GP on the facts you need to know about viral TikTok weight loss injections - results don't come as easily as you might think

Weight loss injections have become a viral subject for TikTok videos - which has prompted huge interest in the medication. One GP is sharing the facts about the drug that everyone should know.

Over the last year, UK Google searches for Saxenda have soared by 141 per cent. Saxenda is a type of weight loss medication which is used, in combination with lifestyle changes, to help people with high body mass indexes (BMI) lose weight by suppressing their appetites, says GP and Clinical Technology Lead at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, Dr Sameer Sanghvi.

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The doctor has answered the most searched questions about the injection:

"Saxenda is a form of prescription weight loss medication that contains an active ingredient called liraglutide. It’s a once a day injection that works, in combination with a calorie deficit diet and increased exercise, by suppressing your appetite."

"Saxenda works by regulating your appetite. Essentially, it works similar to the hormone released by your gut in response to food, making you feel fuller and less hungry. Over time, this can lead to eating fewer calories resulting in weight loss."

"Saxenda is prescribed by specialist NHS weight management services. The NHS will only prescribe Saxenda if: you have a BMI of over 35 (or 32.5 if you're of south Asian, Chinese, black African or African-Caribbean origin); you have non-diabetic hyperglycemia; and you're at high risk of heart problems, such as heart attacks or strokes.

"LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor’s BMI criteria are slightly lower. Provided you meet other criteria, you can be prescribed Saxenda if you have a BMI of over 30, or 27 if you