Victoza Dosing for Weight Loss in Non-Diabetics

Medically reviewed by Dr. Jamie Winn
Aug 4, 2023

In the past 20 years, obesity rates for adults in the United States have risen significantly. According to the CDC, from 1999–2000 to 2017–March 2020, the rate of obesity increased from around 31% to almost 42%. During the same time, the rate of severe obesity increased from 4.7% to 9.2%. Weight management is vital for anyone who is overweight or obese. If a low-calorie diet and increased exercise do not work, your doctor may prescribe weight-loss medications to your plan. One of these medications may be Victoza (liraglutide). Victoza is only approved to reduce blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and lower the risk of serious complications in type 2 diabetics who have heart disease. But because studies have shown that it can help people lose weight, it is used off-label to treat obesity.

The active ingredient, liraglutide, is given at higher doses and approved to treat obesity under the brand name Saxenda. If Victoza and Saxenda both contain the active ingredient, what dose of Victoza should you take to help you lose weight? We will discuss that as well as what Victoza is, how it works, and other information you should know when using this medication.

What is Victoza (liraglutide)?

Victoza is a brand-name diabetes medication manufactured by Novo Nordisk. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) along with a low-calorie diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in patients 10 years of age and older with T2DM. It also lowers the risk of serious cardiovascular events (stroke, heart attack, or death) in adults with T2DM and known cardiovascular disease. Victoza is not approved for the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1DM).

Liraglutide, the active ingredient in Victoza is approved for weight reduction in patients with obesity who have a certain body mass index (BMI). It is marketed under the brand name Saxenda.

How does Victoza work?

Victoza is given as a daily subcutaneous (under the skin) injection in your thigh, upper arm, or abdomen. You can administer Victoza at any time of day, with or without food. It is considered an incretin mimetic and is part of the drug class called glucagon-like peptide 1, or GLP-1 receptor agonists. GLP-1 is a hormone that is released in your gut when you eat. It stimulates your pancreas to produce more insulin while also blocking the secretion of stored sugar in your liver. These actions lower your blood glucose levels. Victoza also slows down how fast your body digests the food you eat (gastric emptying). This helps you feel full for longer, eat less, and lose weight.

What are the side effects of Victoza?

The most common side effects of Victoza seen in clinical trials include:

Diarrhea
Nausea
Vomiting
Constipation
Injection site reactions
Headache
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Common cold symptoms
Indigestion
Dizziness

Rarely, Victoza can cause serious side effects, including:

Severe, life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions (hives, swelling of your tongue, face, or throat, and shortness of breath)
Inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis)
Increased risk of thyroid tumors and thyroid cancer
Gallbladder disease and gallstones
Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia), especially if it is taken with other diabetes medications such as metformin, sulfonylureas, or insulin
Kidney damage

These are not all of the possible side effects of Victoza. You should always seek medical advice from your healthcare professional for any questions or concerns about your medical condition or treatment. You can also report adverse effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088. You should also be sure they know all of the other prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements you are taking.

What precautions are there with Victoza?

Before you start taking Victoza, be sure your doctor is aware of all your medical conditions, including:

Kidney or liver disease
Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
Pancreas problems
Slowed digestion or other stomach problems
Pregnant, plan on becoming pregnant, or are breastfeeding

Can I take Victoza if I am not diabetic?

Victoza (liraglutide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that is FDA-approved to treat patients with type 2 diabetes. It showed during clinical trials that it helped diabetic patients lose weight. Since its approval, further studies have reported weight loss in non-diabetic patients as well. Because of this, Victoza has been used off-label to help people who do not have diabetes lose weight. Talk with your doctor if you think Victoza may be right for you.

How much Victoza do you take for weight loss?

For adults, the typical dose of Victoza is 1.2 mg or 1.8 mg daily, depending on how they respond and if they have side effects they cannot tolerate. In a study of adults with T2DM, it showed that both the 1.2 mg and 1.8 mg doses of Victoza helped with weight loss. People taking Victoza 1.8 mg daily lost around 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg) from their baseline body weight and those taking Victoza 1.2 mg lost around 4.6 lbs (2.1 kg).

Can you lose weight on Victoza without diabetes?

While Victoza is not approved for weight loss, it is used off-label to help treat obesity. The active ingredient, liraglutide, is approved to help people lose weight.

One clinical study showed that doses of liraglutide 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg. 2.4 mg, and 3 mg daily led to weight loss when compared to placebo. The average weight loss with liraglutide was 10.6 lbs (4.8 kg) for the 1.2 mg dose, 12.1 lbs (5.5 kg) for the 1.8 mg dose, 13.9 lbs (6.3 kg) for the 2.4 mg dose, and 15.8 lbs (7.2 kg) for the 3 mg dose. This was compared to 6.2 lbs (2.8 kg) with those taking a placebo.

In another clinical study, liraglutide 3 mg daily led to an average weight loss of 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg) compared to a loss of 6 lbs (2.8 kg) in those taking a placebo. It should be noted that in both of these studies, the participants combined liraglutide with a low-calorie diet and regular exercise.

Can you take Victoza with other medications?

Victoza can be taken safely with many medications. However, caution should be taken if you use Victoza along with any oral medication. Since Victoza slows down how fast your stomach empties, it can affect how oral medications are absorbed. You should also be careful taking Victoza with any drug that can lower your blood sugar. Taking it along with medications such as insulin and sulfonylureas can increase your risk of severe low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia).