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№ 058

Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza)

Daily GLP-1 receptor agonist. FDA-approved 2010 (Victoza, T2D) and 2014 (Saxenda, obesity). The first wave of modern GLP-1 weight-loss therapy and direct predecessor to Semaglutide.

Fat Loss
Evidence: Strong

Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza): Daily GLP-1 receptor agonist. FDA-approved 2010 (Victoza, T2D) and 2014 (Saxenda, obesity). The first wave of modern GLP-1 weight-loss therapy and direct predecessor to Semaglutide. Liraglutide is the daily-injection GLP-1 that came before Semaglutide.

FDA ⓘ
Approved
WADA
Not banned
Typical dose
Saxenda obesity: titrate 0.6 → 1.2 → 1.8 → 2.4 → 3.0 mg daily
Half-life ⓘ
~13 hours
Route ⓘ
Subcutaneous
Schedule
Once daily
In plain English

Liraglutide is the daily-injection GLP-1 that came before Semaglutide. Sold as Saxenda for weight loss and Victoza for diabetes. Same family as Wegovy/Ozempic but you inject it every day instead of weekly. Less convenient, but covered by some insurance plans that don't cover the weekly versions.

Status & legalityWhat do these mean? →
Natty? ⓘ
Not natty
FDA ⓘ
Approved

Approved as Victoza (2010, type 2 diabetes) and Saxenda (2014, obesity). Both Novo Nordisk.

Compounding ⓘ
Approved drug

Available as an FDA-approved drug, not a compounded peptide.

WADA ⓘ
Not listed
Prescribed ⓘ

Yes, primary care, endocrinology, and obesity-medicine specialists prescribe widely.

Who it's for

  • →Patients on insurance plans that cover Saxenda but not Wegovy
  • →Users who don't tolerate weekly Semaglutide titration
  • →Educational reference for the GLP-1 class lineage

What to expect

  1. Week 1

    Appetite drops. Mild nausea common.

  2. Week 4

    First titration step. ~2-4 lb down typical.

  3. Week 8

    Cumulative loss 5-10 lb for most users.

Looking at Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza)? Your next 3 steps

  1. 1Work out your exact dose

    Vial size + BAC water turns into the exact units to draw for Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza).

    Open calculator →
  2. 2See what to stack & monitor

    The companion supplements and the bloodwork worth tracking on this kind of protocol.

    Bloodwork guide →
  3. 3Save it & ask the Coach

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How it works (mechanism)

Daily-injection GLP-1 agonist with fatty-acid modification that allows albumin binding for ~13-hour half-life. Same receptor as Semaglutide; shorter duration means daily injection.

Dosing protocol

Members only

Stacks well with

Members only

Side effects

01Nausea (often more pronounced than weekly Semaglutide)
02Constipation or diarrhea
03Injection-site reaction
04Pancreatitis (warning, not boxed)
05Gallbladder issues

When NOT to use

  • ⚠MTC / MEN-2 history (boxed warning)
  • ⚠Pancreatitis history
  • ⚠Pregnancy / nursing
  • ⚠Severe hypersensitivity

Bloodwork to monitor

  • • Lipid panel
  • • ALT/AST
  • • A1C if metabolic context

Common mistakes

  • • Skipping titration steps
  • • Treating it as Semaglutide-equivalent (daily vs weekly is a real burden difference)
  • • Stopping abruptly without a maintenance plan

Drug & supplement interactions

  • ⚠Insulin and sulfonylureas: dose reduction usually needed to prevent hypoglycemia
  • ⚠Slows gastric emptying, affects oral medication absorption
  • ⚠Avoid alcohol during titration

Community patterns

Members only
Free, no account needed

New to Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza)? Grab the starter checklist.

Drop your email and we'll send the one-page first-cycle starter checklist, plus a heads-up if Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza) changes legal status. No account needed.

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AI Coach, live sample
Members only
is 250mcg of bpc enough for a knee injury?
For a knee, 250 mcg sub-q daily is the standard working dose and a solid place to start. The trick with BPC is consistency, give it weeks, not days. Inject close to the joint, run it 4-6 weeks, and don't drop below 200 mcg, it tends to stop cracking the threshold reliably down there. If it hasn't moved at all by week 3, that's when adding TB-500 earns its place.
how much bac water for a 10mg reta vial?
3 mL is the standard play for a 10 mg reta vial. That's 3,333 mcg/mL, clean unit math across the titration: 2 mg = 60 units, 4 mg = 120 units, 6 mg = 180 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe. Run 2 mL instead if you want fewer, more concentrated shots (5,000 mcg/mL, so 2 mg = 40 units). Since most people titrate up over ~12 weeks, 3 mL keeps the numbers cleanest.
what should i track on bloodwork for tirzepatide?
Lipid panel, ALT/AST (liver enzymes), and an A1C, baseline before you start then every 3 months. If you've got metabolic-syndrome history, add fasting glucose and insulin so you can actually watch insulin sensitivity improve. You don't need a big hormone panel for a GLP-1.

Ask the Coach anything about Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza) or your own stack. This is it working.

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Frequently asked

What is Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza)?+
Liraglutide is the daily-injection GLP-1 that came before Semaglutide. Sold as Saxenda for weight loss and Victoza for diabetes. Same family as Wegovy/Ozempic but you inject it every day instead of weekly. Less convenient, but covered by some insurance plans that don't cover the weekly versions.
Is Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza) FDA approved?+
Approved as Victoza (2010, type 2 diabetes) and Saxenda (2014, obesity). Both Novo Nordisk.
Is Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza) legal?+
Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza) is FDA-approved and legal to obtain by prescription in the US. Yes, primary care, endocrinology, and obesity-medicine specialists prescribe widely.
Is Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza) banned by WADA?+
Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza) is not currently on the WADA prohibited list.
Are you still natty after taking Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza)?+
No. Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza) is a performance-enhancing peptide and would disqualify a strict natty claim.
Do doctors prescribe Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza)?+
Yes, primary care, endocrinology, and obesity-medicine specialists prescribe widely.
What's the typical dose of Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza)?+
Saxenda obesity: titrate 0.6 → 1.2 → 1.8 → 2.4 → 3.0 mg daily, weekly steps. Victoza T2D: 0.6 → 1.2 → 1.8 mg daily.
What are the side effects of Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza)?+
Common side effects include: Nausea (often more pronounced than weekly Semaglutide); Constipation or diarrhea; Injection-site reaction; Pancreatitis (warning, not boxed). Less common effects and full safety details are on the entry page.
How long until Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza) starts working?+
Appetite drops. Mild nausea common.
What can you stack with Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza)?+
Common pairings: Standalone is the norm. Full stacking protocol and timing on the entry page.
Where do people get Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza)?+
Liraglutide (Saxenda / Victoza) is dispensed through licensed pharmacies with a prescription. Some compounding pharmacies and telehealth services prescribe it. Pepdex is not a vendor or pharmacy. See /coa for how to verify Certificate of Analysis on any supplier.

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Semaglutide

The original weight-loss wave, sold as Ozempic / Wegovy. A GLP-1 agonist.

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