The weight-loss drug Wegovy is now available in Australia. Wegovy is administered as a once-weekly injection and is approved specifically for weight management. It’s intended to be used in combination with a reduced-energy diet and increased physical activity.
So how does Wegovy work and how much weight can you expect to lose while taking it? And what are the potential risks – and costs – for those who use it? Let’s look at what the science says. What is Wegovy? Wegovy is a brand name for the medication semaglutide. Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA).
This means it makes your body’s own glucagon-like peptide-1 hormone, called GLP-1 for short, work better. Normally when you eat, the body releases the GLP-1 hormone which helps signal to your brain that you are full. Semaglutides enhance this effect, leading to a feeling of fullness, even when you haven’t eaten.
Another role of GLP-1 is to stimulate the body to produce more insulin, a hormone which helps lower the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. That’s why semaglutides have been used for several years to treat type 2 diabetes. How does Wegovy differ from Ozempic? Like Wegovy, Ozempic is a semaglutide.
The way Wegovy and Ozempic work in the body are essentially the same. They’re made by the same pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk. But there are two differences: 1) They are approved for two different (but related) reasons.
In Australia (and the United States), Ozempic is ap.