Type 2 drug liraglutides weight loss benefits confirmed

Type 2 diabetes drug liraglutide (also known as Saxenda) has been confirmed as an effective weight loss aid. The drug, which is injectable, was approved as a weight loss and diabetes management treatment by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last December, but it needed to be tested further. The latest studies, which analysed the data of 3,700 patients with type 2 diabetes, confirmed the FDA’s approval.
Liraglutide works by making the body feel fuller. Dr. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, of Columbia University Medical Centre, and lead researcher, said: “The drug tends to decrease gastric emptying, the emptying of the stomach. And it gives signals to the brain to lower hunger and increase satiety.”
The participants were split into two groups: the first was given daily injections of liraglutide, and the second was given a placebo. Participants from both groups were placed on a calorie-restricted diet and a specific exercise regimen. The study lasted 56 weeks.
The first group, which was given a daily injection of liraglutide, lost 18.5 pounds on average, while the placebo group lost six.
Weight loss was not the only reported benefit of liraglutide: participants had lower blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and generally found it easier to control their diabetes. On the other hand, there were side effects, namely diarrhoea and nausea.
Liraglutide is one of the four weight loss drugs approved by the FDA since 2012.
“The overall effect of the drug was very good and very comparable or better than the drugs that are now on the market, said Dr. Pi-Sunyer.