Introduction
People may have found a wonder drug in Ozempic, a medicine that lowers blood sugar levels and promotes weight loss. The drug, which contains the active ingredient semaglutide, has become a buzzword among Hollywood celebrities and business tycoons.
Apart from Ozempic, there are two other semaglutide brands: Wegovy and Rybelsus.
Although wildly popular for weight loss, how long should you take semaglutide? Should you take it forever to keep the pounds off? What’s the duration of use that doctors recommend? In this article, we look at the considerations for its short-term and long-term therapeutic applications.
What is semaglutide?
In the previous section, we mentioned that Ozempic has two sister brands, Wegovy and Rybelsus. Both Ozempic and Rybelsus have FDA approval for type 2 diabetes, while only Wegovy has FDA approval for treating obesity. Ozempic and Wegovy come in injectable dosing pens, while Rybelsus comes in tablet format.
Semaglutide and weight loss
In our gut is the hormone GLP-1 which prompts insulin release when our blood sugar levels are high.
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist or a GLP-1 Ra for short. It can perform the same function as that of GLP-1 in controlling blood glucose.
At the same time, the drug also slows down the digestion of food, causing you to feel fuller for longer. As such, you end up with a weak appetite, less cravings, and less food intake, resulting in weight loss.
Administration
You must observe the proper dosage, administration, and storage of semaglutide as these contribute to the efficacy of the drug. It’s important to remember it can only work at its best if you have a nutritious diet and ample exercise.
You administer both Ozempic and Wegovy subcutaneously (injecting under the skin), whereas Rybelsus is taken orally. Your healthcare provider will typically start you on low doses, gradually transitioning to a higher maintenance dose.
Safety and efficacy
In the STEP 5 trial, researchers looked at semaglutide’s two-year effects in adults who were overweight or with obesity. Participants lost 15 percent of their body weight with the medication. Meanwhile, those in the placebo group just lost around 2.6 percent of their body weight.
Semaglutide caused greater reductions in waistline circumference—5.7 inches—and in systolic blood pressure, by 5.7 mmHg. Participants in the semaglutide group also experienced improved diastolic blood pressure, blood sugar levels, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Another study found that participants on semaglutide lost more body fat than body mass and ate less. In addition, they had a weaker appetite, had less food cravings, and had a lower desire for fatty foods.
Studies have provided evidence on how the medication effectively lowers blood sugar levels and promotes weight loss. Moreover, research has found that the drug potentially has a positive impact on other health conditions such as cardiovascular problems.
On obesity
A study published in the journal Cureus looked at the efficacy of semaglutide in treating people who were overweight. 40 percent of once-weekly semaglutide participants lost at least 15 percent of their body weight over 68 weeks. Those in the placebo group, meanwhile, lost significantly less weight.
On type 2 diabetes
Another study, published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Technology, investigated its effectiveness and safety in treating type 2 diabetes. Some of the participants took semaglutide, while others took other diabetes medications. The study’s results showed that semaglutide lowered blood sugar levels more successfully than other diabetes drugs.
On cardiovascular problems
Apart from type 2 diabetes, Ozempic also helps reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular problems like heart attack, or stroke.
Side effects
Gastrointestinal reactions account for 10% or more of semaglutide’s side effects. These include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal pain.
Also, common side effects that occur in 1 to 10% of cases include indigestion, belching, gassiness, gastroenteritis, and gastritis. Gastroenteritis is the short-term infection and inflammation of the digestive system, while gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining.
Noting that these common side effects are mild and can be managed with the help of your healthcare provider. Semaglutide’s more serious adverse effects, meanwhile, are rare.
How long should you take semaglutide?
There’s no one answer as to how long you should take semaglutide. It will largely depend on factors like your current health condition, response to medication, and treatment plan. If you have diabetes or obesity, for example, the duration of use will depend on its severity.
It may be too early to tell how long you can take semaglutide as data for this is still limited. Still, some experts think it is best kept as a long-term medication if a patient is responsive to it. Currently, there are no restrictions as to the duration of treatment with semaglutide brands such as Ozempic.
