Overview
Liraglutide (Victoza / Saxenda) is a first-generation once-daily synthetic glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist with 97% sequence homology to human GLP-1.
What problem it targets: It targets Type 2 diabetes, chronic obesity, unmanageable food cravings, insulin resistance, and elevated cardiovascular disease risk.
What It Does
• Restores meal-time satiety: Binds hypothalamic GLP-1 receptors in the brain to powerfully reduce appetite, quiet "food noise," and cut daily calorie intake.
• Slows gastrointestinal transit: Delays gastric emptying, keeping food in the stomach longer to prolong fullness and prevent sharp post-meal blood glucose spikes.
• Triggers glucose-dependent insulin release: Promotes pancreatic insulin release strictly in response to elevated blood sugar while suppressing unnecessary liver glucagon release.
• Realistic expectations: Injected subcutaneously once daily. Titrated gradually from 0.6 mg up to 3.0 mg daily to minimize initial nausea, yielding steady and predictable weight reduction over 16 to 24 weeks.
Reconstitution
| Vial size | BAC water / Solvent | Concentration |
|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | + 1 mL | 5 mg/mL |
| 10 mg | + 2 mL | 5 mg/mL |
| 30 mg | + 6 mL | 5 mg/mL |
PROTOCOL (SAXENDA WEIGHT-LOSS TITRATION)
| Phase (1 wk each) | Frequency | Dose | Units (5 mg/mL) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Daily | 0.6 mg | 12u | Daily dosing, not weekly. Same time each day. |
| Week 2 | Daily | 1.2 mg | 24u | |
| Week 3 | Daily | 1.8 mg | 36u | Victoza (diabetes) max is 1.8 mg. |
| Week 4 | Daily | 2.4 mg | 48u | |
| Week 5+ | Daily | 3.0 mg | 60u | Saxenda weight-loss maintenance. Cycle: weekly 0.6 mg steps to the 3.0 mg maintenance; continuous daily use for the indication. Timing: once daily, same time, independent of meals. Note: daily dosing means high vial use vs weekly GLP-1s, budget accordingly. Women: Women lose more than men at the same dose but report more GI (start lower). In PCOS they improve cycles, lower free testosterone and raise ovulation; a real unplanned-pregnancy risk. Stop before conceiving. Men: In men, excess fat lowers testosterone; GLP-1 raises testosterone, SHBG and gonadotropins as weight drops, improves sperm and erectile function, and preserves fertility (unlike TRT). |
Handling & Stacking
- Freeze-dried: -4°F.
- Reconstituted: 36–46°F.
- Best used within 28 days.
- No clear reconstituted-potency data (the pen label gives an in-use date, not potency), so defer to the 28-day sterility limit. (Commercial pens are pre-filled, refrigerated.)
- Appetite suppression and glucose lowering within weeks; weight loss over months (moderate, generally less than weekly semaglutide).
- Supply math 30mg → 9 vials | 10mg → 26 vials (12-wk @ 3 mg/day, daily dosing is vial-heavy)
Safety & Patient Education
- Fasting glucose / HbA1c (baseline + periodic) Renal function with significant GI losses Lipase if pancreatitis suspected Resting heart rate (GLP-1s nudge it up a few bpm; the label says to check it) Out of range?
- Rising glucose/HbA1c = creeping toward diabetes (recheck, tighten diet); falling eGFR = kidney strain, usually dehydration (hydrate, hold).
