On Ozempic? You Need a Strategy

It’s hard to avoid the headlines about Ozempic and other semaglutide-based drugs and their effects on weight. During trials, Ozempic and Wegovy’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, found that, on average, people lose about 15 percent of their body weight after 68 weeks of treatment. By mimicking the hormone Glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1), this class of drugs slows stomach emptying, reduces appetite, and boosts insulin release (thus regulating blood sugar levels) both in the short-term and over time.

Given the impressive weight loss average, starting a regimen to support your GLP-1 treatment might seem like a strategy and tactic all wrapped in one — take medication, eat less, lose weight. But the long-term effects of these drugs are proving to be more complicated than this. A 2022 study found that many people regain weight after stopping the drug — on average, two-thirds of the weight they lost within a year. In another clinical trial of 140 participants, researchers found that semaglutide medications led to a loss of lean muscle mass in addition to fat loss. Over 68 weeks, participants lost an average of 15 pounds of muscle and 23 pounds of fat. That loss of muscle mass means potentially losing gains in performance and metabolic rate.  

Good news: A thoughtful, holistic strategy can help counteract these unexpected downsides.