Metformin vs Saxenda. The drugs are for weight loss. The medications are different, but they often use them together as they complement each other.
| Criteria | Metformin | Saxenda |
| Active substance | Metformin | Liraglutide |
| Brand | Fortamet, Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, Riomet | Saxenda |
| Appearance | Film-coated tablets. | Injection pen pre-filled with active substance solution. |
| Action |
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| Action duration | 4.5 hours | 13 hours |
| Interaction with other drugs | 355 drugs | 250 drugs |
| Common possible side effects | Diarrhea; Nausea; Vomiting. | |
| Specific side effects |
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Can you take Metformin and Saxenda together
Since these are different drugs for weight loss, a logical question arises: Can I take Metformin and Saxenda at the same time for better weight loss results?
Yes. Metformin and Saxenda interaction lead to no adverse results.
In 2016, two independent teams of researchers carried out a meta-analysis of the possible combined use of the above drugs.
It demonstrates that combining Saxenda with Metformin doesn’t increase the risk of hypoglycemia. You should consider that their combined use leads to:
- the growing incidence of gastrointestinal disorders;
- the increased frequency of headaches and back pain.
At the same time, symptoms are moderate or mild.
The study confirmed that using Liraglutide as an addition to Metformin is effective and safe for patients with type 2 diabetes. Moreover, with this combination, weight loss is much more effective than with the separate use of the drugs (on average, body weight decreases by 2.13 kg a month).
Conclusion
In medicine, there is a notion of “complex treatment”. It means taking two or more drugs complementing each other.
In this case, there are two effective medications. Can you take Saxenda and Metformin together? Yes, you can combine them to solve the problem of weight loss. You can take the first drug as injections and the second drug as tablets. The result can be more effective, despite a minor risk of GI problems.
Discuss this option with your doctor or, if you are not sure whether to go for mono- or combined therapy, ask him which is better for weight loss (Saxenda and Metformin, or a different combination).
