Wegovy vs. Trulicity: Understanding The Differences

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

About

Constance Tambakis Odom, MD graduated in 1987 with her Doctorate of Medicine from the New York Medical College, and was an Anesthesiologist Resident from 1988 to 1991 at the Brookdale Medical Center PGY II (CA-I)-PGY IV (CA-III). She is Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology since 1998 and American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine since 2002. Constance Odom, MD is affiliated with the American Medical Association, American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiology, Georgia Society of Anesthesiology, Hellenic Medical Society of New York, North Carolina Society of Anesthesiology, and Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia.

Credentials

Medical Director At:

• Nu Image Medical
• MetroMedispa P.A.

Staff Anesthesiologist at:

• Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn, NC
• Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, NC
• Duplin General Hospital in Kenansville, NC

Director of Anesthesia Services at:

• Jacksonville Surgery Center in Jacksonville, NC

Written by our editorial team.

Last Edited 1 year ago · 4 min read

Losing weight is hard. You have a tight schedule. Life gets busy. At times, it’s just plain difficult to make time for diet and weight loss. However, Wegovy and Trulicity are making it easier for many people to lose weight.

While these are both effective medications, it is important to understand their differences and how these drugs might affect you. Wegovy is a prescription drug that was designed to facilitate weight loss. So, what exactly is Wegovy? Like many other forms of Semaglutide, Wegovy is a glucagon-like peptide-1 or GLP-1 agonist. GLP-1 is a hormone that exists in your body naturally and manipulates the brain, regulating your appetite and consequently, your food intake. 

Wegovy

Because Wegovy acts like the GLP-1 hormone, it tells your body that it is full. Because you feel full, you are likely to eat less. Additionally, you will have fewer cravings for foods you should not eat. However, for Wegovy to be effective, you must adopt a healthy diet and eat healthy foods. You should implement other lifestyle changes, such as exercising regularly.

Wegovy was designed with the purpose of facilitating weight loss. 

Trulicity, a diabetes medication, is approved to treat diabetes. The unique thing about Trulicity is that it has the side effect of decreased appetite. As a result, many people lose weight on this medication. It is an injection medication that should be dispensed under the skin. It must be taken on the same day each week.

Wegovy is more effective than many of its counterparts because it is an injection. Because of this, you don’t have to worry about taking the medication on an empty stomach. GLP-1 receptor agonists act by increasing the release of insulin from the pancreas. Wegovy is approved for use by individuals with a BMI of 30 or above.  Side effects of Wegovy are generally mild. In studies, Wegovy was found to be more effective than a placebo in facilitating weight loss.

Wegovy, in many cases, is used by individuals with weight-related medical conditions. Wegovy starts working as soon as you take it. However, it could take weeks or months for you to see a decreased appetite or noticeable weight loss. Even if you stop taking Wegovy, it takes between five and seven weeks to get out of your system. 

Trulicity

As a once-weekly injectable medication, Trulicity is different in the sense that it can be taken with or without food at any time of the day. It was not developed specifically for weight loss. Because Trulicity slows the gastric emptying process, you don’t have to worry about craving sweets or other foods. Food stays in your system longer, making you less likely to snack. 

If you eliminate sweets from your diet entirely, you will find that you no longer crave them. As a result, the medication will be effective in helping you lose weight.

Wegovy behaves very much like GLP-1. The digestive system and brain are alike in the sense that they act as motion sensors. Semaglutide, the drug that makes up prescriptions like Wegovy and Ozempic, suppresses appetite to the point that you don’t feel like eating, and you consequently eat less. Wegovy slows your digestion and helps you get past feelings of hunger. Wegovy is a good option if you are looking to lose a substantial amount of weight. 

As a rule, Wegovy is used over the course of one year. Wegovy comes in a prefilled injectable pen that is administered once weekly. Approved in 2021, Wegovy received significant media coverage because of its unbelievable results when it comes to weight loss. Wegovy is essentially a high dose, injectable form of Semaglutide.

But what about Trulicity? How does it affect weight loss? While Trulicity was not created with the intention of causing weight loss, it has gained popularity for its weight loss capabilities. For those with type 2 diabetes, doctors usually recommend that you take Trulicity for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, instead of weight loss. Trulicity by itself is not approved as a weight loss drug. However, it has the added benefit of weight loss when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. 

