Wegovy: What It Is, How It Works, and What You Need to Know

When you hear Wegovy, a once-weekly injectable medication approved for chronic weight management in adults. Also known as semaglutide, it's not just another diet pill—it's a prescription drug designed to change how your body regulates hunger and fullness. Unlike older weight loss drugs that just suppress appetite, Wegovy works by mimicking a natural hormone called GLP-1, which your body releases after eating. This hormone tells your brain you're full, slows down how fast food leaves your stomach, and helps control blood sugar. It’s part of a newer class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are also used to treat type 2 diabetes.

Wegovy isn’t for everyone. It’s meant for adults with obesity or overweight who also have weight-related health issues like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. It’s not a quick fix—you need to pair it with a reduced-calorie diet and regular physical activity to see results. Studies show people using Wegovy lost an average of 15% of their body weight over a year, with some losing even more. But it’s not without side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation are common, especially at first. These usually get better over time, but if they’re severe, you should talk to your doctor.

Wegovy is closely related to semaglutide, the active ingredient also found in Ozempic, a drug approved for type 2 diabetes. While both contain the same molecule, Wegovy is dosed higher and specifically labeled for weight loss. You might hear people talk about Ozempic being used off-label for weight loss—but that’s not the same as getting Wegovy, which is FDA-approved for this use. Also, it’s not interchangeable with other weight loss drugs like phentermine, an older stimulant-based appetite suppressant, or liraglutide, another GLP-1 agonist sold as Saxenda. Each has different dosing, side effects, and effectiveness.

What you won’t find in the posts below are ads or sales pitches. Instead, you’ll find real, practical comparisons: how Wegovy stacks up against other weight loss treatments, what the long-term effects are, how it affects blood sugar and heart health, and why some people stop taking it. You’ll also see how it connects to other conditions like fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, and joint pain—things that often improve when weight comes off. These aren’t theoretical discussions. They’re based on clinical data, patient experiences, and medical guidelines. Whether you’re considering Wegovy, already on it, or just trying to understand the hype, the articles here give you the facts without the fluff.