Ozempic vs. Victoza: Which Is Better for Me?
Ozempic (semaglutide) and Victoza (liraglutide) are prescription drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems. Both drugs come as an injection. Ozempic and Victoza are not available as generic drugs.
This article explains the main ways that Ozempic and Victoza are alike and different. For more information about these drugs, including details about their uses, see the in-depth articles on Ozempic and Victoza.
Ozempic contains the active ingredient semaglutide. Victoza contains the active ingredient liraglutide.
Semaglutide and liraglutide belong to the same drug class, called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists. (A drug class is a group of medications that work in a similar way.)
Ozempic and Victoza are both used to:
- Help lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes (along with diet and exercise).
- Help reduce the risk for certain cardiovascular (heart- or blood vessel-related) problems in adults with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Examples of these problems include heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular issues.
Victoza is also used to:
Pre-tax flexible spending accounts (FSAs) are often touted as the answer to high out-of-pocket medical costs, but many FSAs have “use it or lose it” rules. FSA holders lose $50 to $100 per year on average, CBS News reported, but since you’re allowed to contribute up to $2,650, you could risk losing thousands of dollars if you don’t spend your FSA money in time.
- Help lower blood sugar levels in children ages 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes (when used with diet and exercise).
Both drugs can be used alone or with other diabetes medications.
If you have questions about Ozempic’s or Victoza’s uses, talk with your doctor.
Ozempic and Victoza don’t interact with any foods. That means there aren’t any foods you need to avoid during your treatment with either drug. In addition, both drugs may be used with or without food.
However, a common side effect with both Ozempic and Victoza is nausea. If you experience nausea, eating bland foods may help you feel better during your treatment. Examples of these foods include toast, crackers, or rice. Also, it may help to avoid fried or fatty foods.
Some other drugs used for diabetes and heart disease may interact with certain foods. Your doctor may have you use other diabetes drugs along with Ozempic or Victoza to lower your blood sugar. For example, metformin, a common diabetes drug, may interact with grapefruit juice.
And if you take certain statin drugs, such as atorvastatin ( Lipitor) or simvastatin (Zocor) for high cholesterol, you may need to avoid grapefruit juice, too.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you aren’t sure if you should avoid certain foods with your medications.
Ozempic and Victoza are not approved for weight loss or weight management. However, some people using Ozempic and Victoza in studies did lose weight. (Although in certain studies, when Victoza was taken with other diabetes medications, some people lost weight, and others gained weight.)
In some cases, Ozempic or Victoza may be prescribed off-label for weight management. With off-label use, a drug that’s approved for certain conditions is prescribed for another purpose.
Although Ozempic and Victoza aren’t currently approved for weight management, other diabetes drugs are used for this purpose. For example, Saxenda (liraglutide), which has the same active drug as Victoza, is used for weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes.
Saxenda can’t be used with either Ozempic or Victoza. If you’re interested in learning more about Saxenda or other weight management treatments, talk with your doctor.
Both Ozempic and Victoza come as liquid solutions that are available as pens. Both drugs are given as a subcutaneous injection (an injection under your skin).
The key difference between Ozempic and Victoza is how often they’re used. Ozempic is injected once per week, while Victoza is injected once per day.
Ozempic and Victoza can be injected into any of the following injection sites:
- abdomen (belly)
- thigh
- upper arm
For more information, check out these instructions on how to inject Ozempic and Victoza.
Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering these drugs. Keep in mind that what you’ll pay for either drug will depend on your treatment plan, health insurance coverage if you have it, and the pharmacy you use.
Both Ozempic and Victoza are brand-name drugs. There currently isn’t a generic version of either medication. (A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication that’s made from chemicals.) You’ll usually pay more for brand-name drugs than for generics.
Like all medications, Ozempic and Victoza may cause side effects. The most common side effects of either drug are usually mild. They may be easily managed or go away on their own. However, serious side effects are possible and can require emergency medical care.
See the sections below to learn about side effects of either drug. And for more information about possible side effects, see these in-depth articles about side effects of Ozempic and Victoza.
Mild side effects
Ozempic and Victoza may cause mild side effects in some people. The chart below lists examples of mild side effects that can most commonly occur with these drugs.
| Ozempic | Victoza | |
| Nausea | X | X |
| Vomiting | X | X |
| Diarrhea | X | X |
| Stomach pain | X | |
| Constipation | X | X |
| Indigestion (upset stomach) | X | |
| Decreased appetite | X | |
| Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)* | X | X |
| Headache | X |
* In rare cases, hypoglycemia from either Ozempic or Victoza can be serious. For more information, see the prescribing information for Ozempic and Victoza
This chart does not include all mild side effects of these drugs. For more information on mild side effects of either drug, see the prescribing information for Ozempic and Victoza.
Serious side effects
In addition to the mild side effects described above, serious side effects may occur in people using Ozempic or Victoza. In general, serious side effects from these drugs are rare.
