How Does Ozempic Help You Lose Weight?

Q: How does Ozempic help you lose weight? I’m thinking of using it because, y’know, losing weight isn’t something that people have been doing for hundreds of years without drugs.

A: For the record, there are a handful of treatments for obesity from China, India, and the Mediterranean region that date as far back as the first century before the Common Era. So weight loss is indeed something that people have been doing for hundreds of years without drugs!

With that now cleared out of the way…

Ozempic is a prescription medication that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017 to help treat type 2 diabetes, which it does by signaling the pancreas to make more insulin when blood sugar levels are high. However, while Ozempic controls blood sugar, its secondary benefit is weight loss, as people who’ve been prescribed the drug to manage their diabetes have been found to lose weight as a side effect.

Ozempic works for weight loss in the same way it works in treating diabetes. How so is by way of semaglutide. Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic and it mimics GLP-1, a naturally occurring hormone that helps the pancreas produce insulin. However, in addition to triggering the release of insulin to help the body move glucose, or blood sugar, from the bloodstream into cells for their use as energy, the buildup of GLP-1 also has the effect of inducing satiety by signaling to the brain that you’re full and the body doesn’t need nutrients. That’s one way that Ozempic contributes to weight loss. Another is that GLP-1 slows down digestion so it takes longer for food to leave the stomach, which not only helps prevent blood sugar spikes but also contributes to the feeling of fullness.

Ozempic isn’t intended for weight loss but it works toward that end by reducing appetite through the promotion of fullness. And while weight loss is a secondary benefit of Ozempic when it’s used by diabetics for blood sugar control, studies show that effect isn’t only limited to them but can also be enjoyed by people without diabetes. It’s for this reason that the drug has become widely sought after by those who aren’t diabetics, though the drug hasn’t been approved for that purpose.

Ozempic isn’t FDA-approved for weight loss but people are using it for that when it’s not entirely necessary. As it turns out, there are foods that can naturally increase GLP-1 levels.¹ For most people, eating foods that are rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats should be enough to stimulate the release of GLP-1 to reduce hunger through prolonged fullness, thus making weight loss more manageable. It’s only people who are obese that may not be able to get the benefit of GLP-1 from food due to impaired secretion of the hormone, if not because of fewer or less sensitive receptors capable of the hormone binding to. For these individuals, they might be better served using Ozempic to amplify GLP-1 production instead of simply boosting it.

While Ozempic makes more sense for people who are obese, there are several things to consider regardless of who wants to take it to lose weight. The first is that Ozempic doesn’t work for everyone. As it stands, it’s estimated that around 85 percent of users will lose at least 5 percent of their body weight. However, about 15 percent won’t lose any weight. In fact, some people might actually gain weight on the drug. Weight loss with Ozempic should begin within the first 30 days but it can take upwards to 12 weeks for the drug to start having a weight loss effect, which can compound the other problem with Ozempic.

At the moment, Ozempic is only approved for diabetes. So because it has an approved medical use, most insurance companies cover the cost when it’s prescribed to treat diabetes. The issue is when the drug is prescribed “off-label” for weight loss. In that instance where Ozempic isn’t being used for its approved purpose, insurance typically doesn’t pay.² So if using Ozempic for weight loss alone, you’ll more than likely have to come out of pocket to the tune of over $1000 per month. Basically, Ozempic can be expensive and the cost can quickly add up because the drug is typically used long term and there aren’t generic alternatives.

In addition to the effectiveness and price, there’s also the risk associated with Ozempic. Common risks include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloating, and constipation. More severe effects include retinopathy, pancreatitis, kidney failure, gallbladder problems, and the possible development of thyroid cancer. Oh, and there’s also the risk of weight regain when discontinuing use!

Thanks to Ozempic, people can experience weight loss at a rate faster than 1-2 lbs per week, which is the recommended amount for healthy weight loss. That guideline exists for the very reason that losing weight faster than 1-2 lbs per week increases the likelihood of also losing muscle tissue. As to why that’s a concern, it should be noted that muscle is what helps the body burn calories at rest. Consequently, losing muscle slows the metabolism so you can’t burn as many calories as you did prior to weight loss.

Muscle loss is one of the reasons why people regain their lost weight once they stop Ozempic. The other reason why weight gain is inevitable for most is that once Ozempic is stopped, your appetite will return to normal because you’ll no longer feel as satisfied when eating or between meals, thus driving up calorie intake.

Ozempic doesn’t have withdrawal symptoms that would prevent sudden stopping but terminating its use can contribute to gaining whatever amount of weight was lost and possibly even more by way of returning hunger and less muscle mass. It’s on account of those two things that while using Ozempic to lose weight, you should not only increase protein intake and lift weights to mitigate the loss of muscle but also take the necessary steps to change your dietary habits. Doing both could respectively curb weight regain by keeping your metabolism high and lowering the likelihood of reverting to old ways and taking in more calories than needed. If those actions aren’t taken, then you may have to depend on Ozempic forever to maintain your results.

Now, does anyone else have a fitness or nutrition question of their own that they want to ask?

Glossary: calories, fitness, food, hormones, metabolism, muscle, nutrition, results

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Monster Longe

Monster Longe is a personal trainer and online coach in San Diego. He's helped hundreds of people lose weight, build muscle, and become more attractive to their loved one so they don't have as strong of a desire to cheat on them anymore. When not working with clients or making content that's easy to read, understand, and apply to everyday life, he enjoys making fun of Drake and people who like the guy.

How Does Ozempic Help You Lose Weight?

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