Liraglutide
Reviewed
Short answer
An established prescription medicine. Its evidence applies to specific products, uses, groups of people, and current labels. FDA-approved products exist for specific indications.
The Peptide Field explains research. Its pages are not independently medically reviewed, and they do not diagnose, prescribe, or recommend treatment.
Read the study findingsAlso known as Victoza · Saxenda · GLP-1 analogue
Part of Metabolic peptide medicines
Compared with Semaglutide
Legal status Is Liraglutide legal? See the status table
Study and product details
What it is
Liraglutide is an ingredient used in prescription medicines. GLP-1 is a body signal that helps control blood sugar and appetite. The ingredient name alone does not identify the product, use, form, or labeled group of people.
Type of peptide: GLP-1 receptor agonist. This describes what the substance is or how it works. It does not show that it is safe, effective, or approved.
What has been studied?
- Strong: Several reliable sources describe this clearly.
Large randomized programs support defined glycemic, cardiovascular, and weight-management outcomes.
Approved labels characterize product-specific exposure, pharmacodynamics, and interactions.
Current labels describe contraindications, warnings, adverse reactions, and monitoring.
High for authentic approved products; evidence does not transfer automatically to unapproved versions.
Products with the same ingredient can differ.
The ingredient name does not tell you everything about a product. Check its other ingredients, its form, how it enters the body, and the use and people covered by the research or approval.
Victoza
November 2024- Ingredients and form
- Injection
- How it enters the body
- Under the skin (subcutaneous)
- Use and people covered
- Type 2 diabetes uses and labeled populations defined in the current product prescribing information.
Saxenda
February 2026- Ingredients and form
- Injection
- How it enters the body
- Under the skin (subcutaneous)
- Use and people covered
- Chronic weight management in the adult and pediatric populations defined in the current label.
- Victoza
- Saxenda
- Type 2 diabetes for labeled populations
- Chronic weight management for labeled populations
What studies found
Studies and FDA-reviewed labels support specific outcomes. LEADER studied heart and blood-vessel outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk. Saxenda has a separate chronic weight-management label.
These results do not show the same benefit for every person. They do not establish an anti-aging effect or show that approved products are equivalent to compounded, counterfeit, or research-labeled material.
Which products do these findings apply to?
The ingredient name alone does not tell you which approved product the evidence covers. Liraglutide is an active ingredient. Victoza and Saxenda are distinct approved products with different labeled indications and product-specific prescribing information.
Side effects in the Victoza and Saxenda labels
Victoza and Saxenda are FDA-approved medicines made with liraglutide. Victoza is for type 2 diabetes. Saxenda is for weight management. Each FDA label lists the side effects seen in its placebo-controlled trials.
In both labels, stomach and bowel problems were the most common: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and constipation. In the Saxenda trials in adults, 39.3% had nausea, compared with 13.8% on placebo.
In those trials, 9.8% of adults on Saxenda stopped because of side effects. On placebo, 4.3% stopped. Nausea was the most common reason.
Each number is the share of people in a group who reported the problem during the trials. Placebo means a shot with no medicine in it. The Victoza label lists problems that it counted as more common than on placebo and that reached 5%. Its middle column shows the lowest and highest share across two Victoza dose groups. So one group can be under 5% or equal to placebo. The Saxenda label lists problems reported by at least 2% of adults on Saxenda and more often than on placebo. The Saxenda table below shows those that reached 5%.
Trials in the FDA labels
Victoza trials in adults with type 2 diabetes At least 26 weeks each
Adults with type 2 diabetes in 5 trials. The table counts 1,669 adults on Victoza in two dose groups and 661 on placebo. Low blood sugar is left out of this table and covered below.
| Reported problem | Victoza groups | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 18% to 20% | 5% |
| Diarrhea | 10% to 12% | 4% |
| Headache | 10% to 11% | 7% |
| Colds (nose and throat infections) | 9% to 10% | 8% |
| Vomiting | 6% to 9% | 2% |
| Less hunger | 9% to 10% | 1% |
| Indigestion (dyspepsia) | 4% to 7% | 1% |
| Upper airway infections | 6% to 7% | 6% |
| Constipation | 5% | 1% |
| Back pain | 4% to 5% | 3% |
Source for Victoza trials in adults with type 2 diabetes: Victoza prescribing information on DailyMed , label revised .
