Why does Saxenda make you tired and 4 ways to boost energy levels

September 22. 2023

Feeling tired or slightly exhausted is quite normal, especially if you lead a busy life. But when you start feeling fatigued all the time, that could be a warning sign of an underlying issue, such as your body not absorbing nutrients or a drug’s adverse effect. And what about weight loss medical programs? Does Saxenda make you tired?

Tiredness is a common side effect of many medications; while that symptom often goes away when you stop taking the medicine, it can be an uncomfortable side effect. Fatigue may prevent you from tackling all the tasks you have during the day or take the joy out of performing activities you love. Saxenda and other GLP-1 agonist medications may cause tiredness, along with other adverse effects. When starting a new medication, learning more about potential symptoms and how to manage them is crucial. Continue reading this article, where we discuss how does saxenda work, its different side effects, and how to overcome them without disrupting your weight loss.

Saxenda: an overview

Have you heard of GLP-1 receptor agonist medications for weight loss? They have become trendy in the last couple of years due to their high success rate in body weight reduction. Some of these drugs include Ozempic weight loss, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. Saxenda belongs to this drug class, but in fact, this medication was launched many years ago; it got the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval back in 2014.

Novo Nordisk pharmaceutical company developed Saxenda after discovering that Victoza – a type 2 diabetes mellitus medication – was aiding patients with weight loss. The pharmaceutical put liraglutide (Victoza’s active ingredient) under clinical trials, which showed how efficient this drug is in promoting body weight reduction. And that was how Saxenda came to life as one of its class’s first official anti-obesity drugs.

Healthcare providers can prescribe Saxenda for weight management, a healthy meal plan, and increased physical activity. When individuals combine those three tools – Saxenda, diet, and exercise – they lose an average of 6.4% body weight. A smaller percentage of users can even manage to lose up to 10%.

Doctors can prescribe Saxenda to adults and adolescents, which presents a considerable advance in the medical weight loss industry. Adolescents must be between the ages of 12-17 with a body weight equal to or over 132 lbs (60kg) and obesity. For adults over 18 years old, eligibility criteria include:

• Obesity – a body mass index of 30 or higher.
• Overweight – BMI equal to 27 or higher – and a weight-related health condition.

How does it promote weight loss?

Saxenda promotes weight loss by reducing hunger, like popular appetite suppressant supplements such as Phentermine for weight loss. Liraglutide, Saxenda’s active compound, is an incretin mimetic that activates the GLP-1 incretin hormone. GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide, is a gut hormone that works in our digestive system and the hunger area of the brain.

GLP-1 activates after we eat; when we eat food, the GLP-1 hormone starts to work to prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high. That is why GLP-1 receptor agonists are common among type 2 diabetes medications. The GLP-1 hormone signals the pancreas to release more insulin to get glucose (sugar) out of the bloodstream and into the cells. That is a normal process our bodies do every time we have a meal or eat a snack. GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs prolonge the half-life of this hormone, enhancing its effects. As a result, Saxenda produces a slow gastric emptying; food intake travels slower through your digestive system. When it takes longer for food intake to exit your stomach, you will be satisfied faster and feel full for longer.

The GLP-1 hormone effect doesn’t stop at your digestive system. That hormone also works in the hunger region of the brain, also known as the hypothalamus. GLP-1 receptor agonists signal the hypothalamus to stop food-seeking behavior, promoting more significant appetitive suppression.

How long does it take for Saxenda to work? That depends on how each person’s body reacts to the drug and their lifestyle – nutritional habits and amount of physical activity. Typically, individuals who commit to a diet and regular exercise start experiencing significant weight loss with Saxenda after eight weeks.

What are Saxenda’s side effects?

Saxenda, like most weight management medications, comes with a list of potential common, not-so-common, and rare side effects. Those adverse effects range from mild to severe, and you must discuss them with your weight loss healthcare professional before taking the medication.

The most common side effects of Saxenda include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Saxenda constipation
• Stomach upset
• Headaches

Most individuals on a Saxenda medical weight loss program get those symptoms when their doctor increases the dose or right after they get their shot. Typically, these side effects disappear once the body gets used to the highest dosage. Other common side effects of Saxenda, though not so usual, are feeling dizzy, weakness, tiredness, change in taste, difficulty sleeping, and reactions around the injection area.

While rare, Saxenda may cause the following severe side effects: inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), low blood sugar, gallbladder problems, kidney disease, increased heart rate, mood changes, and severe allergic reactions.

Your healthcare provider will advise you not to take Saxenda if you are taking other GLP-1 receptor medications or other drugs to lower blood sugar levels, you have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, a family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, are allergic to liraglutide, are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant. In such cases, talk with your weight loss clinic in Chicago about other medications or treatments that better suit your particular situation.

What is fatigue?

