Ozempic

What is Ozempic?

Semaglutide (Ozempic) is a prescription medication used to treat and manage Type 2 Diabetes. The active ingredient is Semaglutide which mimics the action of one of your bodies natural hormones (GLP1).
It is also responsible for making you feel full and as a result, reducing your appetite. GLP1/Semaglutide also delays the emptying of your stomach which again goes toward making you feel fuller for longer.
In clinical studies, Ozempic / Semaglutide has been shown to be effective and acceptable for use by patients with Type 2 Diabetes. The clinical evidence also suggests that Semaglutide may also help obese patients with weight loss, leaving the patient feeling more satisfied after eating.
This suggests that Semaglutide may be a more potent drug and possibly better suited to those with a higher BMI or who may be classed as obese. The license indication is for type 2 diabetes and studies have looked at weight loss as a secondary endpoint.

Semaglutide (Ozempic) and Weight Loss

Whilst Ozempic has been marketed and licensed for Diabetes, the active ingredient (Semaglutide) has shown to suppress appetite and help the person taking it feel fuller quicker after a meal and for longer. This means that those taking Semaglutide are not just likely to consume less during a meal, feeling fuller for longer would mean being less likely to snack as much between meals. This reduction in appetite may also contribute to patients eating smaller portions than what they’re used to. An overall significantly less calorie deficit would tend to result in patients beginning to lose weight when they start taking Ozempic.

How Effective is Semaglutide (Ozempic) for Weight Loss?

A number of clinical trials have been carried out to show the effectiveness of Semaglutide as a weight loss drug. In one such study, 957 participants had taken part, all with a BMI of 30 or above, over 18 years of age and non-diabetic. The study found that 957 participants with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more took part in a clinical trial to test the efficacy of Semaglutide as weight loss drug. Eligible participants were adults over the age of 18 years, who did not have diabetes. 37-65% of those taking Semaglutide lost an estimated 10% or more body weight across all doses. In comparison, those who took the placebo (non-active medication), the same weight loss was seen in only 10% of those participants.
This study concluded that in combination with dietary and physical activity counselling, semaglutide was well tolerated over 52 weeks and showed clinically relevant weight loss compared with placebo at all doses.

How is Ozempic Taken?

Ozempic is a once weekly pre-filled injectable pen. Attached the single-use needle which comes in the box, dial the dose to the required level and inject into the stomach or thigh. Each pen lasts 4 weeks.
The beginning dose is 0.25 mg once a week for the first 4 weeks. This will give your body a chance to get used to the medicine. At Week 5, you will increase the dose to 0.5 mg once a week, followed by 1.0mg. Once you have reached 1.0mg you remain on that for the duration of your treatment.
You can watch the video on how to use the Ozempic pen by clicking here.