Saxenda trials in adults with obesity or overweight 32 to 56 weeks, some up to about 3 years
Adults with obesity or overweight in 5 trials. 3,384 got Saxenda and 1,941 got placebo. 15% had type 2 diabetes. Everyone also got advice on diet and exercise.
| Reported problem | Saxenda | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 39.3% | 13.8% |
| Diarrhea | 20.9% | 9.9% |
| Constipation | 19.4% | 8.5% |
| Vomiting | 15.7% | 3.9% |
| Reactions where the shot was given | 13.9% | 10.5% |
| Headache | 13.6% | 12.6% |
| Low blood sugar (only people with type 2 diabetes were counted) | 12.6% | 6.6% |
| Indigestion (dyspepsia) | 9.6% | 2.7% |
| Tiredness (fatigue) | 7.5% | 4.6% |
| Dizziness | 6.9% | 5.0% |
| Belly pain | 5.4% | 3.1% |
| High lipase, a pancreas enzyme, in blood tests | 5.3% | 2.2% |
| Upper belly pain | 5.1% | 2.7% |
Source for Saxenda trials in adults with obesity or overweight: Saxenda prescribing information on DailyMed , label revised .
11 less common problems in adults, and the Saxenda table for teens
More from the Saxenda label
Saxenda trials in adults, less common problems 32 to 56 weeks, some up to about 3 years
The same trials and the same groups as the Saxenda table above.
| Reported problem | Saxenda | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) | 4.7% | 3.2% |
| Acid reflux (GERD) | 4.7% | 1.7% |
| Bloated belly | 4.5% | 3.0% |
| Burping | 4.5% | 0.2% |
| Urinary tract infections | 4.3% | 3.1% |
| Gas | 4.0% | 2.5% |
| Stomach flu from a virus | 2.8% | 1.6% |
| Trouble sleeping | 2.4% | 1.7% |
| Dry mouth | 2.3% | 1.0% |
| Weakness (asthenia) | 2.1% | 0.8% |
| Anxiety | 2.0% | 1.6% |
Source for Saxenda trials in adults, less common problems: Saxenda prescribing information on DailyMed , label revised .
Saxenda trial in teens with obesity 56 weeks
Children aged 12 and older with obesity. None had type 2 diabetes. 125 got Saxenda and 126 got placebo.
| Reported problem | Saxenda | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 42.4% | 14.3% |
| Vomiting | 34.4% | 4.0% |
| Diarrhea | 22.4% | 14.3% |
| Low blood sugar with symptoms | 15.2% | 4.0% |
| Stomach flu (gastroenteritis) | 12.8% | 4.8% |
| Dizziness | 10.4% | 3.2% |
| Fever | 8.0% | 7.1% |
| Belly discomfort | 4.8% | 0.8% |
| Constipation | 4.8% | 2.4% |
| Unhealthy blood-fat levels (dyslipidemia) | 4.8% | 3.2% |
| Tiredness (fatigue) | 4.8% | 3.2% |
| Cough | 4.0% | 3.2% |
| Depression | 4.0% | 2.4% |
| Indigestion (dyspepsia) | 4.0% | 2.4% |
| Pain in an arm or leg | 4.0% | 2.4% |
| Pain where the shot was given | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Gas | 3.2% | 0% |
| Higher creatine kinase, a muscle enzyme, in blood tests | 3.2% | 2.4% |
| High lipase, a pancreas enzyme, in blood tests | 3.2% | 0.8% |
| Rash | 3.2% | 0% |
Source for Saxenda trial in teens with obesity: Saxenda prescribing information on DailyMed , label revised .
How these two tables were chosen
The adult table holds the rest of the label's list. These are problems in at least 2% of adults on Saxenda and more common than on placebo.
The teen table is the label's list of problems in at least 3% of teens on Saxenda and more common than on placebo. One row, pain where the shot was given, was equally common in both groups.
Stomach and bowel problems
In the Saxenda trials in adults, 68% of people on Saxenda and 39% on placebo had a stomach or bowel problem. Most were mild or moderate. Nausea became less common the longer people stayed on the medicine.
6.2% of adults on Saxenda stopped because of these problems, compared with 0.8% on placebo. In the Victoza trials, 4.3% stopped for these reasons, compared with 0.5% on placebo. Most of these Victoza stops came in the first 2 to 3 months.
Low blood sugar
Low blood sugar was more likely when liraglutide was taken with insulin or a diabetes medicine called a sulfonylurea.
In a Saxenda trial in adults with type 2 diabetes, 3 of 422 people on Saxenda (0.7%) needed another person's help for low blood sugar. All 3 were taking a sulfonylurea. No one on placebo did. In the Victoza trials, 8 people on Victoza had low blood sugar that needed another person's help. 7 of them were taking a sulfonylurea.
Pancreas and gallbladder
In the Saxenda trials in adults, sudden swelling of the pancreas (acute pancreatitis) was confirmed in 0.3% of people on Saxenda. On placebo, it was 0.1%.
