When the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves new medications, few receive as much news — and social media — coverage as semaglutide. You may be more familiar with the common brand names of this drug, Ozempic and Wegovy. This medication, initially approved as a new option for the management of type 2 diabetes (Ozempic), gained significant attention for its weight-loss benefits, which led to the approval of Wegovy. In addition to those uses, you may be surprised to learn that semaglutide has several other health benefits, as well.
What is semaglutide and how does it work?
Semaglutide is a medication that belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. These drugs mimic the effects of a natural hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Semaglutide stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin and reduces the hunger hormone ghrelin, which can decrease your appetite and slow down the rate of stomach emptying. As a result, semaglutide helps lower blood sugar levels and promotes weight loss. The medication is most commonly injected once a week under the skin.
What are the benefits of semaglutide beyond weight loss?
While weight loss is probably the most talked about reason to use semaglutide, it was not the medication’s first, and far from only, benefit. Potential benefits include:
Diabetes
Semaglutide was initially approved in 2017 as a new treatment option for type 2 diabetes. Clinical trials found that semaglutide lowered the diabetes management marker hemoglobin A1C, on average, by up to 2 percentage points. People taking semaglutide also were more likely to achieve an A1C treatment goal of less than 7% compared with using other medicines. These initial studies also showed evidence of weight loss and cardiovascular risk reduction. Semaglutide also may protect the kidneys from damage caused by high blood sugar levels, which can lead to chronic kidney disease and kidney failure. A study looking at semaglutide’s ability to delay progression to chronic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes was recently stopped early because interim data demonstrated the medication’s clear effect.
Cardiovascular disease
Studies have found that semaglutide reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke, in adults with overweight or obesity who have known cardiovascular disease, both with and without diabetes. A large clinical trial in people with diabetes found semaglutide can reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events or death by 26% compared with placebo. A similar trial in people without diabetes found a 20% reduction in similar outcomes.
Heart failure
Semaglutide also has been studied in individuals with certain types of obesity-related heart failure, both with and without diabetes. Studies suggest that semaglutide may help improve heart failure-related symptoms, such as tiredness, shortness of breath and swelling. Additionally, improvements in physical limitations and exercise tolerance, along with weight loss, also were seen.
Potential future uses
Multiple studies are in progress or being planned to examine if semaglutide will be helpful for other conditions. These include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, sleep apnea, and the liver condition previously called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and now known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
What side effects and risks are associated with semaglutide?
Semaglutide may cause some mild to moderate side effects, which often decrease over time, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain.If using semaglutide with certain other medications for diabetes, low blood sugar also may result.In clinical trials, approximately 20% of people discontinued the medication due to side effects. To help improve tolerability, the dose is gradually increased over several weeks.
Semaglutide is not recommended for people with type 1 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis, or a history of pancreatitis or a certain type of thyroid cancer. It also is not advised for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or for children under 18 years of age.
Due to the delay of stomach emptying caused by semaglutide, the absorption of other oral medications administered at the same time may be affected, so monitoring the effects of those medications is important.
How do I know if semaglutide is right for me?
If you want to try semaglutide, talk to your healthcare team about whether it is suitable for you. Also ask about its potential benefits and risks. Currently, there are two potential barriers to starting or continuing semaglutide: cost and availability. The average retail cost of a 28-day supply of semaglutide is over $1,000. Your cost will vary depending on your insurance coverage, dosage and the specific brand prescribed. Discounts, coupons and assistance programs may be available. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the medication, pharmacies have had difficulty keeping the medication in stock.
If you and your healthcare team decide semaglutide is right for you, you will receive a prescription for the appropriate dose. Your care team may also teach you how to correctly inject the medication and monitor for side effects and effectiveness. Semaglutide may offer potential benefits for many people; however, it is not a cure-all. Following a healthy diet and exercising regularly remain important for overall health.
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