How Ozempic Works?
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic, also called Semaglutide, has originally been a prescription medicine FDA-approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. It is available as an Ozempic prescription that is administered once a week to control blood sugar levels.
While it has been used to treat type 2 diabetes for a while, it has recently become a contender among weight-loss medications. It’s important to note that Ozempic is not yet FDA-approved for weight loss, however, it is currently under review.
Clinical trials and other recent studies have shown that a side effect of Ozempic for diabetes is the induction of weight loss. Even though weight loss can occur when you’re on Ozempic, keep in mind that it is not approved for this purpose.
Still, many doctors have prescribed Ozempic to their non-diabetic patients to help them lose weight and it is proving to be an effective medication.
Who Should Take Ozempic?
- Type 2 diabetes
- Insulin resistance or prediabetes
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Cardiovascular (heart) disease or at risk for it
Although it is not FDA-approved for this use, many people have begun taking Ozempic for weight loss.
Who Shouldn’t Take Ozempic
There are a few groups where the risks of taking Ozempic may outweigh the benefits. Make sure you talk to your doctor before taking Ozempic, especially if you have any of these conditions:
- You are non-diabetic or have no level of insulin resistance
- You have a history of diabetic retinopathy
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- You are drinking alcohol regularly
- You have a family history of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC)
- You are diagnosed with MEN 2, a rare endocrine disorder
- You are allergic to any of its ingredients
- You have a history of pancreas or kidney problems
If you drink too much alcohol or if you are not diabetic, taking Ozempic can cause your blood sugar to drop too low, which increases your risk of hypoglycemia.
How Does Ozempic Work?
The typical dose of Ozempic starts low and moves up over time. Beginning doses are around .25mg. The medication can increase up to 2.4mg.
Ozempic lowers blood glucose levels after meals by stimulating insulin secretion from the pancreas. This is why, if you have insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or cardiovascular disease, Ozempic may have been a recommended or prescribed medication.
Ozempic was made to lower blood sugar levels and hemoglobin A1C levels.
There are three ways that Ozempic works to lower blood sugar:
- It helps your pancreas produce more insulin when your blood sugar is high. This helps bring the blood sugar back down.
- It prevents your liver from making and releasing too much sugar.
- It slows down the rate at which food moves through your digestive tract.
The combination of these three things typically results in weight loss. This is why Ozempic is said to cause weight loss as a side effect and is the reason many people have begun to use Ozempic for weight loss.
How Does Ozempic Help You Lose Weight?
Most people on Ozempic lose about 1-2 pounds per week and can expect to lose about 5% of their body weight by 3 months and 10% of their body weight by 6 months.
It is an effective tool for weight loss because, as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, it mimics a natural hormone in the body called glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1.
Ozempic works with your body in a few ways that promote weight loss, including:
Slowing digestion
GLP-1 is produced by your digestive system in response to eating and helps slow down the digestion of your food. Doing this slows down blood sugar and nutrient absorption, leading you to feel more full from the delayed digestion and also absorbing fewer calories from your food.
Suppressing appetite
Ozempic can inadvertently lower your appetite by delaying digestion. It curbs your appetite for an extended period of time and prevents overeating.
Lowering high-fat food cravings
Those who take Ozempic have fewer cravings for high-calorie, high-fat foods. By taking Ozempic, people experience weight loss as they eat better foods and fewer calories.
How Long Should You Take Ozempic For?
Since Ozempic is still a fairly new approved drug for conditions such as type 2 diabetes, its long-term safety and effectiveness are not 100% known. There is a possibility that those who stop taking Ozempoc will regain the weight they lost. Some weight loss medications need to be continued indefinitely.
Long-term studies are needed in order to see the effects of stopping Ozempic.
Side Effects of Ozempic
- Digestive upset
- Fatigue
- Injection-site reactions
- Dizziness
- Headache
- A minor increase in heart rate
There are also more serious side effects that have been reported:
- Diabetic retinopathy (nerve and blood vessel damage in the eyes)
- Gallbladder disease
- Kidney problems
- Pancreatitis (more common in those who drink alcohol)
- Increased risk of thyroid cancer
- Allergic reactions
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
Digestive symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation are the most common side effects. They occurred in close to 75% of people in a large 69-week study. For most people, however, these side effects were short-lived and were experienced in the first few weeks only.
Ozempic comes with a warning because it appears to increase thyroid cancer risk in rat studies. It’s unclear if this same risk applies to humans, but you may want to talk to your doctor about this risk.
Using of Ozempic
Ozempic comes in a pen-injector and is taken once a week in whatever dose is prescribed, between .25mg and 2.4mg. It is simple to take and should be taken as intended to minimize side effects and see results.
Losing weight is not always easy. If you feel like you’re doing everything right in terms of your diet, exercise, and lifestyle, yet you’re still not seeing the results you want, you may want to consider Ozempic.
Don’t forget that using Ozempic specifically for weight loss is not FDA-approved. However, many physicians have prescribed the medication to overweight patients who are not diabetic.
Make sure to weigh the risks next to the benefits of taking Ozempic with your doctor.