According to experts, Trulicity has many benefits. It helps lower your A1C, so it is under seven percent. Additionally, it lowers your risk of cardiovascular issues, such as stroke, heart attack, and death. Many people lose up to ten pounds while taking this medication. 

How does Trulicity cause weight loss? Trulicity is a drug made of dulaglutide, which treats type 2 diabetes. This drug is effective when it is combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Those who already have heart disease can benefit from taking this medication. 

There are many differences between Wegovy and Trulicity. Wegovy is different from other diabetes drugs and Trulicity, because it has a higher dose of Semaglutide. Semaglutide also comes under the brand name drugs of Rybelsus and Ozempic. According to PubMed, many people are interested in diabetes medications, because of their ability to promote weight loss. 

Although Trulicity is not specifically a weight loss drug, it assists your body in releasing the insulin your body makes naturally. Trulicity is different in the sense that it can be used with insulin. Trulicity can be used when you take insulin. However, your dosage of insulin may need to be lowered. However, taking Trulicity and insulin at the same time increases your risk of developing low blood sugar levels. 

Trulicity should only be used by diabetic individuals who have functional insulin-producing cells inside their pancreas. Trulicity and insulin should be injected in different areas under the skin. Like many other diabetes drugs, Trulicity works by mirroring GLP-1. Trulicity has the same number of amino acids as GLP-1 that already exists in the body. Because of this, it triggers GLP-1 receptors to stimulate the secretion of insulin. It also decreases the secretion of glucagon.

GLP-1 is activated after you eat. It manipulates parts of the brain that regulate appetite. Wegovy is different from other drugs in the sense that its dosage is steadily increased over a course of five months. You will use five different colored pens with Wegovy. Steadily increasing your dosage of Wegovy reduces your risk of developing side effects.

 It is important to understand the differences between these two medications. Although these two drugs have differences, it is important to know what makes them similar. Both are made of Semaglutide, a component designed to facilitate weight loss. Both of these drugs come from a class of medications called incretin memetics. These transfer sugar from the blood and move it to other tissues in the body. As a result, that sugar is converted to energy. Another key difference between Wegovy and Trulicity is that Wegovy contains a higher dose of Semaglutide than many other medications for type 2 diabetes and weight loss. Wegovy was approved by the FDA in 2021, and became the first weight loss drug to be approved in a few years.

While these two drugs are both effective, it is important not to take them at the same time. According to experts, these medications should not be taken in conjunction with other drugs containing Semaglutide. Participants in a study on Wegovy found that they lost an average of 14.9 percent of their overall body weight over the span of 68 weeks. That’s more than double the amount of weight lost by those who took a placebo.

This particular study was called STEP Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with Obesity. It included a total of roughly 4,500 individuals. 

Trulicity is different from other diabetes medications, because it does not contain the same base medication. Wegovy is comprised of Semaglutide, while Trulicity is comprised of Dulaglutide. A standard dose of Dulaglutide is not believed to be as effective as some other medications. It is not as effective as other medications in managing weight in individuals with a BMI exceeding 30. 

The manufacturers of these drugs are different. According to experts, Trulicity is made by Eli Lily, while Wegovy is made by Novo Nordisk. While many say that Wegovy is the superior weight loss drug, some reviews of Wegovy on WebMD don’t align with this claim. Some people said they got sick with COVID-like illnesses after taking Wegovy. 

With Trulicity, it is important to avoid certain foods. Those who take Trulicity should avoid sugar as much as possible. Those who take Trulicity should also avoid fatty and fried foods, because the body has a hard time digesting these foods. Additionally, those who take this medication should eat foods that are light and bland. 

Also be aware that Trulicity comes with a black box warning. In clinical studies, Trulicity was found to increase the risk of developing thyroid tumors. However, Trulicity has other positive outcomes. It reduces your risk of developing certain cardiovascular problems. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of taking both of these medications before you get a prescription. 

Trulicity is somewhat different. One of the most beneficial attributes of Trulicity is its ability to lower blood sugar levels.

16 Sources 

Nu Image Medical has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references.

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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your physician about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Nu Image Medical may not offer the medications or services mentioned in this article.