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- United Arab Emirates
September 20, 2026
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Last Updated: 20/09/2026
Ozempic is a medication given once a week that contains semaglutide. It was primarily developed to help control type 2 diabetes, but it may also reduce appetite and lead to weight loss in some people.
There is one important point to understand from the beginning. Ozempic and Wegovy contain the same active ingredient, but they are not the same medication in terms of dosage and approved uses. Therefore, results from Wegovy studies in obesity should not be assumed to apply to every person using Ozempic.
To better understand the condition that Ozempic is primarily used to treat, you can read more about diabetes, its types, and symptoms.
Ozempic is a medication that helps lower blood sugar and may also reduce appetite and increase feelings of fullness.
It contains semaglutide. This medicine works in a way similar to a natural hormone in the body that helps regulate blood sugar and appetite.
This hormone is medically known as glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1. You do not need to remember the abbreviation. What matters is that Ozempic uses the effects of this hormone in the body. The NHS explains that semaglutide is used to manage type 2 diabetes or treat obesity depending on the product and its approved indication.
Ozempic works in several ways, including:
These effects help control blood sugar and may also result in eating less food and losing some weight.
The active ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide.
This is why the name semaglutide appears when discussing both Ozempic and Wegovy. However, containing the same active ingredient does not mean that the two products are identical in dosage or approved use.
Ozempic helps improve blood sugar control and may help a person feel full for longer and eat less.
However, its effects vary from one person to another. One person may experience a clear reduction in appetite, while the change may be less noticeable in someone else.
Using the medication therefore does not mean everyone will lose the same amount of weight.
Ozempic is mainly used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes and may provide additional benefits for certain people with diabetes who also have heart or kidney disease. The current U.S. prescribing information from the FDA outlines the approved uses, warnings, and dosages.
Its currently approved uses in the U.S. prescribing information include:
The FLOW study, published on PubMed, involved people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease and found that semaglutide reduced the risk of a group of serious kidney and cardiovascular outcomes by approximately 24% compared with placebo. This result applies to a specific group of patients and does not mean that everyone should use the medication to protect their kidneys.
This result applies to a specific group of patients and does not mean that everyone should use the medication to protect their kidneys.
Ozempic is primarily a medication for type 2 diabetes. It may also help with weight loss, but it is not the product primarily intended for obesity treatment.
The medication that also contains semaglutide and is specifically used for weight management is called Wegovy. Mayo Clinic lists prescription weight-loss medications within the context of medical obesity management and follow-up.
Therefore, when discussing Ozempic for weight loss, two points should be distinguished:
Yes. A doctor may prescribe Ozempic for weight loss in some cases, even when weight loss is not one of the medication's officially approved uses in that country.
This is medically known as off-label use, which means using a medicine for a purpose outside its officially approved indication.
This does not mean that the medication is unsafe or that the doctor is using it incorrectly. It means that the decision should be medically assessed and individualized rather than someone using the medication on their own simply because they want to lose weight.
Ozempic may help with weight loss, but there is no fixed or guaranteed amount that applies to everyone.
Results depend on several factors, including a person's starting weight, whether they have diabetes, the dosage, how long the medication is used, diet, and physical activity.
In the SUSTAIN FORTE trial published on PubMed, which included people with type 2 diabetes, the average weight reduction after approximately 40 weeks was:
|
Dose |
Average Weight Loss After 40 Weeks |
|
1 mg once weekly |
About 6 kg |
|
2 mg once weekly |
About 6.9 kg |
These figures are study averages, not promises of individual results. One person may lose more, while another may lose less.
There is no fixed number of kilograms that every Ozempic user will lose.
Results vary because of:
For this reason, claims such as "Ozempic makes you lose 10 kg" are not medically accurate.
The figure is accurate in its proper context, but it does not mean every Ozempic user will lose 15% of their body weight.
In the STEP 1 study published on PubMed, which included people with overweight or obesity, semaglutide was used at a dose of 2.4 mg once weekly for 68 weeks. The average weight reduction was approximately 14.9%.
