How much weight can you lose on Ozempic?
Reviewed by Felix Gussone, MD, Ro,
Written by Yael Cooperman, MD, Ro
LAST UPDATED: Aug 31, 2023
2 MIN READ
HERE'S WHAT WE'LL COVER
Since Ozempic became a popular off-label option for people trying to lose weight, there have been dramatic reports from patients about just how much weight they’ve lost while using the medication and others like it. But just how much weight can you lose on Ozempic? We’ll break it down.
Ozempic Important Safety Information: Read more about serious warnings and safety info.
Weight loss
Get access to GLP-1 medication (if prescribed) and 1:1 support to meet your weight goals
How much weight can you lose on Ozempic?
In clinical trials of Ozempic, which is one brand name of the drug semaglutide, people lose up to an average of around 6% of their body weight in their first year on the medication, so for a person who weighs 242 lbs, that would be an almost 15 lb weight loss. But that’s not true for everyone.
Factors that affect how much weight you might lose include whether or not you have type 2 diabetes, what dosage of the medication you’re on, how much excess weight you had to begin with, and whether or not you implement lifestyle modifications, such as diet and exercise, too.
People who have type 2 diabetes, for example, tend to lose less weight when treated with semaglutide than people without diabetes. Also, the amount of weight a person loses while using Ozempic depends on their dosage. In another trial, participants on lower doses lost less weight than participants using increasingly higher doses. Typically, when starting Ozempic and medications like it, healthcare providers will start patients on lower doses and slowly titrate that dose up to minimize side effects from the medication,
All in all, GLP-1 agonist medications like Ozempic and others do produce significantly more weight loss than diet and exercise alone. In one study comparing semaglutide vs. a placebo, those who took the placebo lost less than 4% of their body weight during a longer time period. Whether you are taking Ozempic to manage type 2 diabetes, weight, or both, it is important to remember that the medication is most effective when combined with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise.
Try out our calculator to see how much weight you might lose while using Ozempic:
Enter your current weight (lbs):
232
Weight you could lose (lbs):
32
DISCLAIMER
If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider. The articles on Health Guide are underpinned by peer-reviewed research and information drawn from medical societies and governmental agencies. However, they are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Ahrén, B., Masmiquel, L., Kumar, H., et al. (2017). Efficacy and safety of once-weekly semaglutide versus once-daily sitagliptin as an add-on to metformin, thiazolidinediones, or both, in patients with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN 2): a 56-week, double-blind, phase 3a, randomised trial. The Lancet. Diabetes & Endocrinology, 5(5), 341–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(17)30092-X. Retrieved from https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(17)30092-X/fulltext
Davies, M., Færch, L., Jeppesen, O. K., et al. (2021). Semaglutide 2·4 mg once a week in adults with overweight or obesity, and type 2 diabetes (STEP 2): a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet (London, England), 397(10278), 971–984. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00213-0. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30122305/
Federal Drug Administration (FDA). Highlights of Prescribing Information: Ozempic (semaglutide). Retrieved Aug. 30, 2023 from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/209637Orig1s009lbl.pdf
Jensterle, M., Rizzo, M., Haluzík, M., & Janež, A. (2022). Efficacy of GLP-1 RA Approved for Weight Management in Patients With or Without Diabetes: A Narrative Review. Advances In Therapy, 39(6), 2452–2467. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-022-02153-x. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30122305/
O'Neil, P. M., Birkenfeld, A. L., McGowan, B., et al. (2018). Efficacy and safety of semaglutide compared with liraglutide and placebo for weight loss in patients with obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo and active controlled, dose-ranging, phase 2 trial. Lancet (London, England), 392(10148), 637–649. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31773-2. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30122305/
Wilding, J. P. H., Batterham, R. L., Calanna, S., et al. (2021). Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine, 384(11), 989–1002. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
How we reviewed this article
Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.
Current version
August 31, 2023
Written by
Yael Cooperman, MD
Fact checked by
Felix Gussone, MD
About the medical reviewer
Felix Gussone is a physician, health journalist and a Manager, Medical Content & Education at Ro.
