Ozempic also acts on an area of the brain responsible for appetite, so it can suppress appetite within days or weeks of starting treatment. If you have chronic kidney disease, your doctor can monitor your kidney function with regular glomerular filtration rate (GFR) tests to make sure the medication helps treat your condition. Because Ozempic helps delay the passage of food through your stomach, you may feel full for longer. If you have questions about how Ozempic can affect your appetite when managing type 2 diabetes, talk to your doctor.
The appetite-suppressing effects of semaglutide may take effect 1 to 4 weeks after starting its use. Every person is different in terms of the dosage needed to successfully suppress appetite. Once this level is reached, the calorie deficit that is reached means that weight loss will begin to occur. This can take up to four weeks and up. However, once you do, the weight will start to drop fairly quickly.
Semaglutide may start to work in the first week. People usually notice changes in appetite and weight during the first few weeks of use. Most weight loss usually occurs within the first 4 to 5 months. Ozempic may work to suppress appetite within a few days or weeks of starting treatment. The medication also slows stomach emptying, which can help you feel full for longer.
In turn, this can reduce food cravings. Semaglutide reduces appetite and hunger, helping you eat fewer calories; this effect is almost immediate. In the search for effective weight loss solutions, drugs such as Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy have gained popularity. Therefore, instead of thinking of Ozempic or Wegovy as a “cure” for weight loss, they should be addressed as a complement to a low-calorie diet and increased physical exercise.
It was launched in February 2024 and clinical trials have suggested better long-term weight loss outcomes than those of Wegovy and Ozempic. For example, some people may lose more weight with lower doses of Ozempic because they are more sensitive to the effects of the medication and do not need to increase the dosage. However, Wegovy is available in higher doses (up to 2.4 mg compared to 1 mg with Ozempic), and research suggests that it allows for an average weight loss of 17%. Wegovy is the same medication as Ozempic (the drug is called “semaglutide”), but it's available in higher doses and is also specifically approved for weight loss.
While both Ozempic and Wegovy are weekly semaglutide injections that help reduce appetite, they have different dosage regimens. Under new government regulations, healthcare providers can no longer prescribe Ozempic to patients to lose weight. Ozempic (and its close cousin, Wegovy) is used to treat type 2 diabetes, reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events, and for long-term weight loss and management. Semaglutide is primarily marketed under the brand names Ozempic and Rybelsus for diabetes management, and Wegovy for weight loss.
However, Ozempic is no longer available for weight loss in the UK, as it is only authorized for people with type 2 diabetes. The FDA has approved Ozempic for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and can be prescribed in an unauthorized way for weight loss. Therefore, it is important that you take your doses of Ozempic consistently as directed by a healthcare professional. Once you start taking Ozempic, you may notice slight changes in your blood sugar level after your first dose. As treatment continues and your doctor gradually increases your dose of Ozempic, you may begin to notice improvements in your blood glucose levels.
