Do weight loss injections help with sustainable weight loss?

Embarking on a weight loss journey can feel intimidating, especially if you've tried a myriad of diets and exercise programmes in the past. While you might experience initial success with these methods, regaining weight is also incredibly common.

If diet and exercise changes aren't making enough of an impact on your body weight (because diets generally don't work for sustainable weight loss!), you're probably on the lookout for an alternative — this is where weight loss medication can help.

Prescription weight loss treatment has been available in the UK for several years now, but has become increasingly popular recently.

And, while the thought of self-administering an injection can feel daunting, weight loss medication can help support long-term healthy weight management and overall health, especially for those dealing with weight-related health conditions.

To gain a better understanding of how weight loss injections work and how much weight you can expect to lose, we've compiled a handy guide for you. Here's what you need to know.

How effective are weight loss injections?

Weight loss injections like Wegovy and Mounjaro have been shown to be highly effective in supporting weight reduction.

While diet and exercise remain important tools, they're not always enough on their own. Many people struggle to lose weight due to biological and metabolic factors that can make it harder to maintain a healthy weight long term.

This is where weight loss injections can help. By working with your body's natural appetite and metabolic signals, they help make weight loss more achievable and sustainable.

How do weight loss injections help you lose weight?

Losing weight through lifestyle changes alone can be incredibly difficult and at times, it might feel like your body is working against you. Weight loss medications can help by supporting key appetite and metabolic patterns.

The medication mimics a naturally occurring hormone called glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1), which helps regulate hunger and blood sugar. Some treatments also act on a second hormone, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), to enhance these effects.

The medication used in Juniper's Weight Reset Programme works like GLP-1 by suppressing your appetite and increasing the feelings of fullness. This makes it easier for your body to maintain a lower weight, meaning you won't have to fight so hard to keep the weight off.

When combined with lifestyle changes (such as a reduced calorie diet and consistent workout routine), you can expect to see immediate and long-term progress.

Want to see real results? Explore our patient weight loss transformations.

What is the best injection for weight loss?

Certain weight loss medications are slightly more effective than others for weight loss outcomes, but generally, weight loss injections are incredibly effective, especially when coupled with lifestyle and behavioural changes.

There are 2 medication options on our Weight Reset Programme — the first is Wegovy, which contains the active ingredient semaglutide, and the second is Mounjaro, which contains tirzepatide.

Both of these medications lead to impressive weight loss — semaglutide can lead to a 15% average weight loss in 12 months, while tirzepatide can lead to a 19.5% average body weight loss in 52 weeks, thanks to the dual action of GLP-1 and GIP hormones [5][6].

Although studies show Mounjaro may lead to greater weight loss, Wegovy remains a highly effective and well-established treatment.

Not sure which option might suit you best? Here's how Mounjaro compares to Wegovy in terms of effectiveness, dosing and results.

Which weight loss injections are available in the UK?

There are now several GLP-1 and GIP-based weight loss medicines available in the UK, each with unique benefits:

• Wegovy (semaglutide): A weekly injection that reduces appetite and increases satiety. Available via the NHS (for those meeting strict criteria) and private clinics like Juniper.
• Mounjaro (tirzepatide): A newer treatment that mimics both GLP-1 and GIP hormones. Also available with a prescription or via the NHS, with limited access due to eligibility requirements.
• Ozempic (semaglutide): Shares the same active ingredient as Wegovy, but is licensed for type 2 diabetes, not weight loss. While some patients have used it off-label to manage weight, availability is limited due to prioritisation for diabetes care.
• Saxenda (liraglutide): A daily GLP-1 injection, Saxenda was one of the first medications of its kind. While effective, it generally leads to less weight loss than newer weekly options like Wegovy.

Do weight loss tablets work better than injections?

While weight loss injections have become more popular in recent years, weight loss tablets are still another form of treatment that may help some people lose weight, especially when combined with a low-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

The most well-known weight loss medication available in tablet form is Orlistat, a treatment that works by reducing the amount of fat your body absorbs from food. This can be effective for some, but results tend to be more modest compared to GLP-1-based weight loss treatments like Wegovy or Mounjaro.

Who can use a weight loss injection?

Weight loss injections aren't suitable for everyone. Healthcare professionals usually assess your eligibility using your body mass index (BMI), along with any existing health conditions.

They may prescribe weight loss injections if you have:

• A body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more (clinically obese); or
• A BMI of 27 or more (significantly overweight) and you also have a medical condition that is often caused, or made worse, by excess body weight.

How to access prescription weight loss treatment

After chatting with a healthcare professional or through an online consultation with a Juniper clinician, you may be prescribed a weight loss injection alongside nutritional advice and lifestyle support.

These medications are most effective when used as part of a holistic programme that includes healthy eating, increased physical activity, and expert guidance.

