Wegovy vs Saxenda: Reviews, Differences & Which Is Better

Losing weight and maintaining a healthy body mass is a struggle for many people. It is estimated that 1 in 4 adults in the UK are currently living with obesity. There are no quick fixes for losing weight; however, prescription medications such as Wegovy and Saxenda can be helpful tools in your weight loss journey.

This article compares Wegovy and Saxenda for weight loss, helping you to make an informed decision about which medication is most suitable for you.

Wegovy overview: what is Wegovy?

Wegovy is an injectable medication with the active ingredient semaglutide. This medication is used as a weight loss treatment in the UK. It is used in adults who have obesity (a BMI above 30) or who are overweight (BMI greater than 27) and have at least one weight-related health condition. Wegovy is a tool to help you lose weight, along with a healthy diet and exercise.

Saxenda overview: what is Saxenda?

Like Wegovy, Saxenda is an injectable medication that is used to treat adults with obesity, excess weight and weight-related medical problems. Saxenda has the active ingredient liraglutide and comes as a pre-filled 3mg pen. This medication is intended to be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise.

Click through to find out more about how Saxenda works.

Are Wegovy and Saxenda the same?

Active Ingredients

Wegovy

The active ingredient in Wegovy is semaglutide, which is similar to the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that is naturally released from the intestine after eating food. Wegovy works similarly to the effects of GLP-1 in the body, telling the brain that it is full, thereby reducing appetite and managing cravings.

Saxenda

The active ingredient in Saxenda is liraglutide, which is also a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor. Liraglutide works in much the same way as semaglutide, reducing appetite and cravings, leaving you feeling fuller for longer.

Who makes Wegovy and Saxenda?

Both Wegovy and Saxenda are produced by the same company, Novo Nordisk Inc.

What do Wegovy and Saxenda treat?

Wegovy

Wegovy is a prescription-only injectable medicine used to treat obesity and manage weight. This medication is licensed for use in the management of weight and weight loss in adults who have:

• A BMI of 27 kg/m2 and less than 30 kg/m2 with weight-related problems
• A BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obesity)

Saxenda

Saxenda is licensed in the UK to treat obesity and manage weight in:

• Adults who have obesity (a BMI of 30 or more)
• Adults who are overweight (a BMI between 27 and 30) and who have at least one weight-related health condition, such as obstructive sleep apnoea, diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension) and high cholesterol levels.

How long do Wegovy and Saxenda take to work?

Wegovy

Wegovy starts working when you take your first dose (injection). When weight loss is first noticed varies from person to person, with most people reporting changes after the first few doses or several weeks.

To find out more, take a look at our article that discusses Wegovy results.

Saxenda

Saxenda is taken in lower doses compared to Wegovy. Therefore, it may take a couple of weeks before you begin noticing any weight loss. Generally, it takes several weeks before you notice weight loss from Saxenda.

Wegovy vs Saxenda dose and usage recommendations

Wegovy

Wegovy has five different dosages that are self- administered once a week via a pre-filled injection pen. The starting dose for Wegovy is 0.25mg. This is gradually increased over 16 weeks until you reach the optimal dose of 2.4mg. Your doctor or pharmacist will assess your treatment on a regular basis.

Dosage recommendations generally follow this schedule:

• Week 1-4 - 0.25mg
• Week 5-8 - 0.5mg
• Week 9-12 - 1mg
• Week 13-16 - 1.7mg
• Week 17+ - 2.4mg

It is important not to increase the dose further once you have reached 2.4mg.

Wegovy is given via a pre-filled injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection). The best places to administer the injection are the upper legs, stomach or upper arms. Avoid injecting into the same spot every week to prevent injection site irritation. It is also important not to inject this medication into a vein or muscle.

Before using the Wegovy pre-filled injection pen for the first time, ask your doctor or pharmacist how to use it. We recommend reading the patient information leaflet on how to use the Wegovy injector pen.

