Are you tired of trying various weight loss reduction strategies?
If your answer is yes, don’t worry. You are not the only person who is trying their heart out to lose weight but somehow struggling to find the right way to do so. There are many like you. There are many new methods of weight loss coming in the market every day. While some of them are long-term treatments, some are temporary options (shortcuts, to say the least). Ozempic for weight loss is one such option that is trending nowadays.
While many people know Ozempic as a diabetes drug, studies have found that it helps in weight loss as well. Following that, there are several misconceptions about the same.
This article will educate you about how effective is Ozempic for weight loss. To help you, we have picked up crucial insights from physicians that explain the effectiveness of Ozempic for weight loss.
Frequently asked questions about Ozempic for weight loss with their answers.
1. What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a medicine that can be injected into the body once a week which helps adults to control type 2 diabetes sugar. Although it is not a weight-loss drug officially, research shows that people who use Ozempic drug (also known as semaglutide) may experience modest reduction in weight.
Ozempic is a medicine that belongs to a class of medications called GLP-1 agonists. This class of medication works to mimic a gut hormone and lowers glucose levels in the blood after having a meal. It is accessible to all nearby medical stores in the form of a pre-filled pen injector. Semaglutide, the main ingredient of the Ozempic class, is convenient to ingest orally for type 2 diabetes under various brands.
2. How does Ozempic work for weight loss?
As a GLP-1 receptor agonist, semaglutide advances the impacts of the naturally occurring hormone. The changes in hormones can impact the weight of the body via two key mechanisms:
- Target specific places in the body, for example, hunger centers in the brain (specifically, in the hypothalamus) that reduce hunger, appetite, and cravings.
- Lowering the rate of stomach emptying effectively which may prolong a full and satisfied stomach after meals. It curbs your appetite and makes you feel enough about the food so that you have it less.
This mechanism will work in your body and help in weight reduction which will ultimately control the body sugar of type 2 diabetic patients. Ozempic works faster and stays longer in your body as compared to other medicines that are required to be injected twice a day.
3. Is Ozempic a substitute for insulin?
Ozempic is neither a type of insulin nor it is used instead of insulin. It may stimulate your pancreas and release insulin in the body when there is glucose in the body, for example, after a meal. Ozempic relies on the insulin of your body to produce its effect. During certain situations like type 1 diabetes, when your body can not generate its insulin, Ozempic is ineffective. Hence, it is used only in cases of type 2 diabetes disease.
4. What is the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?
Wegovy is a higher-dose version of Ozempic for weight loss which is available for chronic weight management in diabetic and non-diabetic people. Ozempic and Wegovy are the brand names of Semaglutide and injectables, however, they are not the same. Ozempic is not FDA-approved and Wegovy is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of obesity and weight loss process.
5. Who can use Ozempic for weight loss?
Ozempic is not recommended for people of all ages. Moreover, people with type 2 diabetes can use Ozempic or Wegovy if their body mass index (BMI) is 30 or more and have obesity conditions. Ozempic appears to be more famous for weight reduction than Wegovy, as the name is being put out more in the mainstream media, especially social media. Today, it has become a go-to medication for weight loss for numerous diabetic patients.
6. Does Ozempic help with weight loss?
Once weekly doses of 2.4 mg Ozempic could reduce body weight if you make a few lifestyle changes. According to a study, those who consumed 2.4 mg Ozempic once a week in addition to lifestyle changes reduced 15% of their body weight. Despite what social media influencers and celebrities may claim or recommend, Ozempic is not designed for those who want to lose a couple of pounds. It is only for type 2 diabetic patients who are overweight.
7. How much time can be taken by Ozempic for weight loss?
According to experts, there is no specific time Ozempic takes for weight loss. It completely varies from person to person. For some people, it could be a few weeks thing to observe the results of weight reduction and lessen the side effects of the drug on your body. Once a single dose causes appetite suppression sufficiently and decreases calorie intake in the body, the weight loss happens quickly. However, it is essential to follow the advice of your healthcare provider whose dosing instructions will help you overcome its side effects.
8. Is Ozempic safe? Are there any side effects of it?
Generally, Ozempic is considered safe when consumed in 2 mg doses for adults who have type 2 diabetes disease. However, according to experts, people who have suffered from pancreatitis should never choose Ozempic for weight loss. Moreover, people who have a history of modular thyroid cancer or are at increased risk of going through modular thyroid cancer should not go to Ozempic for weight loss. Side effects of Ozempic include nausea, constipation, dizziness, decreased appetite, diarrhoea, etc.
9. Is it possible to regain weight after Ozempic intake?
A study published in 2022 concluded that people who stopped having 2.4 mg doses of Ozempic were observed to have regained two-thirds of the weight they reduced earlier. So, whichever technique you are applying for weight reduction, you should never stop doing it and stay consistent with it. As you know obesity is a chronic disease, it is a crucial thing to think comprehensively towards it. Furthermore, you can take the advice of your nutritionist. It will not just help you in weight loss but also in primary care and metabolic health.
10. Is it possible to consume Ozempic for weight loss on a long-term basis?
Based on your physiologist’s opinion, you can use Ozempic for weight loss on a long-term basis. It is considered completely safe for type 2 diabetic patients and they can maintain their weight loss journey for the long term. The way some patients take cholesterol medicine when there is lesser than the required cholesterol present in the body, the same way you can keep having Ozempic.
There is NO Shortcut!
There is no shortcut for weight loss! You can implement other strategies for weight reduction than Ozempic intake if you can. Especially, if you are young enough and do not have symptoms of diabetes, you MUST focus on other techniques to lose weight. Only type 2 diabetic patients who are overweight should consider Ozempic for weight loss. However, they have to focus on their lifestyle and nutritional habits as well, as these things will sustain their weight loss journey for a longer time.
