Chances are you’ve heard the names WeGovy and Ozempic somewhere: in a commercial, on the news, or a friend or relative. 

You’ve probably heard Ozempic and WeGovy described as life-changing weight loss medications for someone who’s struggled to lose weight their entire life or an easy way for anyone to reach a healthy weight without making lifestyle changes.

But all the hype around drugs like Ozempic fails to address serious risks and issues with taking them.

The goal of this blog is not to say people should avoid using Ozempic or stop taking it. 

We just want to make sure you are educated about Ozempic—the good and the bad.

We also want you to think about what it takes to maintain weight loss. 

Do you have a weight management program so you don’t regain the weight you lost? If not, Lifelong Metabolic Center can help.

Whether you’re considering starting Ozempic or are already taking it, we encourage you to read ahead and consider the potential risks and benefits of Ozempic.

 

How Does Ozempic Work for Weight Loss?

Although Ozempic might sound like a newer weight loss medication, it’s actually been on the market since 2017. 

So why haven’t you heard about this incredible weight loss drug until recently?

Ozempic is used to help people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar levels. 

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, mimics a hormone that tells the pancreas to produce insulin. Since type 2 diabetics can’t produce insulin naturally, taking semaglutide injections tricks their pancreas into making insulin.

The hormone Ozempic mimics has other effects: it makes people feel fuller and slows digestion, and many diabetics who take medications like Ozempic often lose weight.

Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Ozempic and Wegovy, ran a series of clinical trials to learn more about the use of Ozempic for weight loss and published its findings.

That, along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Wegovy, another drug that uses semaglutide, to be used as a weight loss treatment, encouraged Novo Nordisk to market Ozempic as more than a way to treat type 2 diabetes, but also as a potential weight loss drug.

 

Ozempic FDA Warning: Is Ozempic Approved for Weight Loss?

The FDA has not approved Ozempic for weight loss purposes. 

Wegovy is the only semaglutide injection that is FDA approved for weight loss.

Health care providers can still prescribe Ozempic off-label for weight loss. 

“Off-label” or “off-label use” describes the practice of using a medication to treat a health issue even though that medication is not FDA approved to treat that issue.

Off-label use can be safe and effective. One example of off-label use is using Botox injections to help with migraines. Botox is FDA approved as an anti-age treatment but not as a migraine treatment.

Off-label use has its issues, though. Health insurance companies will not cover the cost of medications used off-label, as there are more risks to taking medications outside their approved purpose.

 

Risks and Common Side Effects of Ozempic

Ozempic has a number of common side effects:

• Acid reflux
• Bloating
• Blood sugar fluctuations
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Excessive burping and flatulence
• Headache
• Heartburn
• Indigestion
• Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Vomiting

For some, using Ozempic outweighs the benefits of weight loss, as it can cause serious health conditions and complications such as:

• Cancer
• Hypoglycemia
• Gallbladder issues
• Gastroparesis (stomach paralysis)
• Kidney failure
• Malnutrition
• Pancreatitis
• Thyroid tumors
• Vision changes

 

What Happens If You Take Too Much Ozempic?

Ozempic is a once-weekly injection. Taking more than one injection each week can result in more harmful side effects—or an overdose.

 

Why Am I Not Losing Weight on Ozempic?

People taking Ozempic may experience different degrees of weight loss. One of Novo Nordisk’s clinical trials found that people without diabetes might lose weight more easily than diabetics taking Ozempic.

Additionally, people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more experienced the biggest improvements in percent of their body weight.

 

How to Not Gain Weight After Stopping Ozempic

Research has shown that when people stop taking Ozempic, it is likely they will regain the weight they lost.

Although Ozempic is intended for long-term use for adults with type 2 diabetes, there is still much we don’t know about the long-term effects in non-diabetics. We do know the longer you take Ozempic to maintain your weight, the greater your risk of developing serious health conditions becomes.

You need a weight management plan after taking Ozempic, and that’s where Lifelong Metabolic Center can help.

Our medically supervised DNA weight loss and maintenance program is intended to help you keep the weight lost off for the rest of your life.

A DNA test will give us insightful information about what foods and exercises are most effective for you, and from there, we’ll teach you how to maintain your weight through diet and exercise.

Best of all, you can do our program from anywhere in the world, as it is 100% remote.

Let us help you prepare for life after Ozempic — contact us today for a free consultation — and be sure to get a copy of Dr. Amanda Borre’s Top 5 Weight Loss Tips eBook for free.

 

Is Ozempic Safe?

As with any drug, Ozempic isn’t a magic bullet that can help you lose weight and keep it off forever. It has its risks and drawbacks, and it is not something you want to become reliant on.

Generally speaking, Ozempic can be safe, but it may not be safe or effective for everyone.

If you need to lose weight, there are many options out there. While Ozempic may be right for some, it isn’t for others. If you are looking for a safe, effective weight loss program, Lifelong Metabolic Center offers an all-natural alternative with real food, accountability coaching, and quick results — without side effects or risk.

For more information, contact Lifelong Metabolic Center.