Every Ozempic Side Effect, Explained

This content originally appeared here. It was reissued with permission.

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By Ross Wolf

Medical Review by Sean Hashmi, MD

Ozempic and other drugs, a family of GLP-1 receptor agonists, have quickly become famous for their dramatic weight loss, but I’ve heard that every few weeks, social media users are shedding light on the side effects of another new Ozpic. These reactions include hair loss, severe gastrointestinal distress, rare (but severe) gastropism, and unique ozempic side effects in women. While some of these secondary effects have been scientifically tested, others are still anecdotal.

GLP-1 drugs can cause any or all of these symptoms.
Daily Health

A brief note: This article uses the brand name Ozempic to refer to Semaglutide, the active ingredient in the drug. Semaglutide is sold under two other names: Wegovy (if sold for weight loss) and Rybelsus (in the form of tablets rather than injected). Other related drugs, such as liraglutide (Victoza) and tilzepatide (Munjaro, Zepbound), can cause some of the same side effects.

Stomach problems: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation

These unpleasant gastrointestinal problems far outweigh the most common and most discussed side effects of Ozempic.

The majority of users are unaware of these pains, but a very significant minority does. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a placebo-controlled Ozempic trial found the following percentages of side effects from a 1 milligram (Mg) dose:⁽¹⁾

Gastrointestinal side effects of ozempic (1mg)

30.8% of adults said they reported gastrointestinal symptoms.⁽¹⁾ But it was a dose of 1 mg, half the largest. The number was much higher in the trial of semaglutide (wegovy) at 2.4 mg in people without diabetes:

Gastrointestinal Side Effects of Wegovy (2.4mg)

With this, it is worth noting that while 74% of participants experienced at least one gastrointestinal disorder, almost 50% of those who took the placebo have tummy problems.⁽²⁾

For some people, gastrointestinal pain is too much to deal with, so you should stop taking Ozempic completely. As a blogger new york The magazine cut “may pass through hell for a post-Ozenpic body.” The author finally weaned from the drug after talking to a 42-year-old diabetic woman who endured “constant nausea” and “power packing.”⁽³⁾ In a critical trial, 4.5% of Wegovy patients stopped taking medication as a direct result of gastrointestinal disorders. This amounts to nearly 1 in 20 people.

What is the best way to deal with these annoying issues? Everyday Health’s network site Daily has an entire article on the subject.

Reports from the thrivedailywellness suggest that these unfortunate effects are the strongest immediately after injecting the once-a-week medication. Additionally, patients are most likely to experience problems when they start drugs or go up to higher doses. The side effects generally go away once the body gets used to the medication.

ozempic Burps

Dirty burps are not the most debilitating side effects, but can be quite uncomfortable. As reported in Atlantic Ocean, And, as it’s been discussed in many YouTube and Tiktok videos, some people taking Ozempic notice that they smell a nasty smell when they burp.⁽⁴⁾ There is a wider consensus that the burps smell like rotten eggs.

Only a small number of semaglutide tests identify belching or “excretion” as a side effect. Anecdote reports suggest that burp is bad, just like other gastrointestinal problems, when patients start taking drugs or step into higher doses.

Bloody and fart

These unpleasant side effects were reported in clinical trials as “abdominal distension” and “flammatory.” Bloody and fart complaints are less common than the gastrointestinal effects mentioned above and are not yet understood as a hot topic on social media, but it’s good to know that ozempic and associated drugs can increase likelihood.

Gastroparesis (gastroparesis)

Weight loss medications such as Ozempic are linked to an increased risk of rare but severe stomach problems. In July 2023, CNN reported that some semaglutide users had experienced gastroparesis or gastroparesis.⁽⁵⁾ Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against manufacturers of GLP-1 drugs, claiming that the manufacturers have not warned enough of the risk of serious side effects, such as gastroparesis, according to Reuters.⁽⁶⁾

Gastroparesis is a condition in which the stomach slowly stops or stops. It causes a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, including bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.⁽⁷⁾

In the worst case scenario, gastroparesis can make eating or drinking something very difficult, leading to the risk of dehydration and malnutrition.

The delayed stomach cavity, a critical feature of gastroparesis, is a known result of ozenpic and associated drugs. This will help to emptie partially explain some of the positive effects of Ozempic, helping to reduce hunger and cause weight loss. He is also responsible for less serious side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort.

