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.
Ozempic leads to an average weight loss of 3-7% of total body weight when used for over a year along with lifestyle changes. Some people may lose more weight, some less. The injectable drug should be stopped if you do not achieve at least 5% weight loss after 12-16 weeks on the maximum dose (1 mg weekly).
How much weight will I lose with Ozempic? About a third of people who take Ozempic for weight loss will lose 10% or more of their body weight. Most people should expect to lose at least 5% of their starting body weight when using Ozempic for weight loss.
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.
Ozempic has become famous for its weight loss potential, with people losing as much as 7% of their body weight on 1 mg Ozempic within a year or so of taking the medication. And, follow-up studies show they continue losing weight two years after starting the medication.
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.
Ozempic is also used off-label for weight loss. In particular, it can help reduce the amount of belly fat. This is because Ozempic works by making you feel fuller for longer, which can help you resist overeating by controlling cravings and hunger.
A study found that at the highest dose of Wegovy (2.4 mg), patients lost on average 15% of their total body weight after 1 year. In patients with diabetes, one study showed that taking Ozempic at the highest dose of 2 mg led to on average ~15 lbs (6.9 kg) weight loss after 40 weeks.
A 2022 study found that most individuals gain weight back a year after stopping the medication.
It's used to lower blood glucose (sugar) levels in adults with Type 2 diabetes. The starting dose of Ozempic is 0.25 mg injected once weekly for 4 weeks. Then, your dose is moved up to 0.5 mg once weekly.
Ozempic is a long-term medication used to control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. It is a once-weekly injection using a prefilled Ozempic pen. If you take too much Ozempic, you could develop severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Ozempic can cause nausea and vomiting if taken after eating foods high in fat or sugar. It is recommended that you take Ozempic before meals, rather than after, to minimise any potential side effects from eating high-fat or high-sugar foods.
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).
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.
It is important to have your blood sugar levels checked regularly. This is the only way to know if Ozempic is working properly for you. Your doctor will recommend how frequently you should do this. Store unused Ozempic pens in the fridge at 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C).
In summary, Ozempic can make you feel tired, but it's a rare side effect. In the long-term, you may notice the opposite: energy increases and you're less tired, as you lose weight and improve cardiovascular health while taking Ozempic combined with physical activity and diet changes.
Winfrey credits her partnership and involvement in WW for the transformation, admitting the program "brings you back to center." WW—which previously helped the television personality drop a whopping 40 pounds—breaks down food via a points system based on protein, carbs, fat, and fiber.
Reports suggest many Ozempic users only lose an average of 3-5 pounds in the first month of treatment. That's by using the recommended starting dose of Ozempic (0.25 mg), following a diet that only provides 500 to 1000 calories each day, and exercising three times a week.
You Will Regain Weight
Because people stop feeling full and their food cravings return when they stop Ozempic, weight gain is likely, Kushner says.
The most common side effects of Ozempic, according to the drug's website, are nausea, stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea and vomiting. Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, told CBS News that the drugs "are a well-established class of medicines, which have demonstrated long-term safety in clinical trials.