Can I enjoy a drink while on Ozempic medication? The short answer is yes: You can drink alcohol while taking Ozempic.
To start, you may not have a desire to drink due to how Ozempic is thought to affect the brain. But if you decide to drink alcohol with Ozempic, side effects like nausea, vomiting, and stomach upset may be worse. While rare, pancreatitis and kidney damage are also possible.
If you're taking Ozempic, try to limit or avoid these foods. Some foods to avoid include greasy and fatty foods, foods that are high in sugar, ultra-processed carbohydrates, and alcohol.
Additionally, alcohol on its own can have the effect of lowering blood sugar which may be worsened if taken in combination with Wegovy. It is important you discuss your alcohol use with your doctor while taking Wegovy; your provider may recommend avoiding alcohol completely.
So how much (if anything) is safe to drink if you are on Ozempic or metformin? “Generally speaking, it's advisable to limit all alcohol while on these medications. But if you are planning on drinking, limiting yourself to 1 to 2 drinks at most would be the safest thing to do,” says Singh.
Side effects of alcohol can also increase, including dizziness, nausea and headaches. For these reasons, it's important to avoid alcohol while taking Ozempic or any other medication. Patients who experience these symptoms must immediately seek medical attention.
A person can stay on Ozempic® so long as they are tolerating the medication and it is deemed appropriate by their treating provider. There is no specific time frame when someone should stop taking Ozempic as it is a medication that is intended for chronic (long-term) use.
Still, Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications will be most effective for weight loss and blood sugar control when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Generally, eating healthy foods and avoiding foods high in sugar, calories, and unhealthy fats while taking Ozempic helps.
On average, a user can lose about 3 to 5% of their body weight after using Ozempic for a month regularly. This equates to about 4 to 6 pounds on average. Using a higher potency of the drug may result in more weight loss, but it isn't recommended that you start taking it right away.
Prof. Jerlhag explained more about the potential underlying mechanisms that the study found, noting: “We found that semaglutide prevents the reward from alcohol, and this might be the mechanism contributing to the reduced alcohol intake observed.
The most common side effect with Ozempic is nausea and occurs in about 15% to 20% of people. Others include vomiting (5% to 9%), diarrhea (8%), stomach-area pain (6% to 7%), and constipation (3% to 7%).
Sugary foods
Food that is high in sugar may also increase the risk of nausea or other possible gastrointestinal side effects when taking Ozempic.
The short answer is yes: you can drink alcohol while taking Ozempic. In the U.S., where Ozempic is created and distributed from, the Food and Drug Administration has not provided any specific disclaimers on mixing Ozempic and alcohol [1].
A 2022 study found that most individuals gain weight back a year after stopping the medication.
Diarrhea
Like nausea and vomiting, it is most common when increasing your dose of Ozempic and goes away as your body gets used to it. If you experience diarrhea while taking Ozempic, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, as diarrhea can lead to dehydration.
So, on average, with the recommended starting Ozempic dose of 0.25 mg, a 500 to 1000 calorie reduced diet, and exercise 3 times a week, you can expect to lose 3-5 pounds in the first month of treatment, which works out to about 3% of body weight for most overweight or obese individuals.
The active ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide, which works by inducing satiety. This feeling of being satisfied or “full”, suppresses appetite. This is why it works for weight loss. Semaglutide also helps the pancreas produce insulin, which is how it helps manage type 2 diabetes.
The prescription drug Ozempic helps people with diabetes control their blood sugar. But its wild popularity is due to a side effect: rapid weight loss. That's made it hard to find in some areas.
Ozempic® should be administered by a patient once weekly on the same day each week, at any time of the day, with or without meals. The day of weekly administration can be changed if necessary as long as the time between 2 doses is at least 2 days (>48 hours).
Ozempic is a once-weekly semaglutide injection. One of the great benefits of the Ozempic pen is that you can take it any time during the week, with or without food.
Study 1: Patients using Ozempic 0.5 mg dose lost on average 8 lb (3.6 kg), those using 1 mg dose lost 10 lb (4.5 kg), and those taking placebo (an inactive treatment) lost 3 lb (1.4 kg). Study 2: Patients using the Ozempic 1 mg dose lost on average 12 lb (5.5 kg), and those using the 2 mg dose lost 14 lb (6.3 kg).
Once you start on an injectable medication, you may find it takes a few weeks to start seeing results, although some people may see changes in a week. You will also start on a low dose to give your body time to slowly adjust to feel satisfied and not feel hungry.
Ozempic is only intended and approved for people with type 2 diabetes. You should not take it solely for weight loss. Doing so may prevent patients who require the medication for blood sugar management from getting it. Interrupting their treatment with Ozempic creates serious health risks.
“GLP-1 medications [like Ozempic] are designed to be taken long-term,” explains Dr. McGowan. “They are chronic medications for the treatment of chronic conditions (both diabetes and obesity).”