Ozempic, a medication that’s designed to help manage insulin levels, became a household name after several people on social media spoke out about using it for weight loss.
While Ozempic is currently only approved by the Food and Drug Administration for insulin management, a known side effect is weight loss- and it’s often prescribed just for that.
If you’re on Ozempic, whether to manage your insulin levels or for weight loss, and aren’t seeing the results you want, it’s understandable to wonder, ‘Why am I not losing weight on Ozempic’? Especially given just how much chatter has been around the medication’s impact on weight loss.
Ozempic, which contains semaglutide, is an injectable medication that’s typically prescribed to patients with type 2 diabetes to help manage blood sugars.
Ozempic is designed to be used along with a diet and exercise program.
The medication specifically works by activating something called GLP-1 receptors in your body.
This promotes insulin production in the body, which aids in blood glucose management, but one of the side effects is that it suppresses people’s appetite.
Ozempic contributes to weight loss two ways: It makes patients feel less hungry and also slows the emptying of their stomach to make them feel fuller, longer.
Ozempic notes on its website that the medication may help you lose some weight, noting that patients in clinical trials lost up to 14 pounds on the drug.
The FDA has approved a semaglutide medication called Wegovy for weight loss, and that’s why Ozempic is often used off-label for this indication.
If someone on Ozempic doesn’t make lifestyle changes, like eating a healthy, nutrient-dense diet and exercising regularly, they might not see as much weight loss as was shown in clinical trials.
If you’re going on Ozempic or another semaglutide medication, it’s important to have a conversation with your doctor about what kind of diet and exercise program is recommended for you, and follow that guidance.
