Ozempic for weight loss: What it is, how it works and what to expect

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is a brand name for the medication semaglutide.

This medication belongs to a group of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.

GLP-1 is a hormone made by your small intestine.

One of its many functions is to trigger insulin release from the pancreas.

This is why Ozempic and other types of GLP-1 agonist weight loss injection are used to treat type 2 diabetes.

Since Ozempic helps control blood sugar, it can also help people lose weight.

Many people interested in medical weight loss consider using Ozempic.

But while you can get an Ozempic prescription to treat diabetes, Ozempic isn’t licensed as a weight loss treatment in the UK.

Instead, doctors prescribe a medication called Wegovy. This is another GLP-1 agonist weight loss injection that uses semaglutide as its active ingredient.

You can buy Wegovy online following a thorough medical assessment by the UK-licensed doctors at The Online Clinic.

So even though you can’t get Ozempic for weight loss in the UK, you can get a similar medication that brings you the same benefits.

In this article, we explain how Ozempic works and compare it to Wegovy to help you make safe, informed decisions about your weight loss program.

How does Ozempic work?

Like other semaglutide medications, Ozempic works by mimicking the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1.

This hormone:

• Triggers insulin release from the pancreas: Insulin is a hormone that allows cells to absorb glucose (sugar) from your bloodstream. This lowers blood glucose levels
• Blocks glucagon secretion: Glucagon is a hormone that stimulates the liver to release stored glucose. By limiting glucagon, semaglutide helps prevent high blood sugar
• Delays gastric emptying: Slowing the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine helps you feel fuller for longer. It also reduces your post-meal blood sugar rise, preventing a sugar crash that makes you want to eat more later on
• Increases feelings of satiety: GLP-1 affects the hypothalamus and other areas of your brain that control hunger and satiety. Reducing this hormone with semaglutide helps with appetite suppression

By keeping blood sugar at a normal level, Ozempic reduces hunger, prevents fat storage and makes you burn more fat. And since you don’t feel as hungry, you’re likely to take in fewer calories as well.

Ozempic dosage and frequency

Ozempic is available as a liquid in a prefilled pen.

It’s taken as an injection in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm once a week.

You usually start with an Ozempic dosage of 0.25mg for the first four weeks. This allows your body to get used to the medication.

After that, you take 0.5mg for at least four weeks.

Some people need additional blood sugar control, such as those with chronic kidney disease or whose A1C needs shift as their type 2 diabetes changes.

In these cases, a healthcare professional could recommend dosages of 1mg or 2mg.

Wegovy is also taken as a weekly weight loss injection. But it contains a higher dosage of semaglutide. This can lead to greater weight loss.

Ozempic weight loss results

novoMEDLINK™ – the resource platform of the Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk – shows compelling weight loss data for Ozempic.

Patients with type 2 diabetes lost an average of 14 lbs when taking 2mg of Ozempic for 40 weeks.

However, Ozempic isn’t prescribed for weight loss in the UK.

So to find out how much weight you could lose on a similar medication, it’s better to look at general weight loss data for semaglutide.

Semaglutide weight loss up to six months

A study titled Weight loss outcomes associated with semaglutide treatment for patients with overweight and obesity published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) examined 175 patients. Some had type 2 diabetes while others didn’t.

At weekly semaglutide dosages of 1.7mg and 2.4mg, patients lost an average of 6.7kg (5.9% of total body weight) in just three months.

After six months, average weight loss was 12.3kg (10.9% of total body weight). Eight patients even lost 20% or more of their body weight.

Patients with type 2 diabetes actually lost less weight on average compared to those without the condition:

• 3.9% vs 6.3% at three months
• 7.2% vs 11.8% at six months

This suggests that people taking semaglutide for weight loss rather than to manage type 2 diabetes are likely to experience greater weight loss results.

Semaglutide weight loss after 68 weeks

The double-blind clinical trial Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity, published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed similarly promising results.

This study observed 1961 adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher who didn’t have diabetes.

Patients underwent 68 weeks of treatment with either a weekly semaglutide injection of 2.4mg or a placebo, as well as lifestyle intervention.

The semaglutide group lost an average of 15.3kg (14.9% body weight) compared with 2.6kg (2.4% body weight) in those treated with the placebo.

Those in the semaglutide group also showed greater improvement in cardiometabolic risk factors and reported better physical functioning.

What does this mean for you?

If you take semaglutide for weight loss under medical supervision – whether as Ozempic or the UK-licensed Wegovy – alongside other healthy habits, you can lose a lot of weight quickly.

As well as reducing body fat, this can also make you much healthier and improve your overall physical wellbeing.

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Side effects of Ozempic

Common Ozempic side effects

When taking Ozempic or another GLP-1 agonist semaglutide weight loss injection, you could experience:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Stomach pain
• Constipation

These side effects are usually mild. And they tend to improve quickly as your body adjusts to the medication.

Rare or serious Ozempic side effects

There’s a very small chance that taking Ozempic could cause:

• Gallbladder issues
• Increased heart rate
• Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)
• Pancreatitis
• Kidney injury
• Thyroid C-cell tumours
• Risk of high or low blood sugar
• Diabetic retinopathy complications, mainly in those with existing eye disease

If you experience any of these side effects, seek immediate medical attention.

Ozempic contraindications

Ozempic isn’t suitable for people who:

• Have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)
• Live with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Are hypersensitive to semaglutide or any other ingredient in the formula

When you buy weight loss medication online, our UK-licensed doctors will review your medical history to minimise the risk of side effects and other complications.

Register online and complete your medical health questionnaire to request a prescription.

