Many people who start taking Saxenda often wonder if they’re able to drink alcohol with it.
For the most part, the answer is a very cautious yes.
However, those that are taking Saxenda are generally advised to limit their alcohol intake.
If you have diabetes and are taking Saxenda, you will need to take even more caution.
This is because alcohol can increase the risk of low blood glucose levels in diabetics.
However, the risk is reduced again if your diabetes is well controlled.
Although there’s no mention of alcohol in the patient information leaflet, it’s generally a good idea to reduce how much you usually drink once you start taking Saxenda.
This is because alcohol may affect you differently now.
Saxenda delays how fast the stomach empties, so your limits may have changed.
Because of this, we recommend drinking with caution and staying mindful.
It’s worth remembering that too much alcohol can cause nausea and vomiting – both common side effects of Saxenda.
If you do struggle with side effects, we’d advise that you avoid alcohol until these have settled down.
If you order from myBMI, please know that you may be able to access free supporting treatments to help with any side effects.
It’s bad enough having to deal with nausea at the best of times, the last thing you want to do is make it any worse by drinking alcohol.
As we’re talking about alcohol, it’s a useful opportunity to remind everyone about units.
It’s recommended to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week.
The NHS also recommend that this should be spread out over a few days (in other words – avoid binge drinking).
This is especially important when you’re taking Saxenda.
If you do regularly drink 14 or more units of alcohol per week, you may want to think about cutting down.
The NHS have some great advice about this here.
Apart from the side effects, it’s also important to remember that alcohol contains quite a lot of calories.
If you’re planning on drinking regularly, this may slow your weight loss.
Because of this, we recommend planning ahead if you know you’re going to be drinking.
This can include planning your drinks to fit around your calories.
You could also reduce your calorie intake for the rest of the day or weekend if you want a couple of high-calorie drinks.
You could also try alternating with a diet soft drink or water.
Besides, cutting down on alcohol could save you some money as well!
You might not have to worry about if you can drink with Saxenda, though.
Some studies even report that liraglutide limited the dopamine reward response in rats, this caused them to consume less alcohol.
However, Liraglutide’s potential craving-reducing effects for alcohol haven’t been tested on humans.
If you do choose to drink alcohol while on Saxenda, we would always urge you to drink responsibly.
It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on your alcohol intake and make sure it doesn’t creep too high.
This is for other health reasons aside from weight loss and Saxenda.
Stay mindful of how you’re feeling, and stop when you’ve had enough.
You should always make sure to drink plenty of water when you’ve had alcohol.
This is a sound tip regardless of whether you’re taking Saxenda or not!
Alcohol can have a dehydrating effect, so it’s even more important to make sure you drink enough water.
This can also help to reduce the symptoms of a hangover the next morning.