Saxenda

Saxenda treatment begins at a very low dosage (0.6mg), which is slowly increased over the first five weeks of treatment. Once you have reached 3mg, the dose is maintained for the remainder of your treatment unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

• Week 1 - Starting dose 0.6mg once daily
• Week 2 - 1.2mg once daily
• Week 3 - 1.8mg once daily
• Week 4 - 2.4mg once daily
• Week 5+ - 3mg once daily

Saxenda also comes in a 3mg prefilled injection pen given under the skin (subcutaneous injection). We recommend reading the Patient Information Leaflet for detailed instructions before using the pen for the first time.

How does it feel after taking Wegovy vs Saxenda?

Wegovy

After taking your first dose of Wegovy, you may begin to experience some side effects, such as vomiting, dizziness, nausea, diarrhoea and constipation. If these symptoms persist and do not go away within a few days to a few weeks, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Saxenda

After starting Saxenda, you may also experience side effects such as nausea. These decrease over time as you get used to the medication in small doses. If you continue to experience nausea that does not go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about alternative options or what you can eat and drink to help ease the nausea.

How are Wegovy and Saxenda different?

Wegovy and Saxenda are similar medications used for weight loss. They have both been designed to act similarly to the GLP-1 hormone. However, they do have a couple of key differences, namely their active ingredients. Wegovy contains semaglutide and Saxenda contains liraglutide.

Another key difference is the dose and frequency of administration. Wegovy is administered in higher doses once weekly, while Saxenda is injected daily at lower doses.

Wegovy vs Saxenda efficacy: do you lose more weight with Saxenda or Wegovy?

While the effectiveness of medications may differ from person to person, clinical trials have shown that Wegovy is more effective than Saxenda for weight loss. For instance, the STEP 8 randomised clinical trial found that over a period of 68 weeks, semaglutide (Wegovy) resulted in greater weight loss in overweight or obese adults compared to liraglutide (Saxenda).

Wegovy vs Saxenda side effects

As with any prescription medication, known side effects may occur when taking Wegovy or Saxenda, although not everyone may experience them. If you notice persistent common side effects when taking Wegovy or Saxenda, talk to your doctor or GP for further advice

Wegovy

Common side effects of Wegovy:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Feeling tired or weak
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Stomach pain
• Inflamed stomach
• Burping
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in patients with diabetes
• Injection site reactions
• Changes in the way food and drink tastes
• Dizziness
• Hair loss
• Gallstones
• Reflux or heartburn
• Flatulence (gas)
• Stomach bloating

If you are a diabetic patient and are at risk of low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia), your doctor or pharmacist will advise you how to notice warning signs of low blood sugar and how to treat it.

Uncommon side effects of Wegovy:

• Delayed emptying of the stomach
• Increase of pancreatic enzymes such as amylase and lipase (shown in blood tests)
• Fast heartbeat

Rare side effects of Wegovy:

• Thyroid tumours and cancer
• Kidney problems and kidney failure
• Depression
• Severe allergic reactions such as angioedema or anaphylactic reactions
• Diabetic retinopathy (diabetic eye disease complications)
• Acute pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas)

Seek emergency medical attention (A&E) if you experience any rare and severe side effects of Wegovy.

Saxenda

The most common side effects of Saxenda include:

• Diarrhoea
• Low blood sugar
• Dizziness
• Stomach pain
• Gallstones
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Upset stomach
• Injection site reaction
• Tiredness

Severe side effects of Saxenda include:

• Thyroid cancer and tumours
• Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
• Pancreas inflammation (pancreatitis)
• Severe and persistent stomach (abdomen) pain

If you experience any severe side effects when taking Saxenda, seek emergency medical attention or call 999. Please read the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) for a complete list of all reported side effects for Saxenda.

Wegovy vs Saxenda interactions with other medications

Wegovy

Before taking Wegovy, tell your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following points below apply to you:

• If you have diabetes, as Wegovy can’t be used as a substitute for insulin.
• If you have retinopathy (diabetic eye disease). Tell your doctor if you experience eye problems while taking Wegovy.
• If you experience any side effects of Wegovy, such as vomiting. These can cause dehydration, making it very important to drink enough fluids, especially if you have kidney problems.
• Taking insulin or sulfonylurea. When taken with Wegovy, this may increase the risk of low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia).

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other prescription medication, have recently taken any medications or are planning on taking any other medicines.

Take a look at our guide on Wegovy interactions for more information.