Let’s dive deeper into what it means to feel fatigued and when it presents a concern. Everybody feels tired here and there; most people find a solution to their tiredness by taking a nap or resting during the weekend. But feeling fatigued, or tired all the time, differs from feeling a bit tired. Fatigue is characterized by being extremely tired or exhausted all the time, regardless of your lifestyle. Individuals with fatigue lack the energy to perform everyday regular tasks, and they usually feel burned out – physically and mentally – after doing any activity.

Fatigue doesn’t just go away with enjoying a good nap in your cozy bed. That is because fatigue is often a symptom, not a condition. A symptom of what? An underlying health condition like anemia or depression, lack of essential nutrients in your diet, or the side effects of medications.

Apart from feeling exhausted, extreme tiredness may also cause:

• Excessive sleeping
• Irritability
• Depression
• Changes in mood
• Lack of motivation
• Headaches
• Reduced concentration

Fatigue presents many hazards to a person’s overall health and lifestyle. If you feel excessively tired for no apparent reason, consult your doctor about the possible causes and solutions.

Does Saxenda make you tired?

As mentioned in the Saxenda side effects sections of this article, tiredness is among the potential symptoms of taking Saxenda for weight loss. While not a common side effect, some patients have reported feeling unusually tired when taking this anti-obesity medication. Around 1 out of 10 individuals on Saxenda experience tiredness during the medical weight loss program. Generally, that symptom goes away after about two months into the treatment.

Why does Saxenda make you tired? Unfortunately, the reason why Saxenda causes tiredness in some people is still unknown. Nevertheless, medical experts think that symptom is related to the effect the medication has on the body and other side effects. Saxenda reduces appetite; therefore, when taking this medication, you will feel less hungry and eat less. While that is an excellent advantage to achieving weight loss, if you follow a poor diet and don’t consume enough carbohydrates and essential nutrients, you are likelier to feel weak and tired during the day. Just like there are foods to avoid while on Saxenda, there are others to include to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and full of energy.

Saxenda can also cause low blood sugar levels, especially if combined with type 2 diabetes mellitus medications or insulin. Weakness and feeling tired are two common symptoms of Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels).

In some rare cases, Saxenda may cause difficulty sleeping during the first months of the treatment. A lack of quality sleep will undeniably result in tiredness.

How to overcome tiredness caused by Saxenda

Does Saxenda make you tired and disrupt your routine? Feeling exhausted all the time can make it difficult to perform essential tasks or even take the joy out of activities you used to love. If you are experiencing tiredness during the first part of the Saxeda treatment, these are some ways to boost vitality and feel full of energy again:

Follow a nutritional diet

Saxenda reduces your appetite, so you can stick to a low-calorie diet and lose weight. But a low-calorie meal plan doesn’t mean eating poorly or too little. Your body still needs you to feed it properly while on your weight loss journey. Carbohydrates are our body’s primary fuel source; without them, you would feel weak and tired. Include healthy carbs, such as whole bread, whole grains, brown rice, and oats, that don’t prompt weight gain. You can talk to a dietitian about crafting the perfect Saxenda meal plan.

Perform more exercise

We know that after legs day at the gym, your legs feel like nuddles; all you want to do is lay on the couch and not lift a finger. But trust us; once you get past that I can’t move my body part, you will feel more rejuvenated than ever. If the joy of burning fat and being closer to your dream weight doesn’t feel like enough reason to work out, studies show that while you perform physical activity, your body releases endorphins that naturally boost energy levels. Plus, exercise improves sleep, which takes us to our next tip to feel more energy.

Get enough sleep

It is no secret that we need our beauty sleep for our brains to rest, reseat, and feel ready to tackle the day. Between a full-time job, studies, children, family commitments, social time, and Instagram scrolling, getting eight straight hours of sleep seems mission impossible. It is a challenge for most of us, but we encourage you to develop a healthy sleeping schedule. You can try relaxation methods such as yoga or meditation or put your phone down half an hour before going to bed. Those tips will help you sleep better and feel amazing the morning after.

Ditch alcohol

We can see you frowning your eyebrows from the other side of the screen, thinking, How will I survive my household craziness without my evening glass of wine? Don’t panic; we don’t mean you have to quit alcohol altogether, but reducing alcohol consumption as much as possible will help you feel more energized. The truth is, alcoholic drinks significantly threaten your cause – losing weight and looking your best. Alcohol makes you feel sleepy and adds empty calories to your diet; besides, Saxenda and alcohol could even be a dangerous combination.

Final thoughts

Does Saxenda make you tired? Yes, this medication can make you feel exhausted, but you can do plenty to overcome this issue. And look at the bright side: most ways to boost your energy levels will also enhance your weight loss. If you ask us, that is a win-win situation. Are you ready to level up your weight loss efforts and feel more energized than ever? Schedule a call with our team and start improving your life today.

Author

Nurse Walton

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Chanay received her Practical Nurse licensure and went to work in clinical specialties such as Home Health, Assisted Living, Long-Term Care and Dialysis Centers. Through this work, she realized the importance of diet, nutrition and weight loss among her patients. This led her to open A Better Weigh, Inc. Medical Weight Loss Center in 2009.