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Strong human trialsFDA approved as Victoza +1

Liraglutide

Also known as: Victoza · Saxenda · Generic liraglutide · Compounded liraglutide

Updated 19 sources

Liraglutide is Novo Nordisk's once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist, the older sibling of semaglutide. It is FDA approved as Victoza for type 2 diabetes and as Saxenda for weight, with generics of both since 2024 and 2025. The weight dose climbs from 0.6 mg to 3 mg a day over five weeks. In SCALE, 3 mg averaged 8.4 kg lost vs 2.8 kg on placebo at 56 weeks, and in the only head-to-head trial weekly semaglutide lost more than twice as much. It is still on the FDA shortage list, which keeps compounded vials around.
Calculate with LiraglutideDosage chart

Quick facts

Half-life
  • About 13 hours after an injection under the skin, which suits once-daily dosing.
Routes
  • Subcutaneous injection
Forms
  • Prefilled pen (6 mg/mL, 3 mL)
  • Ready-to-use vial (10 mg/mL, 5 mL)
  • Vial (powder)
Reported dose ranges
  • 0.6 to 3 mg (subcutaneous injection)
Vial sizes
  • 5 mg, 10 mg, 30 mg
Chemistry
  • 3,751.2 g/mol · C172H265N43O51 · CAS 204656-20-2
FDA status
  • FDA approved as Victoza +1
Brand names
  • Victoza (Novo Nordisk): Type 2 diabetes from age 10 and heart risk reduction; daily pen up to 1.8 mg; approved 2010-01-25
  • Saxenda (Novo Nordisk): Weight management from age 12; daily pen up to 3 mg; approved 2014-12-23; listed for discontinuation in January 2027
WADA
  • Not prohibited

What people use Liraglutide for

  • Weight loss on Saxenda or generic Saxenda, the 3 mg daily dose
  • Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes on Victoza or its generic, up to 1.8 mg daily
  • Lowering heart risk in type 2 diabetes with heart disease, on the Victoza label from the LEADER trial
  • A cheaper or easier-to-find GLP-1 than semaglutide or tirzepatide, through generics and compounded vials
  • A first GLP-1 before switching to a weekly drug, a pattern common in community reports

How it is thought to work. Liraglutide copies GLP-1, the gut hormone that tells your brain you have eaten. It turns down appetite, slows stomach emptying and boosts insulin after meals. Native GLP-1 is gone in about 2 minutes; liraglutide swaps one amino acid and carries a fatty acid tail that sticks to blood proteins, so it lasts about 13 hours. That is why it is a daily shot, while semaglutide, built on the same idea with a longer tail, is weekly.

Liraglutide dosing

5 protocols from studies, guides and community reports, grouped by goal. Tap a source badge to see where a number came from.

Weight loss3

Weight loss, FDA label titration (Saxenda)

Amount
0.6 to 3 mg
How often
Once daily; up 0.6 mg each week from 0.6 mg, then hold at 3 mg
Route
SubQ, prefilled pen
Cycle
Long term; check weight at 16 weeks and stop if less than 4% was lost
Titration (5 steps) and details

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Weight loss, FDA label (Saxenda, ages 12 to 17)

Amount
0.6 to 3 mg
How often
Once daily; same 0.6 mg weekly steps, which may stretch to 8 weeks; hold at 3 mg, or 2.4 mg if 3 mg is not tolerated
Route
SubQ, prefilled pen
Cycle
Long term; check BMI after 12 weeks on the maintenance dose and stop below a 1% drop
Timing and details

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Weight loss, research vial, label-style ladder (guide protocol)

Amount
0.6 to 3 mg
How often
Once daily; 0.6, 1.2, 1.8 and 2.4 mg for a week each, then 3 mg from week 5
Route
SubQ, vial (powder)
Titration (5 steps) and details

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Other protocols: injected (prefilled pen)1

Type 2 diabetes, FDA label titration (Victoza)

Amount
0.6 to 1.8 mg
How often
Once daily; 0.6 mg for a week, then 1.2 mg, then 1.8 mg if more control is needed
Route
SubQ, prefilled pen
Cycle
Long term; the label has no off cycle
Titration (3 steps) and details

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Other protocols: injected1

Low-dose maintenance (community)

Amount
1.2 to 1.8 mg
How often
Once daily, ongoing, at a dose below the 3 mg top step
Route
Subcutaneous injection
Timing and details

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Doses shown are what sources report, labelled by origin. Not medical advice.

Full Liraglutide dosage guideEvery titration step in syringe units, missed doses and how to mix.

Vial strengths and syringe units

Every Liraglutide vial size with the water volumes sources use. Units are what to draw on a U-100 insulin syringe, worked out exactly.
Liraglutide: concentration and U-100 syringe units for each vial size and water volume
WaterStrength0.6 mgdose, units1.2 mgdose, units3 mgdose, units
5 mg vial
2 mLCompetitor guide2.5 mg/mL240.24 mL480.48 mL1201.2 mL2 draws
10 mg vial
2 mLCompetitor guide5 mg/mL120.12 mL240.24 mL600.6 mL
30 mg vial
3 mLCompetitor guide10 mg/mL60.06 mL120.12 mL300.3 mL
Units are on a U-100 insulin syringe (100 units = 1 mL). U-50 and U-30 barrels read the same units.Water volumes from

Doses shown are what sources report, labelled by origin. Not medical advice.

