Ozempic Reviews: Does This Diabetes Drug Really Help With Weight Loss?

Ozempic has been getting quite a bit of media attention lately, as it’s now being used as a weight loss drug by a growing number of A-list celebs, trendsetters and tastemakers. However, you may not have heard of it before and might be wondering what it is, and if it actually works. 

So, keep reading and discover everything you need to know about Ozempic in our review of how it may help with your weight loss journey. 

What Is Ozempic? 

Ozempic is an injectable blood glucose-lowering medication that has the potential to aid with weight loss. Typically, Ozempic will be prescribed to people who have type 2 diabetes in order to help keep their blood glucose (sugar) at a healthy level. 

Ozempic is the brand name for the drug semaglutide — the generic version is called semaglutide. 

If you are prescribed Ozempic, you’ll be able to inject your dose yourself with the disposable pen that’s provided with your prescription. Your doctor will show you how to do this when you are first recommended Ozempic. 

For more info check out our deep dive What is Ozempic – everything you need to know.

Ozempic for weight loss

While Ozempic may be a medication for people with type 2 diabetes, the side effect of taking it can be potential weight loss. Ozempic’s own website says that states that “Ozempic may help you lose some weight,” but also that “Ozempic is not for weight loss”.

In the UK, Ozempic hasn’t been licensed for weight loss and is only licenced for use in the UK to control type 2 diabetes. Similarly, in the USA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved Ozempic for weight loss either. This means that there’s no guarantee that taking it will help you lose weight. 

Other countries vary, but in some circumstances, doctors may prescribe the drug “off-label” for weight loss in those living with obesity. (Off-label is the practice of prescribing a drug for a different purpose than it has been approved for.)

It’s important to note that using Ozempic for a different purpose than what the medication was created for, could be detrimental to supplies — causing people who need it to suffer unnecessarily. 

How does Ozempic work? 

Ozempic works in a couple of different ways. The first is by slowing down how quickly your food travels through your digestive tract. Because food moves through your body much slower, you should feel fuller for longer. This suppresses your appetite and causes you to eat less — therefore losing weight over time. 

As Ozempic was made to help control blood sugar, this could possibly help when trying to lose weight. This is because you won’t experience the same sort of sugar spikes that you normally would. Spikes in your blood sugar can cause you to feel hungrier than normal, which could lead to overeating. 

However, with the help of Ozempic to regulate your glucose levels, you may find that you’re able to control how much you eat easily. 

Taking Ozempic for weight loss may also help you eat less because it has the potential to make you feel nauseous. This feeling prevents you from eating as much, so you could possibly lose weight in the long run. However, this isn’t sustainable for your body and it could lead to malnutrition if you’re not careful. 

How much does Ozempic cost? 

The cost of Ozempic can vary depending on a lot of different factors, including where you live and where you are buying it from (such as online pharmacies or weight loss clinics). 

Typically, a stronger dosage will cost you more than a lower one, so it’s worth taking this into consideration. It will also depend on which pharmacy you get it from too. 

Not all insurance policies cover Ozempic either, so you may have to pay more for it if it’s not included in your plan. The manufacturer of Ozempic does have some cost information on their website which may be useful for you. 

Ozempic reviews: what do real users say? 

As with anything new that you’re thinking of trying, you probably want to know what other people think about it — helping you to decide if it’s worth it or not. 

It’s important to remember that everybody is different, so while a positive review may seem like that person got brilliant results, you might not experience the same thing. 

When you look at Ozempic weight loss reviews, there do seem to be quite a lot of positive ones out there, with a few sprinklings of negative ones. 

One review says, “I am on week 4 of the .25 dosage and my weight is down to 288 from 305. The only side effect I noticed was a little constipation in week 1 but my body adjusted”. This shows that not everyone will experience all of the listed side effects, and it could help you to lose a few pounds. 

However, another review stated, “Had my first dose at noon. Became extremely nauseous around 3 pm. Vomiting began at 6 pm and continued for 16 hours”. This shows you just how differently people’s bodies can react to Ozempic. So, don’t assume that it will or won’t work for you, as it can depend entirely on your own body. 

Make sure you speak to your doctor before taking Ozempic, as you want to ensure that you’re taking the right dosage and doing so correctly. 

You can find more reviews about Ozempic for both types 2 diabetes management and weight loss on WebMD and Drugs.com, so you can really get to see what people experience first-hand.  

Ozempic pros

Like any medication, Ozempic does have a lot of pros to taking it. For example, the biggest benefit of taking Ozempic is the way it helps to regulate your blood sugar. 

The possibility of weight loss is also considered a positive effect of Ozempic as well, but it’s not 100% guaranteed. One pro of taking Ozempic is that you only need to take it once a week, making you less likely to forget it. Compared to other weight loss solutions, this can be a lot less time spent medicating yourself, and more time focused on your journey. 

Another potential benefit to Ozempic is that it starts working very quickly once you’ve taken it. This means you don’t have to wait weeks for the effects to kick in, which could help jumpstart your weight loss. 

While Ozempic isn’t marketed as a weight loss medication, it could possibly help you to shed some pounds as it might suppress your appetite while you take it. 

Ozempic cons

However, there are some drawbacks to taking Ozempic that need to be considered. 

For example, some of the side effects can include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. There’s no way of knowing that you’ll experience them until you take it, so you have to be prepared to deal with the side effects.  

Sometimes, a doctor will prescribe anti-nausea medication as well to try and combat the side effects of Ozempic. 

There are more serious side effects of Ozempic too such as hypoglycemia and allergic reactions, both of which will need immediate medical attention. 

If you experience any negative side effects of Ozempic, be sure to speak to a medical professional. 

Ozempic does actually come with something called a “boxed warning”. This warning is put on there by the FDA as this medication has been shown to cause certain cancers in animals. 

This doesn’t mean that it definitely causes the same in humans, but it’s important that you discuss this with your doctor beforehand — especially if you have cancers such as thyroid cancer in your family’s medical history. 

How does Ozempic compare to other weight loss medications?

There are other alternatives out there that can be used for weight loss instead of Ozempic. The main difference with these drugs is that they’re actually designed for weight loss and have been licensed to do so. 

Saxenda is a common alternative to Ozempic, and it comes from a similar category of drug. Saxenda contains liraglutide, which works very similarly to semaglutide and could possibly help you lose weight in the same way that Ozempic can. 

There are other medications out there similar to Ozempic, like Trulicity, but this one hasn’t been approved for weight loss — only treating type 2 diabetes. 

If you’re ever unsure which weight loss medication to use, always speak to a medical professional, and they’ll be able to advise you. 

Ozempic reviews: a summary

Although Ozempic has been used primarily to help with type 2 diabetes, that doesn’t mean that it’s not a possible aid for weight loss. Many people have had very positive experiences with Ozempic, while others have had negative ones. 

Whether your body reacts well to Ozempic will only be found out once you start taking it, but you still need to speak with your doctor first. 

While Ozempic does have the potential to help you with your weight loss journey, it’s also important that you maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle at the same time. Otherwise, you might not see the results that you’re looking for. 

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