This combined approach can also help improve other health conditions, such as high cholesterol or blood pressure.

How are weight loss injections administered?

Before you begin taking your medication, your clinician will run you through how to administer it. While it can feel intimidating to self-administer the injection, the needle in the injection pen is tiny and only feels like a small prick.

Each pen is pre-filled with your medication that needs to be administered once a week for the duration of your treatment. And, when you're done, you simply dispose of the pen in a sharps container.

The injection is given in the subcutaneous (fatty) layer of the upper arm, abdomen, or thigh, and should be rotated regularly. Since the medication is protein-based, oral versions wouldn't work as they'd be broken down in the digestive system.

If you feel unsure about injecting yourself, speak with your Juniper clinician for support and tips.

Why does Juniper prescribe semaglutide?

Juniper’s Weight Reset Programme combines medication, health coaching and ongoing support to help you lose weight and keep it off.

We prescribe either semaglutide (Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro) because both are clinically proven to:

• Suppress appetite
• Reduce cravings
• Help you feel fuller for longer

These medications also target reward centres in the brain, helping to change patterns around eating. Our programme focuses on long-term behavioural change, supported by UK-based clinicians and health coaches.

How much weight can you lose with weight loss injections?

It's difficult to make an accurate prediction of the average weight loss you'll experience because you're starting with a unique set of factors, such as your age, current weight, metabolism rate and potentially navigating a range of other health conditions, too.

What we do know is that the medication used in these injections has helped our patients at Juniper to drop body weight within the first few weeks.

There are 2 recent studies that give us more specific insights into the rate of weight loss you might expect on semaglutide medications like Wegovy. In a 2017 study, one-quarter of patients lost more than 10% of their body weight after 5 months of this weight loss treatment [1]. At 20 weeks, more than half (76.1%) of this control group had lost more than 5% of body weight and 28.3% had lost more than 10%.

In a most recent 2020 study from the International Journal of Obesity, patients had lost 12.1% after a year of using this treatment [2]. The key to their success was introducing a range of behavioural changes (nearly twice as much versus behavioural changes alone).

Mounjaro, on the other hand, has been shown to outperform other GLP-1 medications. One study found an average of 19.5% body weight loss in patients on Mounjaro after 52 weeks, compared to average patients on semaglutide who lost an average of 13.8% body weight over the same number of weeks [7][8].

How long does it take for the medication to work?

As we mentioned, these medications work by suppressing appetite. It's a much less invasive approach to other weight-loss strategies, such as weight loss surgery or bariatric surgery. But you might be wondering: when will you start seeing results?

Most of our patients here at Juniper start to see weight loss within the first few weeks of treatment. However, if you're navigating any weight-related medical problems or chronic disease, you may need to stay on the treatment for longer to see results.

A quick chat with your UK clinician will be able to give you more confidence in terms of what results you can expect, based on your body and health needs.

How long should you use weight loss injections?

Your clinician will monitor your progress closely over the first 12 weeks of your treatment. If you've experienced at least a 5% loss of your starting weight, you'll be able to continue treatment.

Typically, your treatment will last anywhere from 9-12 months [3].

What diet should you follow while on this medication?

Your clinician will help you create a diet plan to support your weight loss when using this treatment. Given your appetite is lowered, you might notice you're only craving smaller portions as you're feeling fuller, sooner.

In general terms, you can expect to be prescribed a healthy balanced diet that is low in unhealthy fats and sugars and rich in nourishing grains, fruits and vegetables.

What are the side effects of weight loss injections?

While this treatment is completely safe, there are some common side effects you might encounter. The most common are nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation.

Plus, the less common side effects to watch out for include:

• Hypoglycaemia (if you're also taking diabetes medications)
• Pancreatitis
• Gallbladder problems
• Thyroid problems
• Kidney impairment
• Depression
• Suicidal thoughts

Make sure to speak with your clinician and explain your medical history thoroughly to ensure this treatment is right for you.

When it comes to losing weight, seeking medical support through the form of a weight-loss injection is a safe and effective approach. This treatment can help you reset your metabolism, reach a healthy weight and maintain it over the long term.

Who shouldn’t use medications for weight loss?

Most people can use these weight loss treatments safely, but some medicines and medical conditions might make it unsuitable for you due to increased safety risks [4].

Some of the reasons you shouldn't use these medications for weight loss (or we may need to give you special advice) are:

• An allergy to any of the ingredients;
• Diabetes and taking insulin or certain other medicines;
• Kidney problems;
• Certain digestive system problems;
• History of an eating disorder;
• Pregnancy, breastfeeding or trying to have a baby

This isn't a complete list, so when you have a consultation with a Juniper prescriber, we'll make sure that the medication is suitable for your individual circumstances before prescribing it.

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