Diabetes Drug Now OK for Weight Loss

Obesity and diabetes are chronic medical conditions that pose a serious threat to one’s health. According to the latest National Diabetes Statistics Report released in 2014, about 29 million Americans (more than 9% of the population) have diabetes. While most (21M) of these people have been diagnosed with the disease, some (8M) remain undiagnosed. Furthermore, diabetes remains to be the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.

On the other hand, more than a third of American adults (79 million) are obese. More than just a weight issue, obesity is related to several chronic medical conditions, which include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.  Studies show that like diabetes, these are some of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the US. This is why scientists continue to pursue research on treatments to improve medical management of these diseases, which, when in used combination with a healthy lifestyle, may reduce mortality rates.

Liraglutide For Diabetes And Obesity

In 2010, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a drug called Victoza (liraglutide), for use as a once-daily injection to treat type 2 diabetes in adults. It is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist type of drug, which helps the pancreas produce more insulin after eating meals. Although it helps lower blood sugar levels, it does not cure diabetes and is not recommended as the first line of therapy in diabetic patients. Instead, it may be used with other medications, including insulin, as well as proper diet and exercise, to help control blood sugar levels. Victoza comes in a prefilled dosing pen, which contains 1.2 or 1.8 mg doses/day to be injected under the skin (subcutaneously) in the upper arm, stomach, or thigh.

Initial studies also showed that aside from lowering blood sugar levels, liraglutide treatment was associated with slower emptying of the stomach and a decrease in appetite, which may cause reduction of weight in many patients.

Just recently, before the end of 2014, FDA announced the approval of another drug called Saxenda (by the same company, Novo Nordisk) for the treatment of obesity. Saxenda also contains liraglutide, but at a higher dose of 3 mg/injection/day. This decision came after three large trials, involving close to 5,000 obese participants with or without diabetes, showed that the drug helps reduce weight significantly (more than 5% weight loss) after several weeks of regular use.

See Also: New: Once-A-Week Injectable Drug For Diabetes

The approval of Saxenda as an anti-obesity drug makes it the fourth agent available on prescription for the treatment of the disease, after the FDA also recently approved another drug, Contrave (bupropion/naltrexone), by Orexigen Therapeutics, as the third agent for obesity. The FDA has specifically approved the injectable drug Saxenda "for chronic weight management in individuals with a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or greater, or 27 kg/m2 or greater in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbidity." Body mass index or BMI is a measure of body fat, based on one’s weight and height. People who have a BMI of 30 or greater are considered obese and at are risk of developing a weight-related chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease, or stroke. Overweight individuals who have a BMI of less than 30 but already have a weight-related medical condition may also benefit from using an anti-obesity drug such as Saxenda.

How Liraglutide Works

Liraglutide is belongs to the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist classification of drugs. This means that its molecules bind to the receptors in the cell membranes found in the pancreas, which are meant for glucagon. Glucagon is a natural substance produced in the pancreas that increases blood sugar levels (an action that is opposite in nature to insulin, a substance that lowers blood sugar levels).  Liraglutide is similar to glucagon and it acts by reducing the secretion of this substance. It therefore offsets the natural action of glucagon and enhances insulin secretion, thereby exerting a hypoglycemic effect (lowers blood sugar levels). It has also been found to slow gastric emptying, which results in a longer feeling of fullness. It is associated with a reduction of appetite, which may also lead to weight loss. Liraglutide is a long-acting drug that may be used once a day.

Three large clinical trials consistently showed that compared to placebo, liraglutide, when used at a dose of 3 mg/day for several weeks (20-56 weeks) in combination with a low calorie diet and increased physical activity, significantly reduced weight in obese participants. One study also showed that it produced greater weight loss than orlistat, another approved drug for the treatment of obesity. A weight loss of at least 5% from the original weight is considered as significant weight loss. Aside from this, researchers also found that some participants who used liraglutide were more likely to lose at least 10% of their weight than those who used placebo.

Aside from weight loss, studies showed that the use of liraglutide at 3mg/day led to other positive results, which included improvement of blood sugar levels in prediabetic and diabetic patients, lowering of high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, and relief of sleep apnea. These suggest that liraglutide has the potential not only to promote weight loss, but also to prevent obesity-related medical conditions.

Long Term Effects Of Liraglutide

Since liraglutide is a relatively new drug, more studies have to be done to evaluate its long term effects. Although the initial results of the studies are encouraging, experts warn that its positive effects may only be achieved by combining its use with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Furthermore, in spite of studies showing that it is well tolerated, like any drug, liraglutide has some side effects. The most common adverse effects reported were nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, and low blood sugar. Serious side effects may include acute pancreatitis and acute gallstone disease, which are usually associated with significant weight loss. Other possible side effects include an increase in heart rate, renal impairment and suicidal thoughts.

Animal studies have shown that liraglutide injection may increase the risk that of developing malignant tumors of the thyroid gland, which may cause death if not treated early. Therefore, experts warn that people who have thyroid disorders, particularly a thyroid gland tumor, or a family history of the disease, should not use the drug.

See Also: Treating Gut Bacteria May Treat Diabetes

Disclaimer:

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and not meant to constitute or substitute professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor if you intend to use liraglutide for lowering blood sugar levels or for weight loss purposes.