The semaglutide-based medicines Ozempic and Wegovy can help people who are obese or overweight to quickly lose weight, but questions remain over how long they should be taken and what other effects they may have
By Clare Wilson
14 May 2024
Wegovy can bring about significant weight loss but may need to be taken long term
Tobias Arhelger/Shutterstock
Ozempic and Wegovy are brand names for the drug semaglutide. Many countries have approved Wegovy for weight loss in people who are obese or overweight and Ozempic for people with type 2 diabetes.
How do these drugs work?
Drugs such as semaglutide mimic the actions of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1. These so-called GLP-1 analogues have several effects, including slowing stomach emptying, acting on the brain to reduce appetite and boosting the release of insulin, which helps to regulate blood sugar levels.
For more than a decade, GLP-1 analogues have been used to help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar and some users experienced modest weight loss. “These drugs augment a system that already exists within the human body, whose role it is to suppress appetite following meal ingestion,” says Simon Cork at Imperial College London.
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Why are they making headlines now?
GLP-1 analogues have started to be prescribed for weight loss in people without type 2 diabetes. They have also become available in formulations that are more potent and easier to use.
Initially GLP-1 analogues were approved for use at a lower dose and needed to be given by twice-daily injections. In the latest formulations they are once-weekly injections, with Wegovy’s full dose being 2.4 milligrams for weight loss and Ozempic being used at a maximum dose of 2 milligrams for type 2 diabetes.
How widely available are they?
In 2021, Wegovy was approved for weight loss in several countries, including the US and Canada. Praise from some celebrity users brought it widespread publicity.