The average weight reduction was approximately 14.9%.
However, this dose is associated with obesity treatment using Wegovy and is not the usual Ozempic dosage used to treat diabetes.
This distinction is very important. Put simply: the same active ingredient does not mean every dose and every product will produce the same results.
There is no specific point at which weight loss begins for everyone.
The medication starts acting in the body after it is used, but treatment begins with a low dose that is gradually increased. Changes in appetite or blood sugar may therefore appear before weight loss becomes noticeable.
The effect on weight should usually be assessed over weeks and months, rather than after the first injection or first week.
Ozempic usually begins at a low dose to allow the body to adjust to the medication.
The main purpose of gradual dose escalation is to reduce nausea, vomiting, and other digestive side effects.
The starting dose is therefore not designed to produce the greatest possible amount of weight loss.
A person may use Ozempic without noticing significant weight loss at first.
Possible reasons include:
The dose should not be increased without medical advice simply because weight is not falling as quickly as expected.
A suitable lifestyle can also support a weight-management plan. You can read more about a balanced diet for weight loss.
Ozempic is usually taken once a week, with the dose gradually increased according to the doctor's prescription.
The following table shows the doses listed in the U.S. prescribing information for educational purposes only:
|
Stage |
Dose |
|
Starting dose |
0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks |
|
After that |
0.5 mg once weekly |
|
If greater blood sugar control is needed |
May be increased to 1 mg |
|
In some cases |
May be increased to 2 mg |
This table does not mean patients should increase their dose themselves. The doctor determines the appropriate dose based on the person's condition, tolerance of the medication, and blood sugar control.
Ozempic is injected under the skin.
It can usually be injected into:
The injection site should preferably be changed rather than using the same spot every time.
If you remember the dose within five days of the scheduled date, it can be taken.
If more than five days have passed, the missed dose should be skipped and treatment continued with the next dose on the usual scheduled day.
Two doses should not be taken together to make up for the missed dose.
Not necessarily. A higher dose may increase the medication's effects, but it may also increase side effects.
Doctors therefore do not increase the dose simply to speed up weight loss.
The goal is to reach a dose that is appropriate, effective, and tolerable for the patient.
The most common Ozempic side effects involve the digestive system.
They may include:
These symptoms are often more noticeable when treatment begins or after the dose is increased. They may improve over time for many users.
Some simple steps may help. Cleveland Clinic provides practical advice for managing side effects associated with this class of medicines, including adjusting meal size and eating habits and maintaining adequate hydration.
If nausea is severe or persistent, a doctor should be consulted rather than simply trying to tolerate it for a long period.
Some symptoms require medical assessment without delay.
See a doctor if you experience:
At Magrabi Health, we recommend seeking prompt eye assessment if sudden vision loss or rapid deterioration in vision occurs while using semaglutide.
Ozempic is not known to directly damage the kidneys in most users. In fact, kidney benefits have been demonstrated in some people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
However, if the medication causes severe vomiting or diarrhea, the body may lose a significant amount of fluid.
Severe dehydration may then lead to worsening kidney function.
A doctor should therefore be consulted if you experience:
Yes. Important information has emerged in recent years to help doctors and patients use the medication more safely.
A very rare optic nerve condition has been added to the safety information associated with semaglutide medicines in Europe.
The condition is medically known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION.
Readers do not need to remember the medical name. The important point is that the condition may cause sudden vision loss or rapid deterioration in vision.
In 2025, the European Medicines Agency concluded that it should be considered a very rare side effect of semaglutide, meaning it may affect up to 1 in 10,000 users.
No. They are different conditions.
Diabetic retinopathy develops because diabetes affects the small blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye.
The rare condition described above affects the optic nerve.
People with diabetes who already have diabetic retinopathy may also require additional eye monitoring during treatment.
Yes. Tell your doctor, surgeon, and anesthesia team that you use Ozempic before any procedure requiring general anesthesia or deep sedation.