Calculate with this peptideYour vial, your water, your dose: Liraglutide in syringe units, with the math shown.

If you miss a dose

Skip it and take the next daily dose as scheduled; never double up. If more than 3 days have passed since the last dose, restart at 0.6 mg and climb the steps again, because restarting at full dose brings back the nausea. Some guides quote a 12-hour rule, which comes from the European label, not the US one.

Liraglutide side effects

What trials and labels report, kept apart from what users and guides report. Frequencies are worded as each source states them.

Reported in studies and labels6

From clinical trials and regulatory documents.

  • Nausea

    39.3% on Saxenda vs 13.8% on placebo; 20% on Victoza 1.8 mg vs 5% (labels). Fades as treatment goes on.

    How people manage it

    • Climb the steps slowly; the label allows an extra week before moving up.

  • Diarrhea

    20.9% on Saxenda vs 9.9% on placebo (label)

    How people manage it

    • Drink more fluids; losing fluid can strain the kidneys, per the label.

  • Constipation

    19.4% on Saxenda vs 8.5% on placebo (label)

  • Vomiting

    15.7% on Saxenda vs 3.9% on placebo (label)

  • Injection site reactions

    13.9% on Saxenda vs 10.5% on placebo, mostly redness, itch and rash (label)

    How people manage it

    • Rotate sites within the same area, per the label.

  • Headache

    13.6% on Saxenda vs 12.6% on placebo (label)

Reported by users and guides1

From community reports and dosing guides. Not measured rates.

  • Nausea in the first weeks (community)

    The most commonly reported side effect in community posts, typically in the first 2 to 4 weeks

    How people manage it

    • Many users report dosing in the morning, since nausea is most common in the first few hours after a shot.
All 16 Liraglutide side effects and how people manage themEvery management tip, who should not use it, and side-effect questions.

Who should avoid it

  • Other GLP-1 agonists (semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide)Substance

    The Saxenda label says not to combine liraglutide with other liraglutide products or any other GLP-1 receptor agonist.

  • Sulfonylureas or insulinSubstance

    Raises the risk of low blood sugar, including severe episodes; the label suggests lowering those doses.

  • Personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2Condition

    Boxed warning; the label says do not use.

  • PregnancyCondition

    May cause fetal harm, and weight loss offers no benefit in pregnancy; the label says stop when pregnancy is recognized.

Storage

Powder (before mixing)

Temperature
2 to 8 °C

Guides list research powder at 2 to 8°C in the fridge.

Mixed vial

Temperature
2 to 8 °C
Use within
28 days

Keep a mixed research vial in the fridge and use it within 28 days, per guides. Do not shake it.

As supplied

Temperature
2 to 8 °C

Unused pens: fridge at 2 to 8°C until the expiry date. Never freeze, and do not use a pen that has frozen.

As supplied

Temperature
15 to 30 °C
Use within
30 days

Pen in use: 30 days at room temperature (15 to 30°C) or in the fridge, cap on, needle off. Throw it away after 30 days even if liquid is left.

Mixed with: Bacteriostatic water

Mixing. Only research powder needs mixing; pens and compounded vials come as a liquid. Liraglutide doses are big by peptide standards (up to 3 mg a day), so a weak mix means large draws: one guide's 5 mg in 2 mL needs two syringe draws for 3 mg. Branded pens are 6 mg per mL and the compounded vial listed here is 10 mg per mL, so units never carry over between products. Work from your own vial in the calculator.

Stacks people report

Combinations from guides and community posts, with the reason given.
  • Retatrutide

    PeptIQ app users co-log liraglutide with retatrutide (3 reports). The Saxenda label says not to combine liraglutide with any other GLP-1 agonist, and retatrutide is one; people usually switch rather than stack.

Compare Liraglutide

Evidence and legal status

Evidence: strong human trials

SCALE Obesity (3,731 adults, 56 weeks): 8.4 vs 2.8 kg lost on placebo. LEADER (9,340 adults with type 2 diabetes, median 3.8 years): fewer major heart events, 13.0% vs 14.9% (HR 0.87). STEP 8 (338 adults): 6.4% weight loss vs 15.8% on semaglutide. All of this is branded product; compounded and research vials have no trial data or verified identity.

FDA and WADA

FDA approved as Victoza +1

An FDA-approved drug for this use.

FDA approved as Victoza (2010, type 2 diabetes and heart risk) and Saxenda (2014, weight). Generic Victoza was approved 2024-12-23 and generic Saxenda 2025-08-27. Liraglutide is on the FDA shortage list, and Novo Nordisk's Saxenda is listed for discontinuation in January 2027. Compounded and research-labeled liraglutide are not FDA approved.