Follow your doctor’s instructions for the dosage and schedule of taking semaglutide, and report any unpleasant symptoms or side effects. Do not make adjustments on your own as this may pose a risk to your health. Your healthcare provider will monitor your progress with your treatment plan and make changes as necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to take semaglutide forever?
The duration of use will depend on factors like your current health, response to the drug, and treatment plan.
Generally, semaglutide treatments are long-term, as a maintenance medicine for chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes or obesity.
Nicole Araujo, a spokesperson for semaglutide manufacturer Novo Nordisk, noted that semaglutide is intended for long-term use. This is for individuals with obesity or people who are overweight with a wealth-related health issue.
Although semaglutide has been prescribed for short-term weight loss, it is not a recommended practice. The effects take time and they may simply regain the weight back. In most cases, it takes at least three months for someone to see results. Nevertheless, it may not be the case with other people taking semaglutide.
What happens when you stop semaglutide?
Patients may start noticing the effects of stopping semaglutide use after a week or so. Like any medication, it stops working when you stop taking it. In this case, patients normally gain weight.
When people stop taking Ozempic or Wegovy, they stop the process by which semaglutide regulates blood sugar levels and curbs appetite. Hence, many regain the weight they had lost.
Patients may feel their old appetites coming back to the same level before they took semaglutide. In some cases, their appetites may even be larger than before. Some people described themselves as “insatiable” as they were so hungry all the time.
As obesity is a chronic illness, patients will need to keep treating themselves for it their whole lives.
Here are the common occurrences after stopping semaglutide use:
Elevated blood sugar levels
When people stop semaglutide, blood sugar levels can spike, leading to blurred vision, fatigue, excessive thirst, and frequent urination. Some may even end up in the emergency room because of exhaustion and become more vulnerable to different infections.
Cravings and extreme hunger pangs
Because of semaglutide’s delayed gastric emptying, people taking Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus feel fuller for longer. Once semaglutide is stopped, however, feelings of hunger and cravings come back.
Withdrawal symptoms can last for weeks to months as the body’s physiological baseline function is still kicking back into gear. Without semaglutide, food will be metabolized quicker, causing you to feel hungrier faster or crave more food to feel full.
Is semaglutide a long-term medication?
As mentioned, semaglutide is technically designed as a long-term medication. However, some healthcare providers may prescribe it for short-term use, such as for weight loss purposes.
Weight gain after semaglutide
A study observed most people gained most of the weight they’d lost back in one year after discontinuing semaglutide. This event was labeled the “Ozempic rebound.”
Can I lose 20 pounds in a month with semaglutide?
People who took semaglutide injections once weekly lost around 15 pounds after three months. In addition, they lost around 27 pounds at the sixth month mark. This roughly translates to about 5 pounds lost each month. Note, however, that this was accompanied by a nutritious diet and ample physical activity.
Can you take semaglutide every other week?
There is no set rule that dictates the standard dosage of semaglutide. However, a healthcare provider may project a healthy goal weight before reducing semaglutide dosage to the lowest possible.
“The best dose is the lowest dose of the medication that works,” Dr. Jennifer Ashton, an OB-GYN, tells ABC News. “If you need to drop the dose and then expand the frequency, to taking it maybe once a month, once every other week, the key is keeping you at that healthy weight in the safest, most efficacious way we can do it.”
Conclusion
Semaglutide has been making waves for its weight loss effect, used by regular people, to Hollywood celebrities and business tycoons.
As a GLP-1 receptor agonist, it’s able to lower elevated blood sugar levels and promote weight loss. Given semaglutide’s safety and efficacy, it has skyrocketed in popularity, particularly its brand Ozempic.
Semaglutide has two other brands: Wegovy and Rybelsus. Despite only Wegovy having FDA approval as a weight loss drug, many prescribe Ozempic and Rybelsus off-label for weight loss.
People taking semaglutide or planning to take the drug may wonder if they need to take it forever.
Semaglutide treatment plans typically rely on individual factors like the severity of your diabetes or obesity and your medication response. However, experts think it should be best used as a long-term medication, with a nutritious diet and ample physical activity.
As with any treatment plan, work closely with your healthcare provider to discuss any concerns.
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