Saxenda

Before taking Saxenda, tell your pharmacist or doctor if you are taking any of the following medications:

• Warfarin or any other anticoagulants (medicines used to treat blood clots). You may be required to undergo more frequent blood testing to check if your blood is still clotting properly.
• Diabetes medications, such as sulfonylurea or insulin, can result in low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Your doctor may adjust the dose of your diabetes medication to reduce the risk of low blood sugar.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have taken any other medications recently or are currently taking any prescription medications.

Wegovy vs Saxenda cost

Cloud Pharmacy stocks both Wegovy and Saxenda as part of our range of weight loss treatments. Costs are as follows:

• Wegovy - Prices start from £159
• Saxenda - Prices start from £79.99

Wegovy vs Saxenda availability in the UK: where can you buy Wegovy and Saxenda?

Both Wegovy and Saxenda are available in the UK on the NHS and from licensed pharmacies, such as Cloud Pharmacy. Saxenda has been available for weight loss in the UK since 2017 and Wegovy has been available in the UK since September 2023.

Currently, there is a global shortage of Wegovy. If you have been prescribed either Wegovy or Saxenda, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about availability during your treatment.

Wegovy vs Saxenda reviews

Wegovy customer reviews

Most reviews of Wegovy are positive, with real users reporting that the medication worked very well for them and did exactly as claimed.

Common themes among users included how well the medication worked and the cost of Wegovy. Users found it expensive, although they found the medication worth it overall. One user reported they lost 12 lbs in the first month of using Wegovy, while another reported losing 13 lbs in 5 weeks.

Users reported they experienced common side effects of Wegovy, such as nausea, although they were occasional and mild.

Saxenda customer reviews

Saxenda also has positive reviews, with users commenting it works well and has helped them lose a noticeable amount of weight.

Users found it took more than three weeks to notice a loss in weight. Other users reported that they suffered from mild to moderate side effects that were not easy to deal with. Reported side effects included weekly nausea and vomiting that worsened every time the dose increased. However, they found that the weight loss outweighed the side effects.

Saxenda vs Wegovy: which is better?

Which weight loss medication is better out of Saxenda vs Wegovy is a personal decision, as everyone is different. That being said, research shows that Wegovy is more effective than Saxenda. A 2022 study found adults with obesity taking Wegovy lost 15.85% of their starting weight compared to 6.4% in adults taking Saxenda.

This study also reported that 13.5% of participants taking Wegovy left the study and stopped their treatment due to the side effects. Meanwhile, 27.6% of participants taking Saxenda left the study and stopped taking the medication.

What alternatives to Wegovy and Saxenda are there?

Mounjaro

Mounjaro is a prefilled injectable pen that contains the active ingredient tirzepatide. Tirzepatide belongs to a class of medications called GIP and GLP-1 receptors. This medication works by attaching to the receptors GIP and GLP-1, naturally occurring hormones released from the intestines after eating food.

When used in adults with type-2 diabetes, Mounjaro reduces the sugar level in the body when blood sugar levels are high. This medication works to control appetite by providing a feeling of fullness and helping you lose body weight by eating less food.

Final thoughts

While Wegovy has proven to be more effective than Saxenda, this does not mean it will be the best medication for everyone. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the most appropriate medication for your weight loss journey.

Cloud Pharmacy is a UK-registered online prescribing service. Complete a short online assessment to determine your eligibility, and you can access a free online consultation with a licensed pharmacist to determine if Saxenda or Wegovy is the most appropriate medication for you. Your weight loss medication will then be sent in discrete packaging to your UK address.

Cloud Pharmacy provides patients with confidential follow-ups and advice on their weight loss journey.

Click here to visit the Cloud Pharmacy website and book your free consultation.

FAQs

What is better than Saxenda for weight loss?

Clinical trials have found that Wegovy is more effective than Saxenda. For example, the STEP 8 randomised clinical trial found that semaglutide (Wegovy) resulted in an increased weight loss in overweight or obese adults over a period of 68 weeks compared to liraglutide (Saxenda).

What new weight loss drug is better than Wegovy?

Recent studies have found that patients on Mounjaro (tirzepatide) were more likely to achieve an average of 5%, 10%, or 15% weight loss at 3, 6 and 12 months compared to those on Wegovy (semaglutide).