Victoza Constipation: How Common, How Long It Lasts
Yes. In the Victoza trials, 5% of people on 1.2 mg had constipation, against 1% on placebo: about 5 times the placebo rate. It is the seventh most common side effect in that table. Smaller, slower meals help most.
- In the Victoza label
- Yes, with a rate
- On Victoza 1.2 mg
- 5%
- On placebo
- 1%
- Rank in the label table
- 7 of 10
Victoza: key facts
Its half-life is about 13 hours. After 13 h, half is gone. Five half-lives (2.7 d) leave about 3%.
In LEAD-3, people with type 2 diabetes lost 2.5 kg over 52 weeks, compared with 1.1 kg on placebo.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
Comparing Victoza with placebo for how often it occurs
Constipation data for Victoza in the label trials, listed dose group by dose group. The comparison group in that same trial is the placebo.
| Medicine and dose | Constipation | Placebo | More than placebo | People in the trials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoza 1.2 mg | 5% | 1% | +4 points | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
| Victoza 1.8 mg | 5% | 1% | +4 points | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
Source: Victoza label (DailyMed).
Constipation: Victoza compared with other GLP-1s
Each label covers its own trials, which include different groups of people. See it as a rough guide.
The table also lists the pill forms: Rybelsus, Foundayo.
| Medicine | Highest rate in the label | Dose group | Placebo | People in the trials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Foundayo | 27% | 9 mg | 9% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
 Wegovy | 24% | 2.4 mg | 11% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
 Saxenda | 19.4% | all doses | 8.5% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
 Zepbound | 17% | 5 mg | 5% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
| Byetta | 10% | all doses | 2% | Adults with type 2 diabetes (with insulin glargine) |
 Mounjaro | 7% | 15 mg | 1% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
 Rybelsus | 6% | 7 mg | 2% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
 Ozempic | 5% | 0.5 mg | 1.5% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
| Victoza | 5% | 1.2 mg | 1% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
 Trulicity | Listed, no rate given | – | – | – |
Sources: Ozempic label (DailyMed), Wegovy label (DailyMed), Rybelsus label (DailyMed), Mounjaro label (DailyMed), Zepbound label (DailyMed), Foundayo label (DailyMed), Saxenda label (DailyMed), Victoza label (DailyMed), Byetta label (DailyMed).
Source: FDA label (DailyMed).
Why it happens on Victoza
These medicines slow the emptying of your stomach. Constipation can follow when food stays longer, mostly after large or fatty meals.
Source: health.clevelandclinic.org.
What helps, step by step
- Drink water all day to keep your stools soft.
- Take a short walk. Moving helps the gut move.
- Put your feet on a small stool while sitting on the toilet.
- Ask about a stool softener or laxative from a drugstore.
- Eat smaller meals, and stop once you feel full. These medicines slow down how fast the stomach empties.
- Eat slowly. Your brain needs time to notice that you are full.
- Tell your prescriber if the constipation does not ease. Your prescriber may slow your dose increases or suggest a different GLP-1.
Before taking any drugstore product, check it with the GLP-1 interactions checker.
Source: health.clevelandclinic.org.