There’s sometimes a misconception that men have it easier when it comes to losing weight.
It’s true that in some scientific research, men have lost more than women when participating in weight loss programmes. But there’s also studies where men and women lost comparable amounts of weight—and others where women got better results.
Because there are so many factors at play here—starting weight, lifestyle, medical history, habits, the nature of the weight loss treatment, a person’s environment—we can’t definitively say that in itself, being a man will lead to more weight loss.
We can’t promise that you’ll find the journey any smoother than anyone else, either. Losing weight can be tough for anyone and your experience is yours alone.
What we do know, though, is that weight loss medicine works perfectly well for men—and that whoever you are, you can absolutely reach your health goals.
Do weight loss injections work better for men or women?
First, a caveat: men are underrepresented in research on weight loss programmes, so we’ve got limited insight into how they fare with different treatments.
That means the below might not paint the full picture of how different people respond to weight loss injections. Besides, research tends to report average results from large groups of people, so there’s no telling how these medicines will affect you personally.
So, please don’t be discouraged by anything you read here—you’re moving at your own pace and we know you’ll reach your goals soon enough.
Overall, research suggests that women lose more than men when using weight loss injections like Wegovy, Saxenda, and Mounjaro. For example, in a trial called STEP 1, the mean loss for women was 18.4% of their starting weight versus 12.9% in men after 68 weeks of taking Wegovy.
We don’t know why this is, exactly. One possible explanation is that because women have a lower average body weight, the medicine has a stronger effect (as this means it’s able to reach higher levels in their system).
Though the physiology of people assigned female at birth might play a role here, too. In one study, levels of Saxenda were 32% higher in women than men of a comparable weight. Again, we aren’t really sure why this was the case.
But women didn’t have better results across the board. In one study of 47 people taking Saxenda, men lost more weight and had a greater drop in their BMI than women. Both groups had a similar weight and BMI before starting treatment.
So, just to reiterate: we can’t say for sure how much weight you’ll lose when taking these medicines.
Weight loss for men: treatments to know
The good news is that there are plenty of weight loss treatments that work very well for men, including both injections and pills. Heads up: all of these are meant to be used alongside a nutritious, balanced diet and regular exercise.
Mounjaro
There’s also a medicine called Mounjaro, which uses the active ingredient tirzepatide. It’s taken as a weekly injection, too. An analysis of a group of trials called SURMOUNT found that men lost up to 18.1% of their starting weight after taking Mounjaro for over a year.
Wegovy
This is a type of medicine called a GLP-1 receptor agonist (more on how it works below). It’s taken as a weekly injection and uses semaglutide as its active ingredient.
We mentioned the STEP 1 trial earlier. From those results, it’s estimated that men using Wegovy lost 8% more weight than those taking a placebo. This aligns with other studies: in STEP 4, which also ran for 68 weeks, men on Wegovy lost 9.3% more of their initial weight than the placebo group.
Newer research has explored a 7.2 mg dose of Wegovy (semaglutide). In adults with obesity and without diabetes, this higher dose achieved a mean weight loss of 20.7 % over 72 weeks. However, the gender breakdown at that specific dose hasn’t been shared publicly yet. For many, semaglutide remains a highly effective option among weekly weight loss injections.
Saxenda
Another GLP-1 agonist used for weight loss is liraglutide, which is sold under the brand name Saxenda. In one study, 14 out of 16 men (87.5%) taking Saxenda lost at least 10% of their initial weight after six months.
Orlistat
And then there’s Orlistat, which you take as a tablet. One study shows that men using Orlistat alongside a low-calorie diet lost 8.3% of their initial weight after 3 years. Though those just on the diet lost 7.5%.
How do weight loss injections work for men?
That depends on their active ingredient.
Semaglutide (Wegovy) and liraglutide (Saxenda) are GLP-1 receptor agonists, which means they work by acting like the natural hormone GLP-1. Essentially, this makes you feel full.
GLP-1 can tell the pancreas to produce more insulin when we eat, which sends the brain a message that we’ve had enough. It can also speak directly to the brain to tell it to lower our appetite and slow down the rate of digestion, so we feel fuller for longer.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) does all of that, too, but by copying the effects of two hormones—GIP and GLP-1—rather than one.
Orlistat is known as a lipase inhibitor. It works by preventing your body from absorbing fat from the foods you eat.
Weight loss tips for men
A healthy lifestyle is so, so important for weight loss—even if you’re taking any of the above medicines. In fact, weight loss medication is supposed to be taken alongside a balanced diet and regular exercise. If used on their own, they might not work as well.
Here’s some tips to help get you on the right track.
Eat well
Diet is a critical part of any weight loss programme. And while there’s no specific foods that are recommended, the general advice is to eat fewer calories than you burn and a nutritionally balanced diet.
One approach that we like is the plate model. It’s a way of measuring out portion sizes for different foods as part of a meal. And it goes like this: fill up half your plate with vegetables (aim for at least two portions), one quarter with carbs (go for wholegrain options if possible), and the remaining quarter with protein.
Cook more
Some research has found that men are more likely than women to eat ready meals from convenience stores. These meals are often high in fat and salt, with limited nutritional value. By learning to cook healthy meals, you can control what goes on your plate and keep your portion sizes under control.
Move regularly
When you move your body, you use more energy. It’s recommended that you do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week—like cycling, swimming, or brisk walking. In weight loss research, this is usually the minimum amount of exercise people do. As the medication can find it difficult to differentiate between fat and muscle, incorporating strength training into your routine may help to preserve muscle mass.
Your next move
Weight loss can be challenging for anyone, no matter who you are. But at Voy, we’re here to help and support you every step of the way.
Starting on weight loss injections, like Mounjaro or Wegovy, can be a great option for people who have tried to lose weight before but didn’t see the results they hoped for. Through our weight loss programme, you’ll get weekly medication plus personalised support from our team of coaches—and an app to help you keep tabs on your progress. And you can find out if you’re eligible right now, by filling out this form. It will take less than five minutes.
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