Semaglutide
Copies a natural gut hormone that controls blood sugar and appetite. Used for type 2 diabetes and weight management.
Brand names
- Ozempic (weekly injection, for type 2 diabetes)
- Wegovy (weekly injection, for weight management)
- Rybelsus (daily tablet, for type 2 diabetes)
How it works
Semaglutide mimics GLP-1, a hormone released after eating. It helps the pancreas release insulin when blood sugar is high, lowers glucagon, slows stomach emptying and acts on the brain to reduce hunger, so people feel full sooner.
Used for
- Type 2 diabetes, alongside diet and exercise
- Weight management in people with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, alongside diet and activity
- Lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke in some people with heart disease
Side effects
How often, from the official product information. Bold = serious.
Very common more than 1 in 10
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation
- Tummy pain
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Low blood sugar, if also on insulin or a sulfonylurea
Common 1 in 10 to 1 in 100
- Dizziness
- Indigestion, reflux, burping, wind or bloating
- Gastritis
- Gallstones
- Hair thinning
- Injection-site reactions
- Low blood pressure
- Low blood sugar with other diabetes medicines
- Worsening of diabetic eye disease, if already present
Uncommon 1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000
- Pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas)
- Faster heart rate
- Dizziness on standing
- Altered taste
- Raised pancreatic enzymes on blood tests
Rare 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000
- Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction)
- Angioedema (swelling of the face, lips or throat)
Very rare fewer than 1 in 10,000
- Sudden vision loss in one eye (NAION)
Frequency not known reported, rate unclear
- Bowel obstruction
Get help urgently if
- Severe tummy pain that won’t settle, sometimes going through to the back (possible pancreatitis)
- Pain under the right ribs, fever or yellow skin (possible gallstones)
- Vomiting or diarrhoea so bad you can’t keep fluids down (risk of dehydration and kidney problems)
- Swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing
- Shakiness, sweating or confusion if you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea (low blood sugar)
Good to know
- Not for use in pregnancy. Stop at least 2 months before trying to get pregnant.
- Not suitable with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2.
- Tell your doctor before any surgery or anaesthetic.
- Weight often returns after stopping. Eating enough protein and strength exercise help protect muscle.
- Use only TGA-approved products from a pharmacy. Compounded or online “copies” aren’t approved in Australia.
Information only. Not a recommendation or endorsement of any product. Whether a medicine suits you depends on your health and other medicines, so talk to your doctor or pharmacist. In an emergency, call 000.
More information
maladywise.com/drugs/semaglutide/