Victoza is an more and more fashionable remedy for sort 2 diabetes.
It really works partially as a result of it decreases the quantity of sugar the liver produces, reduces emotions of starvation, and slows digestion.
As a result of it impacts the digestive system, chances are you’ll be questioning what dietary restrictions come together with taking Victoza.
This text will reply your questions in regards to the meals it is best to and shouldn’t eat whereas taking Victoza.
What’s Victoza?
Victoza is manufactured by Novo Nordisk and its lively ingredient is liraglutide. It is available in a pen and is taken as a once-daily injection.
It’s a part of a category of medicine referred to as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists—also called GLP-1 analogs. Different GLP-1 analogs you could have heard of are the favored drug Ozempic.
Like different GLP-1 analogs, Victoza has been proven to assist enhance blood sugar administration by doing a number of issues directly:
- Decreasing the quantity of sugar produced by your liver.
- Delaying the digestive course of and slowing the passage of meals out of your abdomen into your small gut.
- Serving to you eat much less since you really feel full sooner resulting from delayed digestion.
- Decreasing your urge for food, which has been proven to assist with weight reduction.
- Lastly, for individuals whose pancreas is producing insulin, the drug additionally helps the physique to provide a extra applicable quantity of insulin.
What are the unintended effects of Victoza?
Nearly all of Victoza unintended effects contain the physique’s gastrointestinal (GI) system.
Victoza delays the physique’s digestive course of, together with slowing the speed at which meals empties from the abdomen into the small gut.
That is a technique that Victoza helps to “clean out” blood sugar ranges. It’s also how the remedy helps individuals scale back their urge for food.
Whereas there are lots of advantages to this impact, it’s also a supply of a number of the frequent unintended effects, which might embody:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Acid reflux disorder, heartburn, and indigestion
Victoza has extra severe unintended effects it is best to find out about and talk about along with your physician.
In keeping with the producer, these severe, although much less frequent, unintended effects embody:
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Irritation of your pancreas (pancreatitis)
- Elevated danger of thyroid tumors
- Kidney issues
- Gallbladder issues
- Severe allergic reactions
What meals ought to I keep away from whereas taking Victoza?
The FDA has not indicated any particular meals which can be off-limits for individuals taking Victoza. Nonetheless, some meals should still trigger antagonistic unintended effects, comparable to worsening nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting.
One of many advantages of Victoza is that it helps wholesome blood sugar administration. When planning your food plan, make aware decisions that assist help this aim.
It’s at all times a good suggestion to speak along with your physician and nutritionist earlier than making dietary modifications.
Nonetheless, contemplate avoiding the next meals:
Meals and drinks with added sugar
Meals and drinks like soda, ice cream, sweet, sweets, and different refined carbohydrates could cause your blood sugar to spike. As a result of these meals additionally are typically calorie-dense, they’ll make shedding pounds (or sustaining your present weight) tougher, even when taking Victoza.
Overly-fatty, fried, or greasy meals
Sure kinds of wholesome fat, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, are an vital a part of a nutritious diet.
Nonetheless, high-fat meals—significantly saturated and trans fat from unhealthy and overly processed sources—have been linked to heart problems, irritation, hypertension, and insulin resistance.
Fried, greasy, and overly-fatty meals could cause bloating and nausea. Many individuals who take Victoza shall be delicate to high-fat meals, particularly after they start to take the remedy.
It’s vital to do not forget that many high-fat meals, particularly meals that include trans fat, aren’t good for coronary heart well being. Since coronary heart illness is the primary reason for loss of life in individuals with diabetes, it’s best to keep away from these kinds of meals.
An excessive amount of alcohol
Speak to your physician earlier than consuming alcohol whilst you’re taking Victoza.
Each Victoza and alcohol can enhance the chance that you simply expertise hypoglycemia. Victoza decreases the liver’s glucose manufacturing, which counteracts the hypoglycemic impact of consuming alcohol.
This may be harmful in case you are an individual residing with diabetes— particularly if you don’t acknowledge the indicators of hypoglycemia or confuse them with feeling inebriated.
Folks with a historical past of alcohol abuse could also be recommended to be cautious when taking Victoza, as pancreatic irritation could also be extra frequent for them.
