Introduction
You’ve decided to take semaglutide because of its life-changing effects on weight loss and blood sugar regulation. Public figures like Sharon Osbourne and other influencers have praised it as the “wonder drug” of the decade.
Proper timing and administration are essential to get the most out of semaglutide. As such, you may have many questions about how to take the drug to get the best results.
This article explores the best timing to take semaglutide brands—Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus—to maximize results.
What is semaglutide?
Before we dive into when the best time is to take semaglutide, we must understand what it is and how it works.
In our gut is a hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1 for short. Whenever we finish a meal and our blood sugar levels are too high, it springs into action, prompting the pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that brings high blood sugar levels down.
Semaglutide does the exact thing, acting like a sort of doppelganger of GLP-1. It’s a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, or GLP-1 Ra. It helps reduce and regulate blood glucose after food consumption.
At the same time, it also slows down digestion, so you feel fuller for a longer time. As a result, you don’t think of food as much and don’t have much of an appetite, either. In this way, you end up losing weight because you have fewer food cravings, as well.
We’re sure you’ve heard of the massively popular semaglutide brand, Ozempic. It has two other sister brands with whom it shares semaglutide as an active ingredient: Wegovy and Rybelsus. Ozempic and Rybelsus both treat type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy treats obesity. They may be different brands, but essentially, they’re all semaglutide and offer the same therapeutic benefits. It’s no surprise that many healthcare providers choose to prescribe Ozempic and Rybelsus off-label for their weight loss effect.
Safety and efficacy of semaglutide
Because semaglutide brands Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus have US FDA approval, you can be sure of their safety and efficacy. The following are highlights from the research that proves semaglutide’s safety, efficacy, and tolerability.
In the STEP 5 trial, researchers looked at the two-year effects of semaglutide in overweight or obese adults. Participants lost an average of 15 percent of their body weight with semaglutide. Meanwhile, those in the placebo group lost approximately 2.6 percent of their body weight.
Participants taking semaglutide also had greater reductions in their waistline as well as in their systolic blood pressure. Specifically, by 14.4 centimeters or 5.7 inches and by 5.7 mmHg. Those in the semaglutide group also experienced better diastolic blood pressure, blood sugar levels, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.
A December 2022 study, meanwhile, found that participants on semaglutide lost more body fat than body mass. In addition, they ate less food due to a decrease in appetite. They also had better control of eating, and had fewer food cravings, especially for fatty foods.
Side effects of semaglutide
Before you take semaglutide, it’s important to know what potential side effects you may experience, especially during the first few weeks or months of semaglutide use. Thankfully, its most common side effects are generally mild and are easily managed. The more serious ones, on the other hand, are rare.
As potent as semaglutide may seem, it is just like any other drug that comes with a host of potential side effects. Knowing what its common side effects are will help you prepare accordingly.
Common side effects
Gastrointestinal reactions account for 10 percent or more of semaglutide’s side effects. These include:
- nausea (up to 44% of cases),
- diarrhea (up to 30%),
- vomiting (up to 24%),
- constipation (up to 24%),
- abdominal pain (up to 20%),
Other side effects
Other common side effects of semaglutide which occur in 1 to 10 percent of cases include indigestion, belching, gassiness, gastroenteritis (short-term infection and inflammation of the digestive system), or gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining).
It’s worth noting that these common side effects of semaglutide are mild and you can manage these with the help of your healthcare provider. Semaglutide’s more serious adverse effects, meanwhile, are rare.
Oral and subcutaneous semaglutide
Understanding the administration methods of semaglutide brands can help optimize your dosing schedule. You inject Ozempic and Wegovy are under the skin (subcutaneously) using dosing pens. Rybelsus, on the other hand, is an oral tablet.
Eligibility
If you already have a prescription for Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus, your healthcare provider might have already screened you if you are a candidate for semaglutide. Note that for it to work effectively, you also have to meet certain diagnostic criteria.
