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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Ozempic is exclusively approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a medication to treat type 2 diabetes, but semaglutide (its active ingredient) has become increasingly popular for its ability to boost weight loss. Even though Ozempic shows promise as a weight loss medication, it might not be for everyone; the medication isn’t safe for people with certain conditions, it can be pricey and there are side effects and supply concerns to consider.Depending on your health history, preferences, the medication’s cost and availability and your treatment needs, you might want to consider different options. In this article, we explore some alternatives to Ozempic for weight loss. What Is Ozempic? Ozempic is an FDA-approved medication for treating type 2 diabetes. Its active ingredient is semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that acts like the GLP-1 hormone released in the digestive tract when eating. This weight-regulating hormone “signals fullness to the brain, delays stomach emptying and lowers blood sugar,” says Rekha Kumar, chief medical officer at the medically-assisted weight loss program, Found, and practicing endocrinologist in New York City.The medication is available by prescription only and is used as a weekly injection to help with blood sugar management and help reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke in people with type 2 diabetes. Since semaglutide has shown effectiveness in reducing body weight for those with overweight or obesity, Ozempic may also aid in weight loss. However, Ozempic itself is not FDA approved to treat weight loss alone in patients without a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Ozempic Alternatives for Weight Loss: Similar Medications Many people with obesity have a difficult time losing a significant amount of weight and keeping it off with lifestyle changes alone, notes Katherine H. Saunders, M.D., co-founder of Intellihealth, an obesity treatment company, and clinical assistant professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. This is where medication can come into play.“Some [weight loss] medications are better for hunger, some are better for cravings, and some are great for both,” says Dr. Saunders. She stresses the importance of selecting an anti-obesity medication based on a personalized treatment plan. “Obesity is not a simple disease, and there’s no one medication that’s right for everyone.”While Ozempic isn’t FDA-approved for weight loss, Wegovy and Saxenda—two weight loss medications that are also GLP-1 agonists—are.“Just like Ozempic, Wegovy and other GLP-1 agonists are the most effective weight loss medications that currently exist,” says Raoul Manalac, M.D., the senior director of clinical experience at Ro, a company offering at-home medical treatment.The list price (according to Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy) of Ozempic is $935.77. However, the manufacturer notes that most people don’t pay list price when the drug is covered by insurance.By comparison, Novo Nordisk lists Wegovy at $1,349.02 per package. The company also notes that when health insurance covers weight-management medications, people don’t pay list price. Saxenda, which is also made by Novo Nordisk, is listed at $349.02.What an individual ends up paying will
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