Compounded Semaglutide vs Ozempic: Is There a Difference?
By now, most people have probably heard of the revolutionary weight-loss injections taking the world by storm. Ozempic and Wegovy are two such drugs, and they’re both different forms of semaglutide. However, some patients don’t realize the generic semaglutide is also available. So if diet and exercise alone aren’t helping you reach your goals, you’ll want to know the differences between semaglutide vs Ozempic to determine which option might be best for you.
Join us for an introduction to these popular weight-loss drugs!
What is semaglutide?
Semaglutide is the active ingredient in brand-name medications like Wegovy and Ozempic. It is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that mimics natural hormones made by your gut. Here’s a closer look at the details:
How does semaglutide work?
Many healthcare providers prescribe compounded semaglutide that may include essential vitamins like B12. The medication is typically administered as a weekly subcutaneous injection. Patients generally begin to feel the effects within the first week or two. Since the half-life of semaglutide is about a week, the drug builds up in your system with each injection. As your body adjusts to the medication, you may increase your dose month by month until reaching the upper threshold of 2.4mg.
Once the medication enters your body, it boosts pancreatic function to stimulate insulin secretion, which can lower your blood sugar. It also suppresses appetite and slows gastric emptying to help you feel fuller for longer. While some patients continue taking a maintenance dose once they reach their goal weight, others choose to taper off of the medication altogether.
Benefits of semaglutide
Patients can enjoy a ton of health benefits with semaglutide. First and foremost, several clinical trials have shown that this medication can help patients lose weight and keep it off. By making it easier to limit food intake, semaglutide can kickstart a healthier lifestyle.
In addition to its practical weight management applications, it’s also been shown to improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of heart disease, including heart attack and stroke. It may play a role in how fat cells function, turning more white fat cells into brown cells that can be shed more easily with exercise.
Some studies also suggest semaglutide may improve long-term cognitive function and give patients more control over substance use disorders.
Side effects of semaglutide
Semaglutide can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. For many, these side effects are mild and easy to manage. In rare cases, this medication may also lead to gallbladder and pancreatic dysfunction.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a brand-name formulation of semaglutide that has earned FDA approval to treat patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Here’s a closer look at this popular medication:
Who is a good candidate for Ozempic?
Due to high out-of-pocket costs, patients with a Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis are often the best candidates for Ozempic. Other criteria include minimum body mass index scores, specific A1C goals, and inadequate glycemic control.
Side effects of Ozempic
Patients taking Ozempic often encounter the same side effects as those taking compounded semaglutide. These may include digestive problems, pancreatitis, gallbladder issues, and other gut-related ailments.
Benefits of Ozempic
Just like other forms of semaglutide, Ozempic can help patients lose weight, control their blood glucose levels, lower their blood pressure, and minimize the risks of certain chronic health conditions like heart disease.
What are the differences between semaglutide vs Ozempic?
So far, we’ve highlighted the similarities between semaglutide and Ozempic. Here are some of the notable differences between these two formulations:
Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes vs blood sugar management
Blood sugar management is just one component of treatment for Type 2 Diabetes. The lifestyle habits needed to improve both conditions are similar. A healthy diet and regular exercise are key to managing these issues. However, diabetic patients may need supplemental medications in addition to Ozempic or semaglutide in order to keep insulin and blood glucose levels in check.
Cost differences between semaglutide vs Ozempic
Price is one of the major selling points of semaglutide. Compounded formulations are substantially cheaper than brand-name alternatives like Ozempic and Wegovy, which can cost patients over $1,000 per month.
Are semaglutide and Ozempic covered by insurance?
Most insurance plans will only cover Ozempic for patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Since compounded semaglutide isn’t FDA-approved, many insurance providers won’t cover any portion of medication costs, even for patients who meet the criteria for Ozempic.
Explore your weight management options at Glow Aesthetics!
Despite eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, many people struggle to reach their weight loss goals through lifestyle changes alone. If this story sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Semaglutide is just one option for patients looking to shed extra weight and take charge of their health. At Glow Aesthetics, we’re passionate about helping our patients achieve their goals. Contact us today to learn more, or book an appointment to begin your journey to wellness!