Fortunately, severe and persistent gastroparesis appears to be extremely rare. This condition was not identified in a phase 3 trial of a drug that enrolled thousands of participants to assess the safety of semaglutide.

Temporary intestinal palsy (Ileus)

Gastric paralysis is not the only serious gastrointestinal side effect that users have reported.

In late September 2023, the FDA updated its official Ozempic label, warning users of the potential risk of Ileus, a type of intestinal obstruction.⁽⁸⁾ According to the Cleveland Clinic, ileus occurs when “the contractions of the muscles that move food through the intestines are temporarily paralyzed,” trapping food in the intestines. Symptoms resemble symptoms of physical intestinal obstruction, including bloating and constipation, which can lead to dehydration.⁽⁹⁾

Ileus is probably a rare side effect. This has not been identified in previous clinical trials assessing semaglutide in thousands of participants. In the updated guidance, the FDA states, “Because these responses are reported spontaneously from uncertain sized populations, it is not always possible to reliably estimate frequency or establish a causal relationship with drug exposure.”

Ozempic’s Face and Ozempic Butt

“Ozempic Face” may have been the first Ozempic side effect to go viral. Soon after, the pattern was repeated when the “Ozempic Butt” claims were made headline. In both cases, users complained that the drug gave parts of their bodies a surprising, unfortunate, flat look.

There’s nothing to worry about. There is no evidence that Ozempic or other similar drugs will directly affect your appearance. Experts seem to agree that Ozempic’s face and Ozempic’s butt are purely caused by weight loss. The same sagging results can occur when losing weight in the old fashioned way or through other medical methods such as bariatric surgery.

You will see that not all weight loss will enhance your appearance. If you’re overweight, you may also reduce the healthy fats you want to store in places like your face or buttocks. Rapid weight loss can also lead to drooping skin. The skin is a malleable and elastic organ, but it cannot quickly return to its tense shape. A successful diet has struggled with these issues long before Ozempic came to the scene.

Dry the Ozempic’s breathing and mouth

Bad breath is usually an oral hygiene issue.⁽¹⁰⁾ Food particles and bacteria in your mouth can cause foul odors. In some cases, bad breath (pathogenic disease) can indicate a more substantial condition, but experts do not seem to be bothered by the fact that Ozempic breathing is a serious sign.

How does Ozempic cause bad breath? One possible explanation is the tendency to cause depletion of the mouth muscles of the Ozempic (Xerostomia). Saliva helps to cleanse the mouth, and due to a lack of saliva, bacteria can fester, grow and smell. Although no mouth mouth was initially reported among known side effects of Semaglutide, it has been widely discussed on social media, with clinicians publishing reports of extreme cases.⁽¹¹⁾

“Keto Breath” may also explain some cases of Ozempic’s breath. This side effect is common when people switch to the keto diet. Keto Breath, which tends to have a fruity scent, is caused by acetone, a by-product of ketosis. It is possible that some Ozempic users unintentionally adopt ketogenesis feeding patterns as a result of reduced appetite. Eating less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day can cause ketosis.

Hair removal

Ozempic can cause hair loss. Although it is not listed as a side effect of Ozempic’s FDA label, hair loss is listed based on Wegovy’s FDA label. This is essentially the same medicine. Three percent of participants in key drug trials reported hair loss (three times more than those who used a placebo).⁽²⁾

But like Ozempic’s face and Ozempic Butt, this is simply a common consequence of rapid weight loss. Dramatic weight loss often leads to hair loss, no matter how it is caused. This science is well established. For example, a study on crash diets published in 1974 found multiple cases of “hair reduction.”⁽¹²⁾ Additionally, more than half of people undergoing bariatric surgery experience hair removal.⁽¹³⁾

Good news: One study found that “hair removal stopped and new hair gradually grew in all patients.”⁽¹⁴⁾

Hopefully, the Ozempic minority who loses hair to drugs will have the same fortune.

Side effects of ozenpic in women

As far as research is concerned, most of the side effects of semaglutide are common to both men and women, with no particular interaction between GLP-1 drugs and female hormones. However, there are certain Ozempic side effects that affect women in particular.

Ozempic baby

We may be experiencing the Ozempic baby boom. All over social media, women have praised GLP-1 drugs for their surprising pregnancy.