First generic Victoza: Hikma, 2024-12-23. First generic Saxenda: 2025-08-27. DailyMed lists generic liraglutide from several makers, including Hikma, Teva, Meitheal, Cipla and Biocon. The shortage entry was first posted 2023-07-18 and is still current. On 2026-04-30 FDA proposed excluding liraglutide from the 503B bulks list, finding no clinical need for outsourcing facilities to compound it. WADA: not named on the 2026 Prohibited List.

WADA: Not prohibited

Liraglutide questions

What is liraglutide?

A once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist made by Novo Nordisk. It is FDA approved as Victoza for type 2 diabetes and as Saxenda for weight management, and both now have generics.

What is the brand name of liraglutide?

Victoza (type 2 diabetes, up to 1.8 mg a day) and Saxenda (weight, up to 3 mg a day), both from Novo Nordisk. Generic liraglutide pens copy each one: the first Victoza generic was approved on 2024-12-23 and the first Saxenda generic on 2025-08-27.

What drug class is Victoza?

A GLP-1 receptor agonist, the same class as semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy). Liraglutide is 97% identical to human GLP-1.

What is liraglutide used for?

Weight management in adults and in teens 12 and older over 60 kg (Saxenda), and blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes from age 10 plus heart risk reduction in adults with heart disease (Victoza). Off label, people use generic or compounded liraglutide as a cheaper GLP-1.

What is the Saxenda dosing schedule?

0.6 mg a day in week 1, then 1.2, 1.8 and 2.4 mg for a week each, and 3 mg a day from week 5 on. Doses below 3 mg are only steps on the way up. If you cannot tolerate 3 mg, the label says stop.

What is the maximum Victoza dose?

1.8 mg once daily. Adults start at 0.6 mg for a week, move to 1.2 mg, and go to 1.8 mg only if blood sugar needs more control.

How much weight do people lose on liraglutide?

In SCALE (3,731 adults, 56 weeks), 3 mg daily averaged 8.4 kg lost vs 2.8 kg on placebo, and 63.2% lost at least 5% of their weight vs 27.1%. The label tells prescribers to stop at 16 weeks if less than 4% was lost.

Liraglutide or semaglutide: which works better?

Semaglutide, by a wide margin. In STEP 8, weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg averaged 15.8% weight loss at 68 weeks vs 6.4% for daily liraglutide 3 mg.

Is Saxenda being discontinued?

FDA's drug shortage database says Novo Nordisk's Saxenda will be available until discontinuation in January 2027, with discontinuation of manufacture as the reason. Generic liraglutide pens for weight are approved and listed by other makers.

Is liraglutide still in shortage, and can it be compounded?

FDA lists liraglutide injection as currently in shortage (first posted 2023-07-18), which is why compounded vials are still sold. Separately, on 2026-04-30 FDA proposed excluding liraglutide from the 503B bulks list, saying outsourcing facilities have no clinical need to compound it from bulk.

How long does liraglutide stay in your system?

Its half-life is about 13 hours, which is why it is a daily shot. Peak levels come about 11 hours after a dose.

What if I miss a dose of Saxenda?

Take the next dose on schedule and do not double up. After more than 3 days off, restart at 0.6 mg and climb again.

How do I store a liraglutide pen?

Unused pens go in the fridge at 2 to 8°C and must never freeze. After the first use, a pen lasts 30 days at 15 to 30°C or in the fridge; throw it away after 30 days.

How much bacteriostatic water for a liraglutide research vial?

One guide uses 2 mL for a 5 mg vial, 2 mL for 10 mg and 3 mL for 30 mg. At 5 mg in 2 mL, a 3 mg dose is more than 1 mL and needs two draws. Enter your own vial and water in a calculator before converting to units.

Do people stay on a lower dose than 3 mg?

Yes, community posts describe holding at 1.2 to 1.8 mg a day for appetite control with fewer side effects and lower cost. The Saxenda label notes that weight-loss efficacy below 3 mg has not been established.

Is liraglutide banned in sport?

No. It is not named on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List, and as an approved drug it does not fall under the S0 class for unapproved substances.

Ask about Liraglutide

Answers come from this site's pages only, with a link to each source.

Sources

19 sources, each checked by date. Record updated Oct 24, 2026. Numbers are restated in our own words and labelled by where they came from.

Regulatory11

  1. Saxenda (liraglutide) label (SPL v22, effective 2026-02-25)DailyMed · checked Oct 24, 2026
  2. Victoza (liraglutide) label (SPL v31, effective 2025-10-14)DailyMed · checked Oct 24, 2026
  3. Drugs@FDA: NDA 022341 VictozaFDA · checked Oct 24, 2026

Reference work1

  1. LiraglutideWikipedia · checked Oct 24, 2026

Vendor guide1

  1. Liraglutide (Daily GLP-1) ProgramFormBlends · checked Oct 24, 2026

Competitor guide2

  1. Liraglutide Dosage: 0.6 to 3.0mg Weight Loss Schedulethepeptidecatalog.com · checked Oct 24, 2026
  2. Liraglutidepeptiq.io · checked Oct 24, 2026

Community-reported1

  1. Liraglutide: Community Protocols & ReportsPeptide Protocol Wiki, via a competitor guide · checked Oct 24, 2026