From the Guidelines
Liraglutide commonly causes gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation, especially when starting treatment, as reported in the most recent study 1. These effects typically improve over time as your body adjusts to the medication. Other potential side effects include:
- Headache
- Decreased appetite
- Injection site reactions
- Dizziness More serious but rare side effects include:
- Pancreatitis (severe abdominal pain that may radiate to your back)
- Gallbladder problems
- Kidney issues
- Allergic reactions There is also a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors, though this risk is primarily based on animal studies. When starting liraglutide, it's recommended to begin with a low dose (0.6 mg daily for Victoza or as prescribed for Saxenda) and gradually increase to minimize side effects, as suggested by the 2023 guidelines 1. Stay hydrated and eat smaller, more frequent meals to help manage gastrointestinal symptoms. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, yellowing of skin/eyes, or signs of allergic reaction. These side effects occur because liraglutide, as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, slows gastric emptying and affects the digestive system while mimicking the incretin hormone that regulates blood sugar and appetite, as explained in the 2023 review 1. It's essential to weigh the benefits of liraglutide against the potential risks and side effects, considering the individual patient's health status and medical history, as discussed in the 2022 consensus report 1. Regular monitoring and follow-up with a healthcare provider can help mitigate potential side effects and ensure the safe and effective use of liraglutide, as recommended by the 2020 expert consensus decision pathway 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
The following additional adverse reactions have been reported during post-approval use of VICTOZA. Because these events are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is generally not possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure • Gastrointestinal: Acute pancreatitis, hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis sometimes resulting in death, ileus • General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: Allergic reactions: rash and pruritus • Hepatobiliary: Elevations of liver enzymes, hyperbilirubinemia, cholestasis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis requiring cholecystectomy, hepatitis • Immune system: Angioedema and anaphylactic reactions • Metabolism and nutrition: Dehydration resulting from nausea, vomiting and diarrhea • Neoplasms: Medullary thyroid carcinoma • Nervous system: Dysgeusia, dizziness • Pulmonary: Pulmonary aspiration has occurred in patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists undergoing elective surgeries or procedures requiring general anesthesia or deep sedation • Renal and urinary: Increased serum creatinine, acute renal failure or worsening of chronic renal failure, sometimes requiring hemodialysis. • Skin and subcutaneous tissue: Cutaneous amyloidosis
Liraglutide side effects include:
- Gastrointestinal: acute pancreatitis, hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis, ileus
- General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: allergic reactions (rash and pruritus)
- Hepatobiliary: elevations of liver enzymes, hyperbilirubinemia, cholestasis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, hepatitis
- Immune system: angioedema and anaphylactic reactions
- Metabolism and nutrition: dehydration resulting from nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Neoplasms: medullary thyroid carcinoma
- Nervous system: dysgeusia, dizziness
- Pulmonary: pulmonary aspiration
- Renal and urinary: increased serum creatinine, acute renal failure, worsening of chronic renal failure
- Skin and subcutaneous tissue: cutaneous amyloidosis 2 2 2
From the Research
Liraglutide Side Effects
- The most common side effects of Liraglutide are constipation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, indigestion, and loss of appetite 3.
- In rare cases, symptoms of thyroid cancer, pancreatitis, and hypoglycemia have been reported 3.
- Drug-induced liver injury (DILL) is an extremely rare side effect of Liraglutide 3.
- Liraglutide treatment has been found to be effective and safe in some studies, while others have warned about its risks 4.
- The drug has been shown to improve glycemic control, reduce cardiovascular events, and have positive effects on blood pressure and lipid profile 5, 6.
- There is no clear evidence of an association between Liraglutide and an increased risk of pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer 7.
Rare but Serious Side Effects
- Pancreatitis: although there is a suggested association between GLP-1 receptor agonists and pancreatitis, a meta-analysis found no clear evidence of risk 7.
- Pancreatic cancer: data on pancreatic cancer are too scarce to draw any conclusion 7.
- Thyroid cancer: rare cases have been reported, but the exact risk is not well established 3.
- Hypoglycemia: rare cases have been reported, especially when used in combination with other diabetes medications 3.
- Drug-induced liver injury (DILL): extremely rare, but physicians should be aware of the potential risk 3.