Which diabetes medications help with weight loss?
Several diabetes medications are associated with weight loss. They include:
- Metformin
- α-glucosidase inhibitors
- Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors
- Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists
- Amylin mimetics
In June of 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Wegovy (semaglutide), the first diabetes drug for weight loss in people who are obese or overweight and have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. This medication is a GLP-1 receptor agonist.
GLP-1 is a chemical messenger (hormone) in the body that travels to the brain to reduce appetite by causing a feeling of being full. In a clinical trial reviewed by the FDA to approve Wegovy, adults with type 2 diabetes who took Wegovy lost 6.2% of their body weight compared to adults with type 2 diabetes who took an inactive placebo.
Wegovy is given as a weekly under-the-skin injection and should be used along with diet and exercise for long-term weight loss.
According to guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA), weight loss for people with type 2 diabetes who are obese or overweight can improve control of blood sugar. Diet and physical activity are recommended for weight loss (and sometimes combined with weight loss medications), but some medications used to treat diabetes, like insulin, may cause weight gain.
ADA recommends choosing medications for people with type 2 diabetes that do not cause weight gain whenever possible.
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References
- American Diabetes Association (ADA). Diabetes Care: Obesity Management for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2018. June 2018. Available at: https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/41/Supplement_1/S65. [Accessed December 14, 2021].
- American Diabetes Association (ADA). Medications. 2019. Available at: http://main.diabetes.org/dforg/pdfs/2019/2019-cg-medications.pdf. [Accessed December 14, 2021].
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA Approves New Drug Treatment for Chronic Weight Management, First Since 2014. June 2021. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-drug-treatment-chronic-weight-management-first-2014. [Accessed December 14, 2021].
Read next
Ozempic Side Effects to Watch For
The most common Ozempic side effects with Ozempic include stomach problems, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and constipation. These tend to be mild-to-moderate and usually clear up in a few weeks in most people. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is also a common side effect (when used with certain other diabetes treatments) and it can be serious. Continue reading
Mounjaro vs Ozempic: How do they compare?
Mounjaro and Ozempic are prescription medicines used alongside diet and exercise to help control blood sugar (glucose) levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Ozempic is also approved to lower the risk of a major cardiovascular event (like a heart attack or stroke) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Mounjaro has not yet received this indication, although studies are ongoing.
In a large, 2024 retrospective study in adults with overweight or obesity and treated for type 2 diabetes, Mounjaro led to at least a 5% weight loss within one year in 81.8% of adults compared to 66.5% of those using Ozempic. Continue reading
How long does it take for Ozempic to work?
Your blood glucose (sugar) levels should start to fully decline within the first week after you start using Ozempic (semaglutide) at your regular dose. However, the full effect can take 8 weeks or longer, as this is a long-acting medication that is injected only once per week. Continue reading
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