If your doctor prescribes Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus, he/she has likely assessed your eligibility. For Ozempic and Rybelsus, you generally need a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, with some patients also having heart disease or insulin resistance. Doctors usually prescribe Wegovy to those with a BMI of 27+ and a weight-related condition or BMI of 30+. BMI stands for body mass index, a measurement of whether a person is overweight, underweight, obese, or healthy.
When is the best time to take semaglutide?
Optimal timing depends on dosage schedules and the format of the semaglutide brand. Although they may all be made of semaglutide, they vary in dosages and formats.
Dosage and Administration
Your doctor will usually start you off on a low dose, gradually increasing this until you reach a maintenance dose to help your body adjust to semaglutide.
Ozempic comes in 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg doses, while Wegovy comes in five various dose strengths, from 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg. The different doses come in pens with different colors.
Rybelsus, meanwhile, comes in 3 mg, 7 mg, and 14 mg doses, available in 30-tablet bottles with different colored caps.
The best time to take semaglutide is based on the dosage schedule that its manufacturer, pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, prescribes. It’s important that you follow the specific steps every time you administer semaglutide to ensure that it works at its best. Your healthcare provider should be able to demonstrate how to properly administer the medicine and address any questions or clarifications you may have as well.
Prepping the pen: Before administering, check that the product (visible in the pen through a window part) is clear and colorless, and not cloudy. Air bubbles are completely normal and are not a cause of concern.
Both Ozempic and Wegovy can be injected in three different areas: your 1) abdomen (two inches from the bellybutton), 2) thigh (choose the front of the thigh and avoid the inner thigh), or 3) upper arm (between the shoulder and the elbow).
Make sure that you are not injecting into a muscle or vein. It is best to use a different injection site with every injection, but if you want to use the same injection site, pick a different spot in that area.
Dosage schedule and frequency: You can take Ozempic or Wegovy injections with or without meals, on the same day each week, at any time of the day. The day of the week may vary, as long as 48 have transpired since your last dose.
You should take Rybelsus, on the other hand, on an empty stomach when you first wake up. You can take it with no more than four ounces or 120 ml of plain water. Do not split, chew, or crush the tablet. Swallow it whole.
Wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking, or taking other oral medications by mouth.
To maximize results, it is best to eat 30 to 60 minutes after taking Rybelsus. It’s essential that you take it the same way every time.
For best results, semaglutide manufacturer Novo Nordisk notes that it is best to take semaglutide with a balanced diet and exercise.
On missed doses: If you miss a dose of Ozempic, don’t worry. Just take the missed dose immediately within five days after the day of the missed dose. If it has been more than five days already, just skip the missed dose and proceed with taking your next dose on its regular scheduled day.
If you miss a dose of Wegovy, on the other hand, and the next dose is scheduled more than two days away, take the missed dose ASAP. Meanwhile, if the next dose is scheduled less than two days away, skip the missed dose and take the next dose of Wegovy as scheduled.
If you miss a dose for more than two weeks, use it on the next scheduled day of the dose. You may also want to consult your doctor about restarting the treatment.
For Rybelsus, just take the next dose the following day.
Adhering to the prescribed schedule ensures a consistent level of semaglutide in your bloodstream for optimal efficacy.
Conclusion
Proper dosage and administration are key to ensuring and maintaining the efficacy of semaglutide.
The best time to take semaglutide is the dosage schedule prescribed by its manufacturer, Danish pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk. Administer Ozempic and Wegovy once weekly regardless of meals. Meanwhile, take Rybelsus on an empty stomach the first time you wake up.
To maximize the results of semaglutide, patients must incorporate a nutritious diet and have plenty of exercise.
Glossary of terms:
- GLP-1: Glucagon-like peptide-1 is a gut-based hormone involved in the secretion of insulin to lower blood sugar levels typically elevated after meals.
- GLP-1 Ra: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists mimic GLP-1 in the production of insulin to control blood sugar levels.
