Ozempic (semaglutide) causes significant fat loss but also leads to muscle loss, with studies showing muscle making up a notable percentage (around 25-40%) of total weight lost, alongside fat. While it helps you lose weight, this simultaneous loss of muscle can slow metabolism and reduce strength, highlighting the importance of combining Ozempic with resistance training and a high-protein diet to preserve lean mass.
With drugs like Ozempic, the weight loss is rapid making it hard to control just how much muscle you are losing along with the fat being burned. Studies have shown that taking weight loss drugs like Ozempic resulted in a loss of muscle tissue being between 25-35% That's not good.
Ozempic is designed for subcutaneous injection into the fat layer, not muscle. Injecting into a muscle could cause the medication to be absorbed more quickly than intended, though this is less of a risk with Ozempic than with insulin. It might also be more painful.
Will Ozempic or Wegovy reduce belly fat? The answer appears to be yes. That Novo Nordisk-funded study of almost 2,000 overweight or obese adults without diabetes also found their visceral fat — the type that accumulates in the belly — was reduced from baseline with semaglutide, along with their total fat mass.
Expert Tips on Ozempic and Muscle Loss
But about half of people with obesity on this class of medications, called glucagon-like peptide agonists or GLP-1s, stop taking it within a year. Studies suggest that most people discontinue their use due to the high cost and adverse gastrointestinal side-effects.
Warning signs
In addition to general feelings of weakness or low energy, red flags that you might be losing muscle mass include: Loss of appetite. Weight loss. Decreased strength.
Key Milestones for Weight Loss with Ozempic
"Ozempic hands" is a slang term for the skeletal or aged appearance hands can develop due to rapid fat loss from medications like Ozempic (semaglutide), where thinner skin reveals more prominent veins, tendons, and bones, resulting in a loss of fullness. It's not a formal diagnosis but describes a visible sign of significant weight loss, similar to "Ozempic face" or "Ozempic feet," caused by reduced subcutaneous fat and skin not contracting quickly enough.
The active ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide, which works by inducing satiety. This feeling of being satisfied or “full”, suppresses appetite. This is why it works for weight loss.
And one of the most accurate ways to measure this is with body tape measurements or even body fat percentage scans. You will know you are burning fat and not muscle mass if your scale weight is maintaining, or slowly decreasing, but you are losing inches in your