Although there is no solid data on this phenomenon, experts agree that Ozempic has a variety of features that can explain fertility improvements. Because obesity itself has long been known to cause latency and infertility, dramatic weight loss associated with ozempic can easily increase the chances of pregnancy in women.⁽¹⁵⁾ If weight loss and improved metabolism help to improve or alleviate conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the effects can be even stronger.

However, there is also the possibility that Ozempic can interfere with contraceptives. Although there is no scientific evidence that this will happen today, the class’s associated drug, tilzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), has warned the FDA label. Patients are recommended to switch to non-oral forms of contraception or add barrier methods such as condoms.⁽¹⁶⁾

ozempic breast

First there was Ozempic’s face, then Ozempic’s ass. Finally, the headline was a complaint about “Ozempic Breats” in the spring of 2024.

Women who have lost weight with Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications complain that their breasts have a saggy or calm appearance. However, there is no evidence that Ozempic is particularly effective in breast tissue. Rather, the changes in breast shape are due to the rapid and substantial weight loss that these drugs frequently cause. Women who lost weight in other ways have noticed the same problem.

Fatigue and fatigue

There have been reports that Ozempic can cause fatigue. Basically, it is fatigue and fatigue that cannot be improved by sleep. The FDA label for Semaglutide (Wegovy) reports that 11% of study participants experienced fatigue.

It is unclear why Ozempic causes fatigue, but one very plausible explanation is the fact that it causes people to feed far less food. Ozempic causes extreme weight loss by encouraging users to eat with extreme calorie deficits. You put less fuel in your body, essentially on a crash diet. Isn’t it surprising that Ozempic might defeat your energy?

Dizziness

Dizziness has also been reported by a small number of Ozempic users. Ozempic’s dizziness may be derived from the glucose-lowering effect of the drug. Dizziness is a common symptom of hypoglycemia. Even patients who are not at risk of severe hypoglycemia (usually patients who do not use insulin or sulfonylurea) may experience dizziness while experiencing temporary hypoglycemia episodes.

Excessive muscle loss

It is inevitable that weight loss will involve some muscle loss. This is considered healthy and natural.

However, some experts believe that Ozempic and related drugs are causing surprisingly worrying muscle loss.

There is only a few good data on this question. Body composition analysis of volunteers in two trials showed that semaglutide users lost about 40% of their fat lean mass and 60% of their fat.⁽¹⁷⁾ This is more muscle loss than researchers would expect to see. A review published in 2017 states that people who use other methods to lose weight tend to only lose lean mass of 20-30%.⁽¹⁸⁾

February 2024, New York Times The manufacturer of GLP-1 drugs is taking the problem seriously and reports that it has begun developing combination drug treatments that will help users of Ozempic and related drugs maintain a lean mass.⁽¹⁹⁾

In the meantime, experts agree that it is wise for users to engage in strength building exercises to maintain muscle mass during weight loss. Eating enough protein may also help.

This potential side effect may be a reminder that Ozempic is inappropriate for people who do not have a good medical reason to lose weight.

Relief from food noise, desire to drink, and addictive behavior

Many Ozempic users are surprised at how addictive and obsessive behaviors are engaged. Somehow, this drug appears to reduce the tendency to cause harm to excessively seduce activities such as drinking, shopping, gambling, and even nail biting.

Although the science here is still in its early stages, it appears that one of the reasons Ozempic can suppress hunger cues is its direct action in the brain.⁽²⁰⁾ Ozempic knows that it helps you feel completely faster, but it actually reduces your food cravings and switches food noise that forces some people to permanently pinpoint them to their next snack or meal. And it seems like drugs reduce your cravings for other things.

Experts have known for many years that GLP-1 receptor agonists may have these behavioral effects. In a study by Exenatide (Byetta), brain scans showed that drugs reduced activity in “critical brain regions for drug reward and addiction.”^{(twenty one)} It also calmed the brain’s dopamine cycle. Several clinical trials are currently underway to investigate the potential of GLP-1 drugs as anti-dispensers.

We are many years away from the day when ozempics and related drugs could be prescribed as treatment for addictive or compulsive behavior. But in the meantime, it can help users with more than just an obsessive meal.

Suicidal thoughts

US government health officials and the European Union have initially expressed concern that semaglutide and other GLP-1 drugs are causing the idea of ​​suicide and self-harm.

