Medications designed to aid in weight loss have become popular in recent months, and while the best known of them is probably Ozempic, there are also Vegovi and Saxenda.
Now another drug called Monjaro has joined the race, and although it is yet to receive FDA approval, the approval process is underway. so how do each of them work, and What are the side effects And the differences between the drugs?
Ozempic, Saxenda and Vegovy: All three are brand names of the generic drug semaglutide, which mimics the activity of a naturally occurring protein GLP-1 in the human body. Protein works by a variety of mechanisms, the main one being by increasing the secretion of insulin, which lowers blood sugar. It also reduces the feeling of hunger and slows down bowel movements.
What is the difference between them?
The first was approved for use in 2017 for the treatment of diabetes, the second for obesity and the third in 2021 for the treatment of obesity. but they are essentially the same drug and all have been found to be effective in both reducing weight and controlling diabetes in studies. So what’s the difference? The answer lies in the dosage.
While Ozempic is available in dosages of 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg, Vegovi can also be found in dosages of 1.7 and 2.4 mg. Both are usually injected into the patient, starting with the lowest dose once a week and gradually increasing the dose. Saxenda is essentially Wegovy but it’s administered as a daily injection, which is decidedly a lot less convenient for patients.
How long is the treatment and what is the dose?
The duration of treatment is really determined by the patient’s response. In a study published in 2021, dosage therapy was implemented as low as 0.25 mg per week, with increases every 4 weeks to a maximum dose of 2.4 mg per week. Treatment within the study lasted for 68 weeks of treatment + follow-up for seven weeks after discontinuation of treatment.
Those who used semaglutide along with behavioral therapy and dietary support for the first eight weeks lost 16% of their weight, compared with subjects who received a placebo and they only lost 5.7% of the weight,
What are the side effects?
Side effects of these drugs can include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In combination with other drugs for diabetes, they can cause episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). More serious side effects that require examination by a doctor include worsening of certain eye diseases and, rarely, inflammation of the pancreas.
In patients, glucose levels that may fall and cause hypoglycemic events should be closely monitored. These can be made worse by the consumption of alcoholic beverages so one should not drink them.
What is the new drug?
Mounjaro, or by its generic name Tirzepatide, has been tested in studies for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. This drug also mimics the protein GLP-1 and another protein called GIP. The latter contributes to a feeling of satiety and reduces the accumulation of lipids in the blood.
The main innovation of this drug is that it demonstrated the most significant weight loss among drugs in studies: a 21 to 22.5% weight loss at its highest dose. These percentages are similar to those of bariatric surgery. In October 2022, it entered the fast track for FDA approval and is expected to receive approval later this year for the treatment of obesity.