Several classes of diabetes medications not only help treat type 2 diabetes, but they also help patients lose weight. However, these drugs are not FDA-approved as weight management aids.
How do diabetes drugs help patients lose weight? And who should take these drugs? This article will provide a broad look at diabetes drugs that cause weight loss. We’ll investigate how these drugs work, their possible side effects, and who they may be right for.
How do diabetes drugs help with weight loss?
Healthcare providers prescribe diabetes drugs to regulate blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. These drugs have also been shown to lead to weight loss in individuals with obesity or excess body weight.
Diabetes drugs, particularly GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors, work through different mechanisms to promote weight reduction.
GLP-1 receptor agonists cause weight loss by:
- Lowering blood sugar by encouraging the pancreas to release insulin
- Reducing your overall appetite
- Slowing down the emptying of the stomach (making you feel fuller longer)
SGLT-2 inhibitors cause weight loss by:
- Releasing excess blood sugar through the urine
Diabetes drugs are not prescribed alone. Your provider will also prescribe healthy lifestyle changes to be used with the medication. These habits help you maintain your weight loss and make the medication more effective.
Healthy lifestyle changes used with diabetes drugs include:
- A healthy diet: Your provider will recommend a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins. They may also recommend cutting your calorie intake and avoiding high-fat, sugary, and overly processed foods.
- More exercise: Your provider will recommend an appropriate exercise program for you and your fitness level.
How much weight can I lose with diabetes drugs?
Patients on Mounjaro (tirzepatide) lost the most weight and faster, reducing body weight by 15% after one year. Ozempic (semaglutide) patients lost 8% after one year. Other diabetes drugs such as Trulicity (dulaglutide), metformin, and Rybelsus cause weight loss from about 5% to as little as 1%.
What diabetes drugs help with weight loss?
Several diabetes drugs can cause weight loss. These medications have different effects on the body and are taken differently.
The nine diabetes drugs also prescribed for weight loss are:
- Ozempic (contains the active ingredient semaglutide)
- Rybelsus (contains the active ingredient semaglutide)
- Victoza (contains the active ingredient liraglutide)
- Trulicity (contains the active ingredient dulaglutide)
- Mounjaro (contains the active ingredient tirzepatide)
- Canagliflozin (generic for Invokana)
- Empagliflozin (generic for Jardiance)
- Dapagliflozin (generic for Farxiga)
- Metformin (generic for Fortmeza and Glutmeza)
These nine drugs vary in how they are taken and when you should take them. They are detailed below.
Injectable diabetes drugs
Mounjaro
Moujaro, made by Eli Lilly, is a unique diabetes drug. Mounjaro contains the active ingredient tirzepatide, which belongs to a novel class of drugs called dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.
Mounjaro is injected once a week. Clinical trials showed that Mounjaro helped patients lose, on average, 41 pounds in 72 weeks.
Mounjaro starts at $1,135/ 28-day supply without insurance.
Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonists
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are perhaps the most famous class of diabetes shots (injections) used for weight loss. These drugs are primarily manufactured by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
GLP-1 diabetes drugs include:
- Ozempic (semaglutide)
- Victoza (liraglutide)
- Trulicity (dulaglutide)
Cost breakdown without insurance:
- Ozempic: $1,029/28-day supply
- Victoza: $581/28-day supply
- Trulicity: $1,038/ 28-day supply
GLP-1 receptor agonist injections are applied once a week. They are injected into the stomach, thigh, or upper arm. In addition to helping manage blood sugar levels, they have been shown to help patients lose more than 10-15 lbs in a little over a year (56 weeks).
GLP-1 agonists also help prevent cardiovascular complications such as:
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack
- Heart disease
Oral diabetes drugs (pills)
Rybelsus
Rybelsus is the first and only GLP-1 pill approved by the FDA. It contains semaglutide, which is the same active ingredient in Ozempic.
Rybelsus is taken every day. Rybelsus has been shown to help patients lose around 8 pounds in 6 months.
Rybelsus starts at $1029 per month without insurance.
