Ozempic is a semaglutide drug permitted by the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) for the administration of kind 2 diabetes.
Nonetheless, increasingly more individuals who shouldn’t have diabetes are beginning to take Ozempic for weight reduction functions.
This text will clarify if Ozempic can work as a weight reduction drug for many who aren’t diabetic, the negative effects, and the results of doing so.
Does Ozempic enable you shed some pounds?
Sure. Ozempic, and semaglutides normally, have been confirmed to assist folks shed some pounds.
Ozempic works by stimulating the pancreas to launch insulin, and in addition stops your liver from producing glucagon. This will increase your insulin sensitivity whereas decreasing your insulin resistance.
It additionally slows down digestion and gastric emptying, serving to you to really feel fuller for longer.
Frequent negative effects of Ozempic are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, and whereas disagreeable, all result in urge for food suppression, oftentimes leading to weight reduction.
How a lot weight are you able to lose by taking Ozempic?
One randomized managed trial (RCT) discovered that sufferers affected by weight problems or who had been chubby misplaced a mean of 6% of their physique weight after taking semaglutide at 3 months and 11% of their whole weight at 6 months.
One other examine confirmed that longer-term use of semaglutides resulted in lasting weight lack of round 10% of whole physique weight with continued use.
Ozempic and semaglutides normally are related to extra weight reduction as you improve your dose. Nonetheless solely change your dose underneath the steerage of a physician.
Ozempic works finest when taken constantly, together with a nutritious diet and elevated bodily exercise. Pairing the remedy with a wholesome life-style is one of the best ways to make sure lasting weight reduction.
Outcomes differ by affected person, and most of the people will regain any weight they’ve misplaced after stopping the remedy.
Learn extra: Ozempic Dosage Information: How A lot Ought to You Take?
Is Ozempic out there for these with out diabetes?
Ozempic is just permitted by the FDA for the therapy of kind 2 diabetes. Individuals who don’t have diabetes could possibly take Ozempic “off-label” with a prescription from their physician.
“Off-label” means to be used apart from what’s permitted by the FDA.
Discovering a physician who will write you a prescription for Ozempic should you shouldn’t have diabetes may be troublesome. Many individuals have been ready to do that not too long ago, however it’s inflicting an Ozempic scarcity for individuals who have diabetes and take the drug frequently.
Nonetheless, Ozempic will not be meant for folks with out diabetes to take, and its negative effects may be extreme.
In case you are seeking to take a weight reduction drug that’s permitted for folks with out diabetes, speak along with your physician who may give you choices.
Is it protected to take Ozempic should you don’t have diabetes?
You must solely ever take prescription drugs which are prescribed for you. By no means use another person’s prescription.
Nonetheless, if you’re prescribed Ozempic however don’t have diabetes, it’s as a result of your physician is aware of and understands your well being historical past, well being objectives, life-style, and private dangers. Since Ozempic could trigger extreme negative effects, they need to take that into consideration earlier than prescribing you Ozempic should you shouldn’t have diabetes.
In brief, there’s nothing inherently harmful about taking Ozempic should you shouldn’t have diabetes (it doesn’t work like insulin, which may be lethal if somebody with out diabetes takes it), however there isn’t a closing say on whether or not it’s protected or not.
Try to be conscious of the dangers and negative effects and act accordingly. Since it’s not permitted to be used in folks with out diabetes, the FDA has not launched tips about its security and efficacy in folks with out diabetes.
What are the negative effects of Ozempic?
This injectable remedy is taken as soon as weekly and might have sturdy negative effects, particularly while you first begin taking the drug. These negative effects could embody:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Suppressed urge for food
- Low blood sugar (particularly should you’re on insulin)
- Adjustments in your imaginative and prescient (together with worsening of retinopathy)
- Weight reduction
Most of those signs alleviate after you’re on the remedy for a number of weeks to a month and your physique will get used to it.
Nonetheless, in case your negative effects aren’t bettering or are getting worse and disrupting your high quality of life, contact your physician.
Continuously requested questions
Sure, and folks do. Nonetheless, there are additionally FDA-approved weight reduction drugs for individuals who shouldn’t have diabetes, similar to Wegovy.
For those who shouldn’t have diabetes however are focused on a weight reduction remedy, speak along with your physician who can give you alternate options.
It isn’t suggested to take Ozempic should you shouldn’t have a prescription for Ozempic.
Since it’s a weight reduction drug, you shouldn’t use Ozempic if you’re at a upkeep weight or underweight.
Ideally, you shouldn’t take Ozempic should you shouldn’t have diabetes, or should you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning on changing into pregnant.
Ozempic could trigger critical (however uncommon) negative effects, together with thyroid C-cell tumors and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Don’t take Ozempic you probably have a private or household historical past of MTC or A number of Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome kind 2 (MEN 2).
Ozempic could trigger pancreatitis, it might worsen diabetic retinopathy, and should worsen kidney functioning. All of those issues had been reported within the scientific trial. For those who presently have diabetic retinopathy or decreased kidney functioning (issues of diabetes), speak along with your physician about whether or not or not taking Ozempic is acceptable.
In case you are on insulin, be aware that Ozempic could improve the incidence of low blood sugar ranges. Chances are you’ll wish to begin utilizing a steady glucose monitor (CGM) earlier than beginning Ozempic should you wrestle with frequent hypoglycemia.
Discuss along with your physician about your private and household well being historical past should you’re focused on a prescription for Ozempic.
There are various causes to not take Ozempic and the explanations for taking a brand new drug needs to be rigorously thought of underneath the lens of your well being historical past, causes for taking a brand new remedy, well being objectives, and life-style.
For those who shouldn’t have kind 2 diabetes, significantly think about your causes for eager to take Ozempic, and ask your physician if any various weight reduction medicine could also be out there which are FDA-approved for folks with out diabetes.
For those who shouldn’t have diabetes, your medical insurance more than likely is not going to cowl the remedy, so the price for you can be out-of-pocket and Ozempic is fairly costly, typically costing a number of hundred to a thousand {dollars} a month for a prescription.
Moreover, you’ll not wish to take Ozempic should you’re allergic to semaglutide or have a private or household historical past of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or A number of Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome kind 2 (MEN 2).
