Best Weight Loss Injections Of

Best Weight Loss Injections

Roughly 74 percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight, and nearly 43 percent have obesity, according to recent statistics^[1]. If you’re one of them, you know just how difficult losing weight—and keeping it off—can be. If diet, exercise and lifestyle changes alone aren’t getting you to your goal, you may be wondering if a weight loss injection is the missing piece. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at some of the most popular weight loss injections on the market today. From how they work to who they’re best for, plus how to access them, we’ll explore everything there is to know about these explosively popular weight loss medications—so you can decide if any make sense for you.

Best Injectable Peptide for Weight Loss

Therapeutic peptides are a special class of medications used to treat a wide variety of health conditions. GLP-1 RAs (short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) are a type of therapeutic peptide frequently used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. They function by mimicking a hormone that is released in the body in response to eating. Like this hormone, GLP-1 RAs help control blood sugar, reduce appetite and keep you feeling fuller, longer.

These medications require a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional, who will review your medical history and health stats to determine if you meet the eligibility criteria. For many of the drugs, that criteria is as follows:

• Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27 or greater and at least one weight-related health condition (like high blood pressure or high cholesterol), or 
• BMI of 30 or greater

Most of these medications come in injectable liquid form. To administer them, you’ll use a needle and syringe to give yourself a shot in the fatty tissue just beneath your skin. The belly, outer thighs, upper buttocks and backs of the arms are common sites of injection. The dosage and injection frequency depends on the specific drug you are prescribed. 

Below is an overview of some of the most commonly prescribed injectable peptides for weight loss that have been approved by the U.S. Flood and Drug Administration (FDA). For information on the best diabetes injections for weight loss, skip to the next section.

Wegovy (Active Ingredient: Semaglutide)

Wegovy was approved as a weight loss treatment for obese and eligible overweight adults in 2021, and has since become the go-to injectable weight loss medication. It has been clinically proven to work for weight loss^[2], especially when paired with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. It has also been linked to significant cardiovascular benefits^[3]. Wegovy is administered via a once weekly injection.

You can work with you primary care physician to determine if Wegovy is a good option for you. There are also a number of telehealth companies that provide access to this drug without requiring an in-office visit. ReflexMD, PlushCare and 986Health are three such companies. All offer consultations with licensed healthcare professionals who will review your case and determine if you are a candidate. If you are approved, they will write you a prescription, and your medication will be sent directly to your home on an ongoing basis. Noom Med is another excellent option for anyone interested in Wegovy injections. Their comprehensive healthcare program combines personalized medical solutions with full psychological support throughout your journey to help you lose weight and learn how to keep it off. 

Zepbound (Active Ingredient: Tirzepatide)

Zepbound is a relative newcomer to the weight loss injectable scene—it was approved by the FDA for weight loss in 2023, but it has demonstrated superiority over many other medications. It is unique in that its active ingredient, tirzepatide, imitates two different hormones that help control blood sugar, suppress appetite and increase satiety, which may amplify its weight loss impact. (Semaglutide and liraglutide only mimic one hormone).

Clinical studies^[4] support the efficacy of this once-weekly injection, with many indicating that it may be even more effective than Wegovy^[5].

You can consult with your primary care physician to determine if you are a candidate for Zepbound, or you can opt to use one of the many telehealth companies like Noom Med, PlushCare, Ro or Push Health.

Saxenda^[6] (Active Ingredient: Liraglutide)

Saxenda was approved by the FDA for chronic weight management in eligible adults in 2014. It was the first medication of its kind to be approved for weight loss. Unlike Wegovy, which is administered weekly, Saxenda requires a daily injection. That’s because the active ingredient, liraglutide, doesn’t stay active in the body as long as the active ingredient in Wegovy, (semaglutide), or Zepbound (tirzepatide).

That’s not the only reason Wegovy is considered superior to Saxenda: Studies suggest that semaglutide yields greater weight loss results^[7] and provides significantly better value^[8] for the money than liraglutide. But Saxenda is still an effective treatment for obesity and overweight^[9], especially when semaglutide is not an option.

