What is Ozempic? Is it right for me?
What does Ozempic do?
Ozempic is a type 2 diabetes drug that helps lower blood sugar levels by telling the pancreas to release insulin. It also helps prevent blood sugar spikes by slowing down sugar processing in the stomach and liver—especially after meals.
Even though Ozempic can’t treat type 2 diabetes on its own, studies show that it lowers patient risks for:
Heart attack
stroke
Major cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) incidents
Passing out
Death
Ozempic is not a replacement for insulin treatments.
Does Ozempic help you lose weight?
Ozempic is only approved for diabetes management, but weight loss is a common side effect of the drug.
Ozempic shares a chemical with another weight loss drug called Wegovy—designed for patients struggling with obesity. This chemical radically slows down your digestion. When your food doesn’t move as quickly, you feel full faster and you’re likely to eat less. Combined with exercise, Ozempic can lead to noticeable weight and belly fat loss.
That said, Ozempic is not designed for patients without type 2 diabetes
Other common side effects of Ozempic include:
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Stomach pain
Constipation
Many of these side effects appear in patients early on, but decrease over the first two weeks of use. If you’re concerned about diabetes or weight loss, speak with a licensed physician before using any medication. To find out how you can be a patient at SAC Health or to make an appointment with a SAC Health provider, visit sachealth.org/patients
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