The chart below lists the possible serious side effect of these drugs.
| Ozempic | Victoza | |
| Pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas) | X | X |
| Diabetic retinopathy (blood vessel damage in the eye) | X | |
| Kidney problems* | X | X |
| Thyroid cancer† | X | X |
| Gallbladder disease | X | |
| Allergic reaction | X | X |
* It’s possible that dehydration from other side effects (such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting) may cause kidney problems or make your kidney problems worse.
† Ozempic and Victoza both have a boxed warning for an increased risk of thyroid cancer. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). To learn more, see the “What are the warnings of Ozempic and Victoza?” section below.
You may wonder whether Ozempic and Victoza are effective at treating your condition.
Effectiveness for managing blood sugar levels
Ozempic and Victoza are both used (along with diet and exercise) to help lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Both drugs have been found to be effective for this use. One study found that Ozempic may be slightly better than Victoza at lowering blood sugar.
This same study found that Ozempic may be more likely to cause side effects than Victoza, though. And people using Ozempic were more likely to stop treatment due to side effects than people using Victoza. However, more research is needed to confirm these results.
Effectiveness for lowering cardiovascular risks
Ozempic and Victoza are also used in adults with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease to lower the risk of certain cardiovascular problems (related to the heart or blood vessels). Examples of these problems include heart attack, stroke, or death from heart issues.
A large review of studies compared Ozempic, Victoza, and other medications in the same drug class for this use. The study found that all the drugs reviewed, including Ozempic and Victoza, lowered the risk of cardiovascular problems, including death from heart issues.
In addition, the American Diabetes Association’s treatment guidelines recommend GLP-1 agonists (the drug class Ozempic and Victoza belong to) as a treatment option for adults with type 2 diabetes who have cardiovascular disease.
If you’d like to read more about how each drug performed in studies, see the prescribing information for Ozempic and Victoza.
Ozempic or Victoza may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. Talk with your doctor about your health history before you take either drug.
Boxed warnings
Both Ozempic and Victoza have a boxed warning for the risk of thyroid cancer. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.
Both drugs have caused thyroid cancer in animals. However, it’s unclear if these drugs raise the risk of thyroid cancer in humans. You should not use either drug if you’ve had a rare condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you or a family member has ever had medullary thyroid cancer.
During treatment with Ozempic or Victoza, tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of thyroid cancer. Examples of these symptoms may include a lump in your neck, trouble swallowing, shortness of breath, or a scratchy voice. You may need to stop treatment if you experience these symptoms.
Other warnings
In addition to the boxed warning, Ozempic and Victoza have other warnings.
Before using Ozempic or Victoza, with your doctor if any of the following conditions or health factors apply to you.
- Warnings for Ozempic:
- diabetic retinopathy
- slow digestion or digestive problems
- Warnings for Ozempic and Victoza:
- pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas)
- kidney problems
- severe allergic reaction
- pregnancy
- breastfeeding
This list may not include all warnings associated with these drugs.
For more information about these drugs, see the in-depth articles on Ozempic and Victoza.
The short answer: Yes, you can switch from using one of these drugs to the other.
Details: If your doctor wants you to switch medications, it’s important to follow their instructions on how to do so safely.
You may have to wait a certain amount of time between using the two medications. This is because Ozempic is taken once per week and Victoza is taken once per day.
If your doctor has you switch from Ozempic to Victoza, you should wait 1 week after your last Ozempic dose to start Victoza. If you’re switching from Victoza to Ozempic, you’ll take your first Ozempic dose the day after you take your last dose of Victoza.
When switching drugs, your doctor will determine the dosage of the new drug that’s right for you. They may start you on a lower dose and increase your dose over time.
Reminder: You should not switch drugs or stop your current treatment unless your doctor recommends it.
If you have type 2 diabetes, Ozempic and Victoza may be treatment options to help manage your blood sugar levels. And if you also have cardiovascular disease, both drugs can help lower your risk for heart attack, stroke, or death from heart problems.
Both drugs are given by subcutaneous injection (an injection under your skin). But one key difference between these drugs is how often they’re used. Ozempic is injected once per week, while Victoza is injected once per day.
To learn more about either of these drugs, talk with your doctor. They can determine whether one of these drugs may be right for you. Some questions that might be helpful to ask your doctor include:
- Would Ozempic or Victoza interact with any medications I’m taking?
- Do I have a higher risk for side effects from Ozempic or Victoza?
- How many calories per day should I consume while taking Ozempic or Victoza?
- Can I still inject my insulin at the usual times while taking Ozempic or Victoza?
To learn more about Ozempic, see these articles:
- All About Ozempic
- All About Ozempic’s Dosage
- Ozempic and Cost: What You Need to Know
- Ozempic Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others
- Ozempic vs. Trulicity: What You Should Know
- Side Effects of Ozempic: What You Need to Know
To learn more about Victoza, see these articles:
- All About Victoza
- All About Victoza’s Dosage
- Side Effects of Victoza: What You Need to Know
- Trulicity vs. Victoza: What You Should Know
- Victoza and Cost: What You Need to Know
To get information on different conditions and tips for improving your health, subscribe to any of Austra Health’s newsletters. You may also want to check out the online communities at Bezzy. It’s a place where people with certain conditions can find support and connect with others.