You can consult with your healthcare provider to determine if Saxenda makes sense for you. If you’d prefer to skip the in-office visit, you can take advantage of one of the many telehealth companies that connect you with a healthcare provider who can prescribe the medication and have it sent directly to your door. For those who prefer the latter, Noom Med is an excellent choice. It’s a healthcare program that pairs a proven, psychology-based program with prescription weight loss treatments to create lasting weight loss results. With Noom Med, you’ll receive a comprehensive health evaluation by a board-certified physician (or a physician-supervised nurse practitioner) and a customized care plan specific to your biology, needs and health goals—which may include prescription medications like Saxenda. If medication is prescribed, the Noom Med team will help you navigate insurance, fulfillment and refills—as well as any potential side effects.

Weight Loss Injection Considerations

There is no one-size-fits all weight loss medication. The right drug for you may not be the right drug for someone else. It’s important to work with a healthcare provider to determine the weight loss solution that most closely aligns with your biology and goals. There are a few other considerations to keep in mind, like:

Cost: Weight loss drugs are pricey, and many insurance companies do not cover them. Those that do may have coverage limitations. Since stopping the medication can lead to weight regain, maintaining your weight loss may mean taking them indefinitely. This can become quite expensive.

Availability: Due to the popularity of many of these medications, it can be difficult to get access to them. A healthcare provider can work with you to identify available options. In some cases, you may be prescribed a different “off label” version of the drug.

Lifestyle Commitment: These medications are intended to be just one part of a holistic treatment plan. To maximize your results, you’ll want to make improvements to your diet and increase your physical activity.

Possible Side Effects: As with any medication, weight loss injections aren’t without risk of side effects. Some people report experiencing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal discomforts while taking them. Always ask your healthcare provider about potential side effects, and if you experience any unwanted effects, contact him/her immediately.

Best Diabetes Injection for Weight Loss

Before they were approved for use as weight loss treatments, many GLP-1 RA medications were FDA-approved for treating Type 2 diabetes. Semaglutide (under the brand name Ozempic), tirzepatide (under the brand name Mounjaro), and liraglutide (under the brand name Victoza) all stimulate the release of insulin and help stabilize blood sugar levels, a cornerstone of treatment for Type 2 diabetes. These medications can also cause weight loss since they help suppress appetite and increase feelings of fullness. 

Here’s more detail on some of the best diabetes injections for weight loss:

Ozempic (Active Ingredient: Semaglutide)

Ozempic was approved by the FDA in 2017 for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes in adults. It was also approved for reducing the risk of major cardiovascular problems (like heart attack, stroke and death) in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease^[10]. It contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient as the anti-obesity treatment Wegovy, but in a different dose. In addition to effectively controlling blood sugar levels^[11], Ozempic helps you feel less hungry and slows digestion, keeping you feeling fuller, longer. For this reason, many people taking Ozempic experience weight loss. 

If you are a candidate for Ozempic, your primary care physician can prescribe this medication to you. If you prefer to skip the office visit, there are a number of telehealth companies that can perform that service for you. Ro is one such company. Their service starts with a consultation with a healthcare provider who will review your health history and goals, as well as a blood test. If the clinician determines that you are a candidate for Ozempic, it will be prescribed to you. Ro also offers insurance concierge services to help you get coverage for your medications, plus ongoing care and support through your journey, making it a convenient and comprehensive solution. 986Health and Noom Med are other great options that will connect you with a physician who can prescribe Ozempic to qualified patients—no office visits required.

Mounjaro (Active Ingredient: Tirzepatide)

A relative newcomer to the list of FDA-approved Type 2 diabetes treatments, Mounjaro is another injectable prescription medicine that is used along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes. Studies^[12] suggest that Mounjaro may be more effective for blood sugar control and weight loss than Ozempic. That may be because its active ingredient, tirzepatide, functions by mimicking two hormones that are naturally produced in the body in response to eating, GLP-1 and GIP, which may amplify its impact on blood sugar and appetite. 

Mounjaro requires a prescription and is typically administered as a once weekly injection. As with all of the peptide medications on this list, tirzepatide can be prescribed by your regular doctor, or via a telehealth company like Noom Med or PlushCare.

