What is Ozempic?
Ozempic, sold under its generic name semaglutide, is a prescription drug used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults that works through subcutaneous injection [1, 2]. It is part of a class of drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.
What does Ozempic do?
Ozempic resembles GLP-1, a hormone produced naturally by the body, which has several effects on the management of glucose levels, as well as reducing some risk factors for cardiovascular disease in those with type 2 diabetes, including Modulating the release of insulin; reducing the amount of glucose released into the blood after meals; and lowering the speed of transit of food through the stomach, which helps to prevent hyperglycaemia (abnormally high blood sugar levels) immediately after a meal [3].
Ozempic is additionally prescribed off-label for weight loss. Hunger suppression leads to reduced caloric intake, which leads to weight loss [2, 3].
Side Effects of Ozempic use
Ozempic, like all medications, can cause side effects in some individuals. These side effects can range from mild to serious.
Some of the most common Ozempic side effects include abdominal (stomach) pain, constipation, diarrhoea and nausea or vomiting. Mild side effects that have been reported include alterations in taste, belching, dizzy spells, headaches, flatulence (passing gas), fatigue (lack of energy), indigestion (upset stomach) or acid reflux, injection-site reactions such as redness, itching or pain, and a slight increase in heart rate [3, 4].
Ozempic can also have serious side effects in some, including diabetic retinopathy (damage to blood vessels in the eye), gallbladder disease that can result in gallstones or cholecystitis (pain and swelling of the gallbladder), problems with the kidneys, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), thyroid cancer, allergic reaction, and hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) [3, 4].
Note that if you experience any ongoing or bothersome side effects, contact your doctor or pharmacist at any time. Do not stop using Ozempic without first talking to your doctor.
What is Hypothyroidism?
People with an underactive thyroid gland have hypothyroidism, a condition which makes the body work slower than normal. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ under the skin. It produces two key hormones, thyroxine (often called T4 because it has four iodine molecules) and triiodothyronine (mostly called T3 because it has three iodine molecules). These hormones keep the body ticking over by controlling the speed of metabolism and energy production in the mitochondria (the power plants of organs and tissues) [5].
In hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland doesn’t generate enough thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) to keep your metabolism normal, thereby interfering with many physiological processes important to your overall health and well-being [5].
Hypothyroidism is fairly common, and estimates suggest that 1 in 20 Americans have the condition [5]. The condition is fairly common in developed countries, and in these nations, around 4-5% have hypothyroidism compared with 11% in India, 2% in the UK, and about 4.6% in the USA [6].
Symptoms of hypothyroidism could include extreme fatigue and weakness, weight gain that does not seem to have a cause, trouble losing weight, sensitivity to cold, dry skin and hair, hair loss, muscle aches and weakness, joint pain, inability to concentrate or state of mind that fluctuates, memory problems, infrequent periods in those assigned as female at birth and hoarseness [5].
Can you take Ozempic if you have Hypothyroidism?
Physicians typically will not prescribe Ozempic to a patient with a history of personal or family thyroid cancer (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, which can both cause thyroid cancer [3, 4, 7]. It can be deduced that taking Ozempic when suffering from Hypothyroidism is not recommended.
If you have hypothyroidism and are considering Ozempic for this reason, you must check in with your doctor to assess this new use of Ozempic based on known risks for you specifically. What is your health history and what risks might you have [3, 4, 7].