Invokana and other SGLT-2 inhibitors
SGLT-2 inhibitors include:
- Canagliflozin (generic Invokana)
- Empagliflozin (generic Jardiance)
- Dapagliflozin (generic Farxiga)
Cost breakdown without insurance:
- Invokana: $639/ 30-day supply
- Jardiance: $652.99/ 30-day supply
- Farxiga: $622.61/ 30-day supply
SGLT-2 inhibitors are available as pills that are taken every day.
SGLT-2 inhibitors have been shown to help patients lose 3-5 pounds in 6 months.
Metformin
Metformin is available in its generic form or under the brand names Glucophage and Glumetza.
Metformin is usually taken once a day with food. It has been shown to help patients lose over 12 pounds in 6 months.
Metformin starts at $11 for a 30-day supply.
Do diabetes drugs cause side effects?
The drugs listed above have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Their benefits generally outweigh their risks of side effects.
Common side effects of these drugs include:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Stomach pain
- Low blood sugar
- Low blood sugar
Certain GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Victoza) can increase your risk of developing certain medical conditions. These drugs should be avoided if you have a history of:
- Gallbladder problems
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) (thyroid cancer)
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2)
- Diabetic retinopathy (eye problems)
- High cholesterol or triglyceride levels
- Any digestive disorders
Talk to your healthcare provider about your medical history before starting treatment with any diabetes drug.
Who should take a diabetes drug for weight loss?
None of the drugs detailed in this article have been FDA-approved for weight loss. Their use as a weight management aid is off-label. "Off-label" means a doctor uses a medication to treat a condition or symptom for which it was not explicitly designed or officially approved.
Diabetes drugs are usually prescribed to patients who:
- Have a body mass index over 30 (obesity)
- Have overweight (a BMI over 25) with type 2 diabetes
The decision to prescribe a diabetes drug for weight loss is at the discretion of the prescribing provider. Diabetes drugs aren’t suitable for everyone. If you are curious about these treatment options but do not have type 2 diabetes, ask your provider about alternatives to diabetes drugs.
How long can you stay on these drugs for weight loss?
There is no specific amount of time or weight loss that determines how long you can take these drugs for weight loss. If the drugs are working and you aren’t experiencing side effects, your provider may recommend that you keep using them for the treatment of obesity. ## Alternatives to diabetes drugs for weight loss
Wegovy and Saxenda have the same active ingredients as diabetes drugs but are specifically approved as weight loss drugs.
Wegovy: Wegovy is a once-weekly injectable medication. It has a higher dose of semaglutide than Ozempic. Higher doses of semaglutide have been shown to lead to greater weight loss. The most potent Ozempic is 2 mg, while the maximum Wegovy dosage is 2.4 mg.
Saxenda: Saxenda is injected daily. Saxenda is a higher-dose version of Victoza. The maintenance dosage of Victoza is 1.8 mg, whereas the maintenance dose of Saxenda is 3 mg.
Zepbound: Zepbound contains the same active ingredient as Mounjaro but is specifically approved as a treatment for obesity. Ask your provider about this medication and its availability.
These brand medications have been shown to lead to more weight loss but may increase your risk of side effects. Specifically, higher doses of semaglutide are linked to a greater risk of gastrointestinal (GI) side effects.
Compounded semaglutide: Due to a national shortage of semaglutide, the FDA has deemed Ozempic and Wegovy in short supply. A shortage of a particular drug means that compounding pharmacies are authorized to make compounded versions of that drug. Because of the shortage, you may be prescribed a compounded form of semaglutide (known as compounded semaglutide). Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. However, the facilities that make these drugs are regulated by the FDA and state governments. Discuss the pros and cons of compounded medication with your provider before starting treatment with these drugs.
How Sesame can help
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Weight loss results aren’t just something you see - they’re something you feel. Data shows that maintaining a healthy weight can have significant health benefits, such as a lower risk of heart disease, improved mobility, better sleep, and enhanced overall well-being. Get started on your weight loss journey today. Note that all prescriptions are at the discretion of your healthcare provider.
