Who can use GLP-1 drugs for weight loss?
Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda, and Foundayo are all approved weight loss medications for people with a proven medical need to lose weight:
Wegovy and Saxenda are also approved to treat children 12 years of age and older. The exact BMI cutoff for children varies by age.
If you have these medications, only your health care team can determine which ones will work best for you.
How much weight will I lose?
Not everyone responds equally well to these treatments, and it is impossible to predict how effective a particular weight loss drug will be. Results from major clinical trials suggest how much weight loss the average user can expect.
A large meta-analysis of 14 systematic reviews examined the weight loss outcomes of six drugs (including semaglutide, liraglutide, and tirzepatide) at 6 months, 12 months, and 1 year. After six months, the tirzepatide injection was the most effective, with participants losing an average of 19.8 pounds at the 5 milligram (mg) dose and 26.5 pounds at the 15 mg dose. Overall, the 2.4 mg semaglutide injection produced the greatest results, with participants losing an average of 25.3 to 27.6 pounds.
Liraglutide did not achieve quite the same level of weight loss. On average, users who took the 3 mg dose lost 11 pounds after one year. Results over 12 months showed average weight loss reduced to 7.5 pounds.
However, some people may not see these results. Approximately 23% of Wegovy users lost less than 5% of their weight. For Zepbound users, this ranges from 17 to 21 percent (based on research funded by pharmaceutical companies).
It is important to emphasize that GLP-1 weight loss drugs are intended to be used in conjunction with regular exercise and a healthy diet. All of the weight loss reported in the above studies occurred in volunteers who were asked to maintain healthy eating and exercise habits.
