For many people, the choice of using a pill rather than a needle might just come down to personal preference. Though enough people have tolerated self-administered injections to make the first wave of GLP-1 drugs into global blockbusters, some experts think that pills will ultimately be more attractive to most consumers.
“Generally, pills are easier to use, and people do not want to use injections forever,” says Caroline Apovian, MD, the codirector of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “Instead, they are better able to understand using pills forever.”
Daily GLP-1 Pills
There are now two approved daily GLP-1 weight loss pills:
- semaglutide (Wegovy)
- orforglipron (Foundayo)
They come with slightly different dosing instructions. The semaglutide pill must be taken on an empty stomach, ideally in the morning, 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything but a small amount of water (up to half a cup). Ignoring these instructions can reduce the pill’s efficacy. The orforglipron pill can be taken at any time of day without food or water restrictions.
Weekly GLP-1 Injections
There are two approved weekly GLP-1 injections for weight loss:
- semaglutide (Wegovy)
- tirzepatide (Zepbound)
A third option, liraglutide (Saxenda), is also approved for weight loss. This is a daily injection, rather than a weekly injection, and it has a somewhat less powerful effect on body weight.
Most injectable GLP-1s come in a pen-shaped device to which the user attaches a small disposable needle, though certain cost-saving programs instead provide a small glass vial of the medicine, which the user draws up with a syringe. Whether you’re using a pen or a syringe, you inject medication into your skin, on your stomach, outer thighs, upper buttocks, or the backs of your arms.
Some people may stay away from injections because they have a fear of needles, known as trypanophobia. It’s also possible to have allergic reactions at injection sites.
There are no universal food or beverage restrictions for GLP-1 injections. You should dispose of pens and needles in an approved sharps container.
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