Victoza (Active Ingredient: Liraglutide)

Victoza^[13] is a once-daily injectable that was approved in 2010 as a treatment for adults with Type 2 diabetes—along with a healthy diet^[14] and exercise. It was also approved to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular issues, like heart attack and stroke, in adults with Type 2 diabetes who also have heart disease. As with the other diabetes medications on our list, taking Victoza may cause weight loss, but the FDA doesn’t specifically approve the drug for this purpose.

Studies^[15] have shown that while Victoza can effectively treat Type 2 diabetes and induce weight loss, it is inferior to medications containing semaglutide, like Ozempic. Although semaglutide compounds may cause more gastrointestinal side effects. Your primary care physician or telehealth companies like PlushCare and Noom Med can help you decide if Victoza is the right fit for you.

Best Testosterone Injection for Weight Loss

While testosterone replacement therapies (TRTs) were originally created to address hormonal deficiencies, research^[16] indicates that long-term TRT in men with clinically low testosterone levels can lead to significant and lasting weight loss. Although there is little to no evidence that TRT leads to weight loss in men with normal testosterone, this is good news for those with deficiencies who are carrying extra weight. 

It is important to keep in mind, though, that TRT comes with the potential for side effects^[17]. Immediate effects may include acne, disturbed breathing while sleeping, breast swelling or tenderness and ankle swelling. Long-term TRT may put you at an elevated risk for cardiovascular problems like heart attack, stroke and death from heart disease, as well as prostate cancer. For this reason, it is critical that you consult with a licensed healthcare provider who can determine if the benefits of TRT outweigh the risks for you.

There are a variety of telehealth companies on the market today that will connect you with a physician who can do exactly that, but they don’t all provide the same level of support. Blokes’ TRT program is about as comprehensive as it gets. It includes the initial and ongoing assessment of your hormonal profile, one-on-one clinical visits with physicians who determine the best treatment plan for you, your prescriptions, follow-up visits with licensed clinicians, quarterly hormone labs, and connection with health coaches who provide nutrition, exercise and lifestyle guidance to supplement your therapy. Hone Health is another solid option.

Best HCG Injections for Weight Loss

HCG is a hormone that is produced by the human placenta in early pregnancy. The FDA has approved a few specific injectable HCG drug products for use in some cases of female infertility and for hormone treatment in men. But the FDA has never approved any HCG drug product for weight loss and, in fact, the FDA has specifically warned consumers^[18] to steer clear of all HCG weight loss products, stating, “If you have HCG products for weight loss, quit using it, throw it out, and stop following the dieting instructions.”

Sources

^{[1] National Library of Medicine, About 74 percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight, according to the CDC
[2] JAMA Network, Weight Loss Outcomes Associated With Semaglutide Treatment for Patients With Overweight or Obesity
[3] Yale School of Medicine, MENU Anti-obesity Medication Semaglutide (Wegovy®) Could Benefit Millions of Americans With Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease
[4] U.S Food and Drug Administration, FDA Approves New Medication for Chronic Weight Management
[5] Second Nature, Zepbound vs Wegovy
[6] Saxenda, About Saxenda
[7] JAMA Network, Effect of Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Daily Liraglutide on Body Weight in Adults With Overweight or Obesity Without Diabetes
[8] Pub Med, Liraglutide versus semaglutide for weight reduction-a cost needed to treat analysis
[9] The New England Journal of Medicine, A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management
[10] Roman, What is heart disease? What can you do to prevent it?
[11] National Library of Medicine, Efficacy and safety of once-weekly semaglutide 2·0 mg versus 1·0 mg in patients with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN FORTE): a double-blind, randomised, phase 3B trial
[12] Lily Investors, Tirzepatide demonstrated significant and superior weight loss compared to placebo in two pivotal studies
[13] Roman, Victoza: side effects, uses, and warnings
[14] Roman, Low glycemic index foods in diabetes management
[15] National Library of medicine, Efficacy and safety of once-weekly semaglutide 1.0mg vs once-daily liraglutide 1.2mg as add-on to 1-3 oral antidiabetic drugs in subjects with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN 10)
[16] National Library of Medicine, Testosterone and weight loss: the evidence
[17] Harvard Health Publishing, Is testosterone therapy safe? Take a breath before you take the plunge
[18] U.S Food and Drug Administration, Avoid Dangerous HCG Diet Products}