Everything You Need to Know about Ozempic

How does Ozempic work?

The active ingredient in Ozempic, semaglutide, mimics the hormone GLP-1 found naturally in the body. To manage type 2 diabetes, it stimulates your pancreas to release insulin when blood sugar levels are high and reduces the amount of sugar produced by your liver. This is what keeps your blood sugar stable.

In addition, the Ozempic injection slows down how quickly the stomach empties, while reducing your appetite. This leads to a reduction in calorie consumption and gradual weight loss, even though the main purpose is to control type 2 diabetes.

Is Ozempic available in the UK?

Yes. Ozempic is a prescription based medication but in the UK, it's only licensed to treat type 2 diabetes. Not to provide support for weight loss like many available GLP-1 medications.

Why is Ozempic not used for weight loss?

In 2022, Ozempic gained popularity and was known as a "wonder drug" for weight loss. Public attention grew as celebrities publicly praised it for its dramatic weight loss effects, including the "Ozempic face". This created a surge in demand, similar to the stockpiling trends seen during the pandemic and the current one for Mounjaro in the UK due to the September 2025 price increases.  

By 2023, people struggling with weight loss sought out Ozempic, leading to its widespread use for the off label purpose. This put pressure on the pharmaceutical supply chain and caused issues for those who needed the medication to treat type 2 diabetes. Despite the strain on the supply chain, sales for the Ozempic injection continued to rise, generating profits and further fuelling the public's interest. 

A Guardian investigation showed how easily some people could access the drug, despite it being a prescription medication. Some people were able to bypass the medical safeguards even though they didn't meet the strict clinical criteria. In the investigation, one reporter falsely claimed to have a BMI of 20 and was still able to secure a prescription. This raised issues about generating profit over the concerns about the public's health and safety.

In response to this, the UK government decided in 2024 to license Ozempic specifically for the purpose of treating type 2 diabetes. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, developed a higher dose version of semaglutide called Wegovy. This was to meet the ongoing demand for the weight loss treatment and was licensed specifically for weight loss in the UK.

Who is eligible for Ozempic?

Ozempic can be taken by those over the age of 18, for type 2 diabetes who have:

• Used 3 medications that have not effectively managed their diabetes

• Been able to take other medications due to medical complications

• Have a BMI of 35 or over

You can be eligible to take the Ozempic injection with a BMI below 35, if:

• Using insulin can affect the person job due to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

• Weight loss can lead to improvements for other obesity related health issues

Those from a Black African, African-Caribbean, Asian, South Asian, Chinese or Middle Eastern background can receive Ozempic at a lower BMI.

How to use Ozempic injections

During your appointment, the doctor will show and explain how to use the Ozempic pen. As they're pre-filled, it makes using the pen much easier and quicker.

1. Choose a consistent day: Keep to the same time and day to for your weekly Ozempic injection

2. Prepare the injection: Let the pen reach room temperature and check that the medication is clear and colourless

3. Attach a new needle: Remove the paper tab. Push and twist the needle to make sure it's secure. Remove both needle caps, keep the outer one, dispose of the inner one

4. Check the flow: With each new Ozempic pen, use the dose selector and find the 'check flow'  symbol. Press and hold the injector button for 6 seconds and check that medication is coming out of the needle

5. Check the dosage: Select your current dosage from the dose selector

6. Prepare the injection site: Wash the injection site with soap and water or an alcohol swab

7. Inject your medication: Have the pen flat against your skin and push the button down and wait for the counter to hit 0. Wait an additional 6 seconds to receive the full injection then remove the needle

8. After injecting: Remove the needle and place it in a sharps container. Put the outer cap you kept from earlier and put back on the pen

There are three recommended injection sites for Ozempic: the abdomen, thighs, and the back of the upper arm (which usually requires assistance). It’s important to rotate your injection site each week to avoid irritation, bruising or discomfort. 

If you prefer using one area, like the abdomen, make sure each injection is at least a finger’s width apart from the last to give the area time to recover.

Ozempic dosage and schedule

Like other GLP-1 medications, Ozempic is a titration medication, where it starts off at the lowest dosage and it's increased. This allows time for your body to adjust and reduces the side effects you can experience.

After starting the weekly Ozempic injection at 0.25mg, you’ll typically stay on this dose for at least 4 weeks while your progress is monitored. If this dose effectively manages your blood sugar levels, it'll be continued as your maintenance dose. 

You may not need to increase the dose to the highest available, as some patients have seen good results at lower dosages. As this is to treat diabetes, Ozempic follows a different schedule and lower dosage to other GLP-1 medications, that are specific for weight loss.

Ozempic side effects

As the dosage for Ozempic is much lower than other GLP-1 medications, people experience fewer GLP-1 side effects. They often improve on their own over the course of a few weeks. The common Ozempic side effects include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhoea

• Stomach pain

• Constipation

For many patients, they found that if they experienced nausea and vomiting, having bland food or smaller meals did reduce the side effects until they went away on their own. Keeping hydrated helped to reduce all the Ozempic side effects and how severe they can be. 

If you do experience prolonged or severe side effects that impact your daily life, speak to your doctor. As they can change your medication dosage.

The serious Ozempic side effects include:

• Diabetic eye disease (Diabetic Retinopathy) - If you have diabetes and you experience sudden changes in your vision, seek medical help through your doctor or non-emergency services

• An inflamed pancreas (Acute pancreatitis) - If you experience severe abdominal pain, a temperature of 38°C or more accompanied by either vomiting or nausea, seek medical help, either with your doctor or through non-emergency services

• Severe allergic reactions (Anaphylaxis) - if you experience difficulty breathing, a very itchy rash and a swollen face and neck, seek urgent medical attention. 

If you have any questions regarding your medication, consult your doctor or the patient leaflet.

How effective is Ozempic for weight loss?

Ozempic's active ingredient is Semaglutide, which has shown impressive results during clinical trials. In one study, those who took 1mg of semaglutide over 56 weeks, saw an average weight loss of 6.1kg compared to the 1.9kg from the placebo.

Even greater weight loss was seen with a higher dosage study of 2.4mg of semaglutide over 68 weeks. They lost on average 15.3kg compared to the placebo group, who lost 2.6kg over the same period. 

While Ozempic can support weight loss, its UK license is to manage type 2 diabetes. The studies do highlight the effectiveness of semaglutide in supporting weight loss.

Ozempic vs Wegovy

Wegovy and Ozempic both contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide. While these two medications are similar, only Wegovy is intended for use in managing weight. Generally, Wegovy has a higher dose of semaglutide than Ozempic, however, the strength of the prescription of either medication can vary from patient to patient. A licensed healthcare professional will recommend a dosage on a case-by-case basis.

Advice and information to support weight loss