Semaglutide slows the movement of food out of the stomach.
In rare cases, some food may remain in the stomach despite fasting before a procedure. This may increase the risk of stomach contents entering the lungs during anesthesia.
The Egyptian Drug Authority published a safety update on semaglutide addressing this risk during general anesthesia or deep sedation.
However, do not stop the medication on your own before surgery. Your doctor and anesthesia team will determine whether the timing of the dose needs to be changed or whether other precautions are required.
Current evidence does not show that medicines in this class increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviewed the available data in 2026 and stated that it did not find a clear increase in this risk. It requested the removal of this warning from certain weight-management medicines that had previously included it.
However, any severe psychological change or thoughts of self-harm require urgent medical attention, whether or not the person is using Ozempic.
Ozempic is not suitable for everyone.
There are certain conditions your doctor should know about before treatment begins.
According to the U.S. prescribing information, Ozempic should not be used in people with a personal or family history of a specific type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma.
It is also contraindicated in people with a hereditary condition called MEN2.
Thyroid C-cell tumors were seen in animal studies, while the extent to which this finding applies to humans remains uncertain.
It is generally not recommended for people with severely delayed stomach emptying.
This condition is medically known as gastroparesis.
The medication may worsen digestive problems in these patients.
Yes. A doctor may prescribe Ozempic together with insulin in some cases.
However, using them together may increase the risk of low blood sugar.
The doctor may therefore need to adjust the insulin dose or certain other diabetes medications.
Ozempic should not be used for weight loss during pregnancy, and pregnancy should be planned in advance when using the medication.
The U.S. prescribing information states that Ozempic should be stopped at least two months before a planned pregnancy.
This is because semaglutide remains in the body for a long time after the final dose.
If pregnancy occurs while using the medication, contact your doctor to discuss the appropriate next step. During breastfeeding, the doctor should assess the situation individually.
The main difference is that Ozempic and Wegovy contain semaglutide, while Mounjaro contains a different active ingredient called tirzepatide. Their doses and approved uses also differ.
|
Medication |
Active Ingredient |
Main Use |
|
Ozempic |
Semaglutide |
Type 2 diabetes and certain additional approved indications |
|
Wegovy |
Semaglutide |
Weight management in eligible patients |
|
Mounjaro |
Tirzepatide |
Approved uses vary by country |
|
Zepbound |
Tirzepatide |
Obesity treatment in certain markets |
No, but they contain the same active ingredient.
The differences include:
For this reason, results from a Wegovy study cannot automatically be applied to Ozempic.
Ozempic contains semaglutide, while Mounjaro contains tirzepatide.
Tirzepatide acts on two hormonal pathways related to blood sugar and appetite, while semaglutide primarily acts through one pathway.
However, choosing a medication does not depend only on the amount of weight loss.
Doctors also consider:
The SURMOUNT-5 study, published on PubMed, involved people with obesity without diabetes and found that the average weight reduction after 72 weeks was approximately 20.2% with tirzepatide and 13.7% with semaglutide.
However, it is important to understand the study correctly.
The study compared doses intended for obesity treatment. It did not directly compare Mounjaro with Ozempic at diabetes-treatment doses.
It is therefore not accurate to simplify the result by saying that "Mounjaro is better than Ozempic" for every person.
Some weight may return after treatment is stopped, particularly if there is no long-term plan to maintain the weight loss.
In the STEP 1 follow-up published on PubMed, participants regained a substantial proportion of the weight they had lost within one year after stopping semaglutide at a dose intended for obesity treatment. On average, they regained approximately two-thirds of the weight they had previously lost.
On average, they regained approximately two-thirds of the weight they had previously lost.
This result applies to a specific study and dose. It does not mean every Ozempic user will regain the same amount.
The medication helps control appetite and food intake while it is being used.
After stopping it:
Weight management should therefore be considered a long-term plan rather than simply a short period of using injections.
There is currently no strong evidence proving that gradually reducing the dose prevents weight regain.