How to manage side effects safely

• Start slow: We prescribe a lower dose for the first four weeks to give your body time to adjust to the medication
• Eat small, low-fat meals: Stick to small, frequent meals and avoid high-fat, greasy or spicy foods
• Stay hydrated: Diarrhoea and vomiting can lead to dehydration, be sure to drink plenty of water
• Manage constipation: Increase fibre slowly, drink lots of fluids and consider taking mild laxatives if necessary
• Monitor symptoms: Record any side effects you experience, especially if they include abdominal pain, blurred vision or signs or allergic reaction
• Regular follow-ups: Check in regularly with your prescribing doctor at The Online Clinic to discuss the effects of your medication

Can I get Ozempic in the UK?

People with type 2 diabetes can still get a prescription for Ozempic.

Ozempic isn’t licensed as a weight loss treatment in the UK, but Wegovy contains the same active ingredient and is licensed for weight loss.

Why isn’t Ozempic prescribed for weight loss in the UK?

Ozempic is first and foremost a treatment for diabetes. But some people used to use it as a medical weight loss treatment.

However, this led to Ozempic shortages. So people living with type 2 diabetes couldn’t get the medication they needed.

In response, the UK regulator placed restrictions on the prescription of Ozempic.

Instead, a similar drug called Wegovy using the same active ingredient (semaglutide) was launched in the UK on 4th September 2024.

Wegovy is formulated and approved specifically for weight management, whereas Ozempic is now designated only for controlling type 2 diabetes.

But this isn’t your only option for weight loss medication.

Another weight loss injection called Mounjaro – which uses the active ingredient tirzepatide, another GLP-1 agonist – also launched in 2024.

The Online Clinic can prescribe Wegovy and Mounjaro following approval by one of our UK-licensed medical professionals.

Ozempic vs Wegovy vs Mounjaro

How do I qualify for semaglutide weight loss treatment in the UK?

The National Institute for Health and Care Care Excellence (NICE) recommends semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical exercise in adults who:

• Have at least one weight-related comorbidity (such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes or obstructive sleep apnoea)
• Have a BMI of:
  • At least 35
  • 30-34.9 and meet criteria for referral to specialist weight management services
  • At least 27.5 for those of South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean family backgrounds
• Only use it for a maximum of two years

Please note that the NICE restrictions above pertain to NHS prescription only. Private prescriptions (such as those offered by The Online Clinic) have lower BMI thresholds. Semaglutide is licensed for patients with a BMI of 30 and above (or 27 and above if the patient has other risk factors).

You can check your BMI using our online BMI calculator.

You don’t need an existing NHS prescription to qualify for treatment at The Online Clinic..

Get your prescription with The Online Clinic

As one of the UK’s most well-established online healthcare providers, we prescribe and deliver weight loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro to qualifying patients.

All you need to do is follow our simple five-step online prescription process:

• Consultation: Register as a patient and complete a short medical health questionnaire. Your information will be reviewed by one of our doctors to ensure a trusted medical opinion
• Diagnosis: Your doctor will make a diagnosis based on your health profile and medical history. This usually takes just 30-60 minutes during normal business hours (7:00am-10:00pm)
• Purchase prescription: After diagnosis, you can access any medications your doctor has approved for you to purchase
• Repeat prescriptions: You can log in to our patient portal and review your approved medications at any time, making it easy to request a repeat prescription
• Delivery: We offer same-day dispatch if you order before 3:30pm Monday to Friday (public holidays excluded). After dispatch, your prescription will arrive on the following day in discreet packaging that ensures confidentiality

The Online Clinic is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to give you total confidence in our service.

In our latest CQC report, we achieve an outcome of Good in all five areas – one of the highest possible outcomes.

For further advice on your healthcare and medication, we provide a range of informative online resources.

You can also arrange a follow-up appointment at any time to review and discuss your care.

Weight loss medication I was impressed with the level of communication before the medication was prescribed and the ease of ordering together with the quick delivery of the medication. I felt reassured that everything was looked into and that the company had done its proper checks before prescribing the medication. Jackie B

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Register as a patient today

Register online and complete your medical health questionnaire to request an online prescription for weight loss medication like Wegovy and Mounjaro – both excellent alternatives to Ozempic for weight loss in the UK.

Ozempic for weight loss frequently asked questions

Is Ozempic prescribed in the UK?

Ozempic is only approved in the UK for blood sugar management in those with type 2 diabetes.

It’s not approved for weight loss.

What’s the best alternative to Ozempic?

Wegovy is often prescribed instead of Ozempic.

It uses the same active ingredient, semaglutide. And clinic trial data shows similar efficacy for weight loss.

That means you can still enjoy the benefits of Ozempic for weight loss in the UK by using Wegovy.

The tirzepatide medication Mounjaro is also an effective alternative.

Mounjaro clinical trial data shows an average body weight loss of over 20% at higher doses over a 72-week period.

What’s the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?

Both Ozempic and Wegovy are weekly injections that use semaglutide as their active ingredient.

But while Ozempic is reserved for those with type 2 diabetes in the UK, Wegovy is prescribed for weight management.

Wegovy also uses a higher dose of semaglutide compared to Ozempic.

This could lead to greater weight loss results.

Useful resources for understanding Ozempic

Novo Nordisk

• What is Ozempic?
• How Ozempic works
• Possible side effects of Ozempic

Diabetes UK

• What is Ozempic? Uses, how it works and side effects

UC Davis Health

• Ozempic for weight loss: Does it work, and what do experts recommend?

National Health Service (NHS)

• Weight loss guidelines
• Obesity treatment
• Eating a balanced diet
• Exercise