Keep in mind to speak along with your physician in the event you’re fighting alcohol habit or in the event you expertise any unintended effects whereas taking Victoza and consuming alcohol.
What ought to I eat whereas taking Victoza?
Now that you already know a number of the meals it is best to keep away from whereas taking Victoza, you is likely to be questioning what you may and may eat.
There are numerous choices, however the secret’s sticking with principally entire, unprocessed (or minimally processed) meals that don’t include added sugars.
Lean protein
Lean protein like hen, turkey, beans, legumes, low-fat cheese, Greek yogurt, and tofu are all glorious methods to extend your wholesome protein consumption.
These protein-rich meals are a wonderful basis for a wholesome meal. Simply guarantee that any animal proteins are grilled or steamed as a substitute of fried. The added fats and carbohydrates from fried meals aren’t at all times wholesome.
Wholesome fat
Some individuals could have hassle dealing with fats of their food plan, particularly after beginning Victoza. Nonetheless, wholesome fat are key to any food plan.
Sure wholesome fat, comparable to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, have been proven to have a helpful impact on levels of cholesterol, which might decrease the chance of coronary heart illness.
Wholesome fat are additionally important for the absorption and transport of nutritional vitamins, comparable to nutritional vitamins A, D, E, and Okay, that are fat-soluble and require some stage of dietary fats to be successfully absorbed into the physique’s tissues.
Eggs, fish, and nuts are nice sources of each protein and wholesome fat.
Avocados, olives, further virgin olive oil, and peanut butter are all nice sources of wholesome plant-based fat.
Low-glycemic greens
Low-carb and cruciferous greens like broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, inexperienced beans, and extra needs to be loved in abundance.
These meals typically don’t trigger blood sugar spikes and may help enhance insulin sensitivity.
Whereas all these meals are tremendously wholesome, all of them include important quantities of fiber. For those who’re not used to consuming lots of greens, chances are you’ll need to begin slowly whereas taking Victoza.
Widespread unintended effects of the remedy embody bloating and fuel, which fiber consumption also can set off.
Meals to assist with nausea and upset abdomen
Some individuals may have to regulate the meals they eat for the primary few days of taking Victoza to handle emotions of an upset abdomen. Let your physician know in the event you expertise extreme nausea or upset abdomen.
Nonetheless, if the discomfort is delicate, Novo Nordisk recommends a handful of non permanent dietary modifications in the event you really feel nauseous whereas taking Victoza.
Bland meals like crackers, toast, and rice may help soothe your abdomen. Simply do not forget that these meals are likely to spike blood sugar ranges.
Meals that include lots of water, like soups and gelatin, are additionally nice choices.
Most individuals discover that these signs and unintended effects go away after taking Victoza for a couple of days. After that, it’s a good suggestion to return to consuming a wholesome, well-rounded food plan you could maintain long-term.
Do it’s worthwhile to take Victoza with meals?
Victoza will be taken with or with out meals except you discover that taking it with a meal (or fasting) lets you keep away from unintended effects.
The vital factor is to take Victoza on the similar time on daily basis. Because of this, some individuals want to take it round mealtime to make the timing simpler to recollect.
Why is Victoza making me sick to my abdomen?
Chances are you’ll expertise upset abdomen or nausea if you first begin taking Victoza. That is due to how the remedy modifications digestion.
Speak to your physician in case you are having severe upset abdomen signs, if these signs don’t go away, or when you have indicators of gallbladder issues—which might embody repeated vomiting or persistent ache in the proper or middle-upper a part of your abdomen space.
What dietary supplements ought to I keep away from whereas taking Victoza?
Inform your physician about all the opposite medicines, nutritional vitamins, and dietary supplements you are taking earlier than you begin taking Victoza.
As a result of Victoza modifications how meals passes via your digestive system, it might have an effect on the absorption or effectiveness of dietary supplements and medicines that you simply take by mouth.
It is strongly recommended that you simply train warning whereas taking dietary supplements and Victoza concurrently, regardless that no dietary supplements are explicitly contraindicated.
Do Victoza and Ozempic have comparable dietary restrictions?
Sure, each Victoza and Ozempic have comparable dietary concerns.
No particular meals are completely off-limits if you’re taking both drug, however the identical normal pointers about what to eat and never eat if you’re taking Ozempic additionally apply to Victoza.