A person should therefore not create their own dose-reduction schedule based on experiences found online.
The doctor determines whether treatment should be stopped directly, reduced gradually, or replaced with another treatment according to the individual case.
Not every user needs the same set of tests.
Follow-up depends on why the medication is being used and the person's health condition.
It may include:
There is no need to undergo complicated tests without a medical reason simply because a person is using Ozempic.
The price of Ozempic varies depending on the country, dose, official pricing, and medication availability.
Any published price should therefore be considered subject to change.
The price of an Ozempic pen in Saudi Arabia is SAR 418.65, according to drug information registered with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority at the time of verification in September 2026.
The medication is listed as a prescription medicine in Saudi Arabia.
Product details and registration updates can be reviewed through the Saudi Drug Information System.
The price of an Ozempic injection in Qatar is QAR 489 at Care n Cure Pharmacy at the time of verification in September 2026. The same price is currently shown for 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg strengths, with the original prescription required upon delivery.
The same price is currently shown for 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg strengths, with the original prescription required upon delivery.
The current price should still be confirmed with a licensed pharmacy.
Obtain the medication from a licensed pharmacy or authorized provider, and do not buy Ozempic through unknown social media accounts or websites. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration explains the risks of unapproved medicines in this class, including differences in quality and concentration and the possibility of fraudulent products.
Potential risks include:
Not necessarily. Compounded medicines are preparations made under specific circumstances instead of using the original commercial product. They do not always go through the same pre-market review process as approved medicines.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reported dosing errors involving compounded semaglutide, and some cases required medical care or hospitalization.
Patients should therefore not assume that any product labeled "semaglutide" is equivalent to original Ozempic.
See a doctor if symptoms are severe, persistent, or different from what you would normally expect.
The following require prompt assessment:
If you are using Ozempic to treat diabetes, do not rely on weight alone to determine whether treatment is working. Monitoring blood sugar and overall health is more important than the number on the scale.
Ozempic is an important medication for treating type 2 diabetes and may also help some people lose weight. However, results vary depending on the dose, individual health condition, and duration of treatment. Ozempic results should not be compared directly with Wegovy results without understanding the differences between the two products.
Using Ozempic injections for weight loss also requires medical assessment, especially when other health conditions or medications are involved.
We recommend obtaining the medication from a licensed source and not changing the dose or stopping treatment without consulting your doctor.
Medical Review: Reviewed by Magrabi’s editorial team with the support of specialized physicians.
Disclaimer: This article is for health education purposes only and is not a substitute for consultation with a specialist doctor
The Magrabi Health Editorial Team creates educational medical content designed to help readers better understand symptoms, diagnostic tests, treatment options, and preventive healthcare measures across a wide range of medical topics, drawing on trusted sources and specialized clinical expertise. Since 1955, Magrabi Health has built more than 70 years of experience in specialized healthcare through a regional network of over 40 facilities across 5 countries. Its commitment to quality and patient safety is reflected in numerous accreditations and recognitions, including the designation of several eye centers as Centers of Excellence in Ophthalmology by the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC). This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Ozempic is primarily intended to treat type 2 diabetes and may also lead to weight loss. Wegovy is the semaglutide-containing product primarily intended for weight management in eligible patients.
The medication begins acting in the body after use, but there is no fixed time when weight loss begins. The dose is gradually increased, so changes in weight usually appear over weeks or months rather than after the first injection.
There is no fixed amount. In some studies involving people with type 2 diabetes, average weight loss reached approximately 6-7 kg with certain doses over several months, but individual results vary.
Doctors may use medicines containing semaglutide for weight management in people without diabetes. However, the choice of product and dose depends on the person's condition and the medication's approved use in that country.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain are among the most common side effects. Severe or persistent symptoms require medical assessment.
People with diabetes who have diabetic retinopathy may require additional monitoring. A very rare optic nerve problem has also been added to European safety information for semaglutide. Any sudden vision loss or rapid deterioration in vision requires urgent medical assessment.
