Ozempic: How it works, its benefits and side effects explained

Ozempic is a prescription drug used to take care of situations associated to excessive blood sugar ranges and for diabetes administration. It’s particularly used for sufferers with Kind 2 diabetes, which impacts thousands and thousands of individuals globally. This persistent situation accounts for roughly 90 p.c of individuals with diabetes, in response to the World Well being Group. It’s clearly a world concern, which is why makes an attempt are all the time made to handle or deal with it. Semaglutide, a medicine bought underneath totally different model names, together with Ozempic, has emerged as a approach to handle the situation. It has additionally gained consideration attributable to its weight reduction advantages. Earlier than taking this prescribed remedy, know the way it works, its advantages and potential unwanted effects.

What’s Ozempic?

Ozempic is the model title for semaglutide, a medicine developed by the Danish pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk. “It’s a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, which implies it mimics the motion of a naturally occurring hormone within the physique known as GLP-1,” shares inner drugs skilled Dr Sanchayan Roy. The US Meals and Drug Administration accepted the injectable remedy to be used by folks with diabetes in America in 2017. It’s administered by way of a once-weekly injection, usually within the stomach, thigh or higher arm, utilizing a prefilled injection pen.

How does Ozempic work?

It really works by rising the degrees of incretins, the intestine hormones produced by the abdomen everytime you eat one thing. It helps your physique to supply extra insulin everytime you want it, and reduces the quantity of sugar that’s produced by your liver. It additionally slows down how rapidly the meals you eat will get digested. All this helps to convey down blood sugar ranges.

It’s began at a low dose and regularly elevated to enhance tolerability:

Week 1–4: 0.25 mg as soon as every week
Week 5–8: 0.5 mg as soon as every week
Upkeep dose: 1 mg or 2 mg as soon as every week, relying on blood sugar management or weight objectives.

Your physician will resolve the appropriate upkeep dose primarily based on how your physique responds.

Ozempic and diabetes

In folks with kind 2 diabetes, this remedy might assist to regulate blood sugar ranges within the following methods:

• Will increase insulin secretion: It helps the pancreas launch extra insulin after meals, however solely when blood sugar ranges are excessive.
• Decreases glucagon ranges: It reduces the discharge of glucagon, a hormone that will increase blood sugar ranges.
• Slows gastric emptying: It delays the motion of meals from the abdomen to the intestines, stopping post-meal spikes in blood sugar.

“All this results in a extra steady and decrease common blood glucose stage,” says Dr Roy.

Ozempic for weight reduction

Though Ozempic was developed for diabetes, its appetite-suppressing results have made it standard amongst individuals who wish to drop extra pounds, even these with out diabetes. Throughout a research, printed in The New England Journal Of Medication, obese or overweight individuals got 2.4 mg of semaglutide as soon as weekly. Plus, wholesome way of life modifications had been made. It was discovered that this mixture helped in sustained discount in physique weight.

Right here’s the way it works as a weight reduction drug:

• Delays abdomen emptying: You are feeling full for longer, lowering the frequency and amount of meals.
• Reduces urge for food: By performing on the mind’s appetite-regulating facilities, Ozempic reduces starvation and meals cravings.

The right way to get Ozempic?

It’s a prescription remedy, so that you’ll must seek the advice of a physician to find out if it’s appropriate for you. It’s mostly prescribed for:

• Individuals with kind 2 diabetes.
• People with weight problems or obese although Wegovy, one other model title that was accepted by FDA for weight reduction, is often beneficial for this goal.

As soon as prescribed, it may be picked up at a pharmacy or ordered by way of mail-order pharmacies.

What are the unwanted effects of Ozempic?

Like all drugs, Ozempic could cause unwanted effects, although not everybody experiences them. Throughout a research, printed in StatPearls, practically one-fifth of all individuals in scientific trials with Ozempic skilled nausea, the commonest facet impact of this remedy. Listed below are different frequent unwanted effects of Ozempic:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Abdomen ache or bloating
• Burping or gasoline

Much less frequent, however severe unwanted effects embody:

• Pancreatitis (irritation of the pancreas), which may trigger extreme belly ache, particularly with vomiting.
• Gallbladder points equivalent to gallstones.
• Kidney issues often attributable to dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea.

Is hair loss a facet impact of Ozempic?

“Hair loss isn’t a direct facet impact of Ozempic, however some folks might expertise hair loss, particularly throughout vital weight reduction,” says the skilled. Listed below are a couple of attainable causes:

• Fast weight reduction can set off telogen effluvium, a typical situation the place hair sheds attributable to sudden physique modifications.
• Caloric restriction or altered consuming patterns may cut back consumption of iron, protein, or biotin, that are vitamins important for hair well being.

If hair loss turns into noticeable after utilizing this remedy, seek the advice of a physician or dermatologist. “A balanced weight loss plan and probably dietary supplements can assist counteract the drug’s results,” says the skilled.

Ozempic has been discovered efficient in diabetes and weight administration. Nevertheless, the once-weekly answer might include unwanted effects, which is why it ought to all the time be used underneath medical supervision.