In LEADER, a long heart study of Victoza, gallstones were reported in 1.5% of people on Victoza and 1.1% on placebo. A swollen gallbladder (acute cholecystitis) was reported in 1.1% and 0.7%. Most of these cases needed a hospital stay or gallbladder surgery.
Cancer reports in the Saxenda trials
8 adults on Saxenda (0.2%) and no one on placebo had papillary thyroid cancer. 4 of these cancers were smaller than 1 cm. 4 were found after thyroid surgery for problems seen before the trial medicine started. Papillary thyroid cancer is a different type from the medullary thyroid cancer in the boxed warning below.
Breast cancer was found in 0.7% of women on Saxenda and 0.2% on placebo. The label says there were too few cases to tell whether Saxenda caused them.
Colon or rectal cancer was found in 5 adults on Saxenda (0.2%) and 1 on placebo (0.1%). Growths in the colon or rectum that were not cancer were found in 0.6% and 0.4%.
Heart rate
On average, heart rate went up 2 to 3 beats per minute on Victoza compared with placebo. The Saxenda label also warns that it can raise resting heart rate.
What these numbers do not show
- Both labels have a boxed warning, FDA's strongest kind. Liraglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rats and mice. It is not known whether it causes them in people, including medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). People with a personal or family history of MTC, or with a condition called MEN 2, must not use it. The labels list signs of a thyroid tumor to watch for: a lump in the neck, trouble swallowing, shortness of breath, or hoarseness that does not go away.
- The labels also list problems reported after approval, such as pancreatitis that can be deadly, blocked bowels, and kidney injury. How often these happen is not known.
- The labels say side-effect rates from one medicine's trials cannot be directly compared with rates from another medicine's trials.
- Trials can miss rare harms and harms that take years to appear.
- The product details above may cite an older Victoza label. These tables use the current labels on DailyMed.
- These numbers describe Victoza and Saxenda. They do not describe compounded liraglutide or products sold online as research liraglutide.
Report a side effect
You can report a suspected side effect to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or through FDA MedWatch . If a reaction feels serious, get medical care first.
Labels checked .
Compare two labels
- Saxenda vs Zepbound: side effects in the weight-management labels
- Victoza vs Ozempic: side effects in the type 2 diabetes labels
- Saxenda vs Wegovy: side effects in the weight-management labels
Fact checks
3 statements checked. Read what the results mean.
“Liraglutide has established human outcome evidence.”
Yes, for defined products, populations, indications, comparators, endpoints, and durations studied in major trials and reviewed labels.
- What this answer is based on
- Health results from a study with randomly assigned groups
- Limits of this answer
- Approved liraglutide products used in the populations and indications studied.
Sources for this fact check (2)
“Every product sold as liraglutide is clinically equivalent.”
Approved-product evidence includes product quality and labeling that cannot be assumed for every compounded or unapproved item.
- What this answer is based on
- Official record or product label
- Limits of this answer
- Product identity, formulation, quality, and labeling all matter.
Sources for this fact check (1)
“Cardiovascular trial results prove a universal longevity benefit.”
LEADER tested a defined cardiovascular composite in a high-risk type 2 diabetes population, not lifespan extension in the general population.
- What this answer is based on
- Health results from a study with randomly assigned groups
- Limits of this answer
- Adults with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk in LEADER.
Sources for this fact check (1)
Questions people ask about Liraglutide
The Victoza and Saxenda labels list nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and constipation as the most common side effects. In the Saxenda weight trials, nausea was reported by 39.3% of adults on Saxenda and 13.8% on placebo. The labels also warn about pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, and low blood sugar when liraglutide is taken with some diabetes medicines. Both labels have a boxed warning about thyroid tumors seen in rats and mice.
Risks and safety limits
The current label has important reasons a product may not be appropriate, plus warnings and precautions. This guide does not determine eligibility or provide dose, titration, or product-switching instructions.
This editorial review did not determine sport eligibility. Athletes must check the current prohibited list, Global DRO, and their governing body.
Reviewed .Check the rules for athletes ↗Terms used in the studies
- indication
- the approved or studied use and patient group
- analog
- a changed version made to act like another substance
- outcome
- what the study measured
- compounded
- made for one patient by a pharmacy, or in batches by a permitted outsourcing facility; a compounded drug is not FDA-approved
- randomized
- assigned to study groups by chance
- pharmacodynamics
- how a substance affects the body
- comparator
- the treatment or group used for comparison
- formulation
- the ingredients and physical form of the finished product
Read the sources
Show 4 sources
Review history
Initial brief based on the current Saxenda label, LEADER, and FDA product records.
Not independently medically reviewed. This page is not a dosing, sourcing, or treatment guide.
Report a factual error