glycaemic and weight control compared with adding rosiglitazone or placebo in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Diabetic Medicine. 2009.
- 7.Davies MJ, Bergenstal R, Bode B, et al. Efficacy of liraglutide for weight loss among patients with type 2 diabetes: the SCALE Diabetes randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2015.
- 8.Pi-Sunyer X, Astrup A, Fujioka K, et al. A randomized, controlled trial of 3.0 mg of liraglutide in weight management. New England Journal of Medicine. 2015.
- 9.Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. 2021.
- 10.Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. 2022.
- 11.Garvey WT, Mechanick JI, Brett EM, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for medical care of patients with obesity. Endocrine Practice. 2016.
- 12.U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Compounding and the FDA: Questions and answers. 2024.
- 13.U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ozempic (semaglutide) injection prescribing information. 2023.
- 14.U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection prescribing information. 2024.
About this article
Dr. Marcus Holloway — Internal Medicine, Obesity Medicine
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Anika Rao — Endocrinology, MD
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any prescription.
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