However, a thorough review of the evidence appears to have set those concerns a break. In January 2024, the FDA announced that it could not identify the “causal relationship” between GLP1 drugs and suicide thoughts and behaviors.^{(twenty two)} In April, EU regulators made a similar announcement.^{(twenty three)}

Today, the official FDA labels for Wegovy and Zepbound continue to warn that there is a risk of suicidal ideation, but the agency clarified it in its announcement that it is based on evidence from “old drugs used or tested for weight loss.”

Increased heart rate

Regarding this side effect, this side effect listed on the Ozempic FDA label, is relatively less chattered online. In clinical trials, low doses of Ozempic “average increase in heart rates of 2-3 beats per minute.” Some patients found this experience to be uncomfortable.

The FDA encourages patients to “translate the heartbeat of the race to their providers during their rest.” Those who experience a “sustained” heart rate at rest should stop the medication.

This side effect may seem confused, but it is worth remembering that semaglutide and tilzepatide have an overwhelmingly positive effect on heart health. Semaglutide was recently approved as a treatment for the prevention of heart attacks, and preliminary studies suggest that tilzepatide also confers a wide range of cardiovascular benefits.^{(twenty four)}

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetics should know that there is evidence that ozempics may increase the incidence of diabetic retinopathy, a form of eye disease that can lead to vision loss. According to the Pharmacy Times, one of the several important studies in Semaglutide found an increased risk of diabetic retinopathy.^{(twenty five)} The FDA also reports that a significantly higher percentage of Ozempic users have DR. It compares with users of similar drugs such as Dulaglutide (Trulicity) and Liraglutide (Victoza).⁽²⁶⁾ However, another large study of semaglutide has shown that connections are contested because there is no such risk.⁽²⁷⁾

If the connection is authentic, it seems that the incredible effects of Ozempic can have a negative impact on your eyes. Contrary to all expectations, rapid improvements in glucose control can actually exacerbate diabetic retinopathy. This is called “early worsening.” This is because the eyes get worse before the major long-term benefits of better glycemic control become apparent.

Recent discussion of issues by experts from the American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests that “early worsening” from Ozempics is temporary and manageable, but calls for an increase in scrutiny from ophthalmologists.⁽²⁸⁾

There is no evidence that people without diabetes have reason to worry about their vision for Ozempic.

Hypoglycemia (hypoglycemia)

Ozempic itself probably does not cause hypoglycemia, but its glucose-lowering effects can significantly increase the chances that insulin or sulfonylurea, other drugs, mainly insulin or sulfonylurea, will cause hypoglycemia. Once Ozempic lowers baseline blood glucose levels, older doses of glucose-lowering medications can be more than necessary.

If you have diabetes and are starting a new GLP-1, you may need to change the dosage of other diabetic medications you use. Your doctor may also ask you to be particularly vigilant about checking your blood sugar. If you are not comfortable changing your own insulin administration habits, you should be ready to contact your doctor in between visits to get guidance on adjustments.

Erectile dysfunction

A study published in February 2024 found that diabetes-free men using semaglutide were 10 times more likely to experience erectile dysfunction (1.4% in total, only 0.14% in the control group). The risk of hypogonadism (low testosterone) has also increased significantly.⁽²⁹⁾ The report confirmed anecdotal evidence on social media. There, some men complained that the drugs either reduced their sexual desire or made it more difficult to maintain an erection.

This result surprised the study authors because weight loss usually improves erectile dysfunction.⁽³⁰⁾ However, the science is still unknown as other studies have shown that GLP-1 drugs can actually raise testosterone levels and improve erectile dysfunction.^(31)(32)

There are many treatments for erectile dysfunction, both medicinal and natural.

Rare and serious side effects

Semaglutide also leads to a few rare but potentially serious side effects.

• Pancreatitis This condition in which digestive enzymes attack the pancreas may feel like a severe stomach pain radiating into the back.
• Kidney failure Studies have shown that several cases of semaglutide contribute to kidney disease.⁽³³⁾ Dehydration side effects, especially diarrhea and vomiting, can increase this risk. Nevertheless, for most people, this drug appears to have a positive effect on kidney health.
• Gallbladder disease This can cause severe stomach pain, yellowing of the eyes and skin, fever, and “clay-colored stool.”
• Thyroid C-cell tumor The FDA label on Semaglutide warns of the risk of developing thyroid cancer, as observed in rodent studies. However, the European Health Bureau has announced that it cannot find links to humans.⁽³⁴⁾

There have also been several reports of allergic reactions to GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Ozempic is a powerful thing. If you are experiencing an unexplainable response, contact your healthcare provider.

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