Is Victoza vs. Ozempic Better?

Key Points

• Victoza and Ozempic are both diabetes medications.
• Victoza vs. Ozempic use different active ingredients and are taken at different frequencies.
• Studies suggest Ozempic may be more effective for improved blood sugar levels and weight loss than Victoza.

If you're looking to improve your blood sugar levels with a diabetes medication, chances are you've encountered Victoza® or Ozempic®.

But with so much new vocabulary associated with these new drugs like semaglutide, liraglutide, GLP-1s, and more, you might feel a little lost trying to discern the difference between Victoza vs. Ozempic.

Let's talk about these diabetes medications, the drug class of GLP-1s, and how these new prescription drugs work.

What's the difference between Victoza vs. Ozempic?

Victoza and Ozempic are two medications used to treat type 2 diabetes. They both help increase blood sugar control to decrease A1C levels, but they use different active ingredients.

How Victoza works

Victoza is a diabetes medication injected daily into the skin.

Victoza is used with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar levels in adults and children at least 10 years old with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, it may also help lower the risk of heart attack or stroke in people who also have heart disease.

Victoza's active ingredient is liraglutide. Liraglutide belongs to the drug class of GLP-1s which mimics the GLP-1 hormone. This hormone prompts the pancreas to release more insulin and level out blood sugar.

It also acts on the part of your brain that controls hunger and appetite, prompting you to feel fuller faster.

As a result, you may eat less while on Victoza, although it is not a weight loss drug according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Victoza's starting dose is .6 mg per day for at least one week. Then, you increase to 1.2 mg per day for at least one week. The maximum recommended dose is 1.8 mg per day.

Each Victoza pen contains 18 mg of the medication, so each pen lasts 10-30 days depending on the dosage.

How Ozempic works

Ozempic is also a diabetes medication. It is approved for adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease to reduce the risk of kidney disease worsening, kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease), and death due to cardiovascular disease.

Both medications work by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. Ozempic uses semaglutide while Victoza contains liraglutide.

Semaglutide works by helping your pancreas produce more insulin when your blood sugar is too high, prevents your liver from making and releasing too much sugar, and slows down food leaving your stomach (gastric emptying).

Similarly to Victoza, Ozempic is not indicated as a weight loss medication, but due to how it influences your appetite (and with proper diet and exercise), you may lose weight when taking Ozempic.

Ozempic is a once-weekly injectable administered on the same day each week. Its starting dose is .25 mg. After four weeks on the starting dose, your dose will increase to .5 mg.

After another four weeks, your provider may increase your dose to 1 mg for additional blood sugar control. The maximum dose is 2 mg.

How are Victoza and Ozempic similar?

Both Ozempic and Victoza are diabetes medications in the same drug class of GLP-1s. GLP-1s mimic hormones that improve blood sugar control and delay gastric emptying. They are FDA-approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes alongside a healthy diet and exercise.

Both Ozempic and Victoza are also approved to help reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events like cardiovascular disease or stroke.

These are not weight loss medications but both drugs have shown in clinical trials that they can help patients lose weight.

Both Ozempic and Victoza are injectable medications, but Victoza is taken every day and Ozempic is taken once per week.

Which is better for blood sugar control, Ozempic or Victoza?

In one clinical trial, liraglutide (Victoza's active ingredient) and semaglutide (Ozempic's active ingredient) were directly compared. The trial found that semaglutide reduced average A1C levels by 1.7% while liraglutide reduced A1C by 1%.

The same trial also found that semaglutide led to more side effects than liraglutide.

Both prescription drugs also lower your risk for major adverse cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke. Victoza reduces this risk by 11 to 13% and Ozempic reduces it by 26%.

Which is better for weight loss, Ozempic or Victoza?

Neither Ozempic nor Victoza is approved for weight loss. However, in clinical trials, many patients have lost weight on these medications.

In one study, over half of the participants lost at least 5.5 pounds or at least 5% of their body weight after using liraglutide for 56 weeks.

According to the producer, Novo Nordisk, while Victoza is not indicated for weight loss, many participants in clinical trials lost weight. When taken with Metformin, Victoza led to an average loss of 6.2 pounds.

Ozempic has been found to lead to an average weight loss of up to 14 pounds, according to Novo Nordisk.

In a study directly comparing liraglutide and semaglutide, semaglutide patients lost more weight, an average of 12.8 pounds, compared to 4.2 pounds for liraglutide.

Overall, studies suggest that semaglutide or Ozempic is more effective for weight management.

Victoza uses the same active ingredient as Saxenda, which is approved for weight loss. However, the two medications are not interchangeable.

Similarly, Wegovy uses semaglutide, the same active ingredient as Ozempic. Again, these medications are not interchangeable.

How much weight do you lose on Victoza?

Victoza is a drug to manage blood sugar levels, not for weight loss.

As mentioned, Victoza patients may lose some weight while taking the diabetes treatment, but it should not be taken explicitly for weight loss.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Victoza can only be prescribed as a diabetes medication.

If you are looking for a weight loss drug, talk to your doctor about your options.

Is Victoza still available?

Victoza's patent expired in the U.S. in 2024. However, liraglutide and other diabetes medications are still available.

Generic drug versions of Victoza

As of June 2024, Victoza is available as a generic liraglutide medication in the U.S. This liraglutide 1.8 mg medication is distributed by Teva Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

As such, if you are looking for medication in the same drug class as Victoza, your medication will simply be called liraglutide 1.8 mg and will not have the brand name of Victoza.

What are the risks of Ozempic or Victoza?

Both Ozempic and Victoza come with possible side effects and adverse effects.

These medications have minimal drug interactions but cannot be used at the same time as other prescriptions in the same drug class of GLP-1s.

Taking insulin with semaglutide or liraglutide can be a dangerous drug combination due to the role GLP-1s play in your body's insulin levels. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue taking insulin while taking these or other medications.

Both Victoza and Ozempic come with a boxed warning (the most serious warning a prescription drug can have) about the risk of thyroid tumors and thyroid cancer. They also warn against taking the drugs if you have a personal or family history of MTC or MEN 2.

Potential risks include low blood sugar, kidney strain, pancreatitis, and gallbladder issues.

Common side effects of GLP-1s

The most common side effects of Ozempic or Victoza include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach (abdominal) pain, and constipation.

Talk to your doctor about any side effects you experience, particularly allergic reactions by the injection sites. While these drug effects are common, everyone's reaction is individual and should be treated individually.

Do not stop taking your medication without first consulting a healthcare professional.

Meeting your health goals with GLP-1s

Whether you are seeking diabetes treatment or have weight loss goals to meet, a registered dietitian is one of the best professional supports you can have to become your healthiest self.

A qualified dietitian is an expert in GLP-1s and diabetes medications and can guide you as you start taking these or other diabetes medications, like metformin.

They can walk you through what to expect as you begin your starting dose and increase to the maximum dose, as well as help you adjust your diet and lifestyle to achieve normal blood sugar levels and meet your goal weight.

It's easy to find an expert diabetes or GLP-1 dietitian with Fay. Simply filter your search by your concern and choose from the list of resulting providers.

With Fay, you know you're working with a board-certified and vetted registered dietitian while also getting your care covered by health insurance. This makes top-of-the-line diabetes and weight management care more accessible and affordable than ever.

Find your GLP-1 dietitian now with Fay.

The views expressed by authors and contributors of such content are not endorsed or approved by Fay and are intended for informational purposes only. The content is reviewed by Fay only to confirm educational value and audience interest. You are encouraged to discuss any questions that you may have about your health with a healthcare provider.