Health Conditions A-Z Endocrine Diseases Type 2 Diabetes Can Ozempic Help With Weight Loss? By Kirstyn Hill, PharmD, MPH Kirstyn Hill, PharmD, MPH Kirstyn Hill has worked as a clinical pediatric and women’s health pharmacist since 2020. She was driven to work with a patient population that is not often able to easily speak up for themselves and require unique approaches to medical counseling and understanding of their health conditions. Kirstyn is also a healthcare writer; she is passionate about closing education gaps between healthcare and the community. health's editorial guidelines Published on August 26, 2024 Medically reviewed by Sameena Zahoor, MD Medically reviewed by Sameena Zahoor, MD Sameena M. Zahoor, MD, is a practicing family medicine specialist at Village Medical. She also volunteers at the Hope Clinic, which provides free primary medical care to uninsured and under-insured patients. learn more In This Article View All In This Article How It Works Benefits Alternatives Generic Options Safety and Side Effects Close Iuliia Burmistrova / Getty Images Ozempic (semaglutide) is a medication that helps lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Ozempic is also used to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death in people with type 2 diabetes and a known heart or blood vessel condition. Though not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight loss, Ozempic has become a popular off-label option for weight management. Off-Label Use Off-label use means a healthcare provider prescribes a medication for a purpose other than what the drug is FDA-approved for. How Does Ozempic Work? Ozempic belongs to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. GLP-1 agonists work similarly to the GLP-1 hormone (which is already in your body) by telling your body to create insulin, which naturally helps lower blood sugar levels. GLP-1 also helps control the amount of glucose (blood sugar) your liver makes by decreasing glucagon, a hormone made in your pancreas. The U.S. FDA approved Ozempic to: Control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes Lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, and death in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease Though not FDA-approved for weight loss, Ozempic may be prescribed off-label to help with weight management. Ozempic is a prescription-only medication that you inject subcutaneously (under the skin) once a week. The medication is available as a pre-filled pen containing the drug. If your provider thinks Ozempic is right for you, you will start on the lowest dose first and then adjust your dosage over time based on your treatment goals, side effects, and outcomes. Benefits of Using Ozempic In people with obesity, GLP-1 levels in the body are lower than normal. Ozempic is believed to help with weight loss by providing the body with more GLP-1 may help with blood sugar control and weight loss. Ozempic is believed to help with weight loss in the following ways: Increases the amount of insulin available in the body Helps to move sugar from the blood to be used for energy Slows the movement of food through the stomach, which makes you feel full quicker Tells your brain you are full, leading to a lowered appetite and consumption of fewer calories Ozempic will not cure high blood sugar or obesity on its own. If you begin taking Ozempic, you should also incorporate other lifestyle changes, such as increasing your activity levels and eating nutritious meals in a calorie deficit. Alternatives to Ozempic Other GLP-1 agonists or related medications can help with weight loss. While they are similar to Ozempic in numerous ways, some key differences exist between these drugs. Rybelsus Rybelsus (semaglutide) is known as the oral tablet version of Ozempic. Both Ozempic and Rybelsus are made of the active drug semaglutide. (The active drug is what makes a medication work.) Rybelsus is FDA-approved to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. However, researchers are still studying the drug to see if it can also help with weight management. Wegovy Wegovy (semaglutide) is an FDA-approved injection that treats obesity in adults and children 12 years and older. Ozempic and Wegovy also contain the same active drug, semaglutide. Wegovy is the only GLP-1 agonist FDA-approved specifically for weight loss in adults and children 12 years and older. In March 2024, Wegovy was also FDA-approved to help reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, and death in adults with heart disease or obesity. Mounjaro and Zepbound Mounjaro and Zepbound (tirzepatide) are injectable GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) agonists. Like GLP-1, GIP is a hormone that gets released in your stomach after you eat food, helping to control insulin release. These medications also slow the movement of food through the stomach, which helps decrease your appetite. Mounjaro is FDA-approved to help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Though not FDA-approved for weight loss, studies have found that the medication may help people with obesity manage weight. One study found that Mounjaro doses of 10-15 milligrams (mg) once a week helped to lower the body weight of participants by at least 20%. Zepbound, on the other hand, is FDA-approved for weight management in adults with obesity and one other related condition, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, and heart or blood vessel disease. Saxenda Saxenda (liraglutide) is a GLP-1 agonist approved to aid in weight management in adults with obesity and one other weight-related condition, such as hypertension (high blood pressure) or type 2 diabetes. It is also approved to help with weight management in children with obesity who are 12 years or older. Unlike Ozempic, Saxenda injections are given subcutaneously once a day. Trulicity Trulicity (dulaglutide) is a GLP-1 agonist that helps regulate insulin, reduces stomach emptying, and lowers appetite. Trulicity is FDA-approved to improve blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in people with a history of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Like Ozempic, it is not currently FDA-approved to help with weight loss. Is There an Off-Brand Version? As of August 2024, there are no generic versions of Ozempic available. Due to increased demands and reduced supply of Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonists, websites and companies may sell compounded versions of Ozempic. However, these compounded products are likely not evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, and quality. Compounded versions of Ozempic may not contain the same ingredients as name-brand Ozempic and may cause harm once you inject the drug into your body. Therefore, it is best to avoid any products you have not purchased from a trusted manufacturer or pharmacy. This includes fake or unapproved products marketed as Ozempic online. These products may include too little or too much active drug or contain harmful ingredients. It is important that you only obtain prescription drugs from licensed pharmacies within the United States, where the FDA can assure the quality of a drug. If you have any questions about your medications, talk with your healthcare provider to learn more about their safety and effectiveness. Safety and Side Effects Like all drugs, there are risks and side effects associated with Ozempic. Common side effects of Ozempic include: Abdominal pain Belching or burping Constipation or diarrhea Fatigue Nausea and vomiting Headache While less common, Ozempic can increase your risk of the following symptoms and conditions: Dizziness or fainting Elevated heart rate Gallstones or gallbladder disease Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) or pancreatic cancer Vision changes A Quick Review Ozempic is an injection medication that helps lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes or hyperglycemia. Ozempic is also used to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death in people with type 2 diabetes and a known heart or blood vessel condition. Though not FDA-approved, Ozempic has become a popular off-label option for weight loss, as it can help reduce appetite and keep you full longer, leading to a reduction of caloric intake. If you want to take Ozempic for weight loss, talk with your healthcare provider to see if the medication is right for your body's needs and well-being. Edited by Sukhman Rekhi Sukhman Rekhi Sukhman is a former editor at Health. learn more Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit 13 Sources Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. MedlinePlus. Semaglutide Injection. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Medications Containing Semaglutude Marketed for Type 2 Diabetes or Weight Loss. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Off-Label Drugs: What You Need to Know. Wang JY, Wang QW, Yang XY, et al. GLP-1 receptor agonists for the treatment of obesity: Role as a promising approach. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023;14:1085799. doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1085799 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. RYBELSUS (semaglutide) tablets, for oral use. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. WEGOVY (semaglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves First Treatment to Reduce Risk of Serious Heart Problems Specifically in Adults with Obesity or Overweight. MedlinePlus. Tirzepatide injection. Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity. N Engl J Med. 2022;387(3):205-216. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2206038 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. ZEPBOUND (tirzepatide) injection, for subcutaneous use. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. SAXENDA (liraglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves Weight Management Drug for Patients Aged 12 and Older. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. TRULICITY (dulaglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use.