Weight Loss Injection Proving Effective For Overweight, Obese Patients

WOODLAND HILLS (CBSLA) — An injectable weight loss drug is proving effective and providing some patients with results, according to a Woodland Hills endocrinologist.

Two years ago, the drug Liraglutide, commonly referred to by its brand name, Saxenda, became the first FDA approved weight loss injection.

Saxenda, which was first approved as a diabetes drug, is a hormone based on one naturally made by the body's intestines.

"It comes out after we eat it binds to receptors in the brain that tell us you are full," Woodland Hills endocrinologist Ian Yip told CBS2.

While the natural hormone begins to dissipate within minutes of a meal, after taking Saxenda, the feel-full hormone lasts for hours.

Health officials say the shot is not for everyone and is intended for people who are obese or overweight.

Use of the drug does come with side effects, the most common being nausea and upset stomach.

The drug costs around $1,000 a month and is not covered by all insurance plans.

Dr. Yip says among his patients, the average weight loss is between 5 to 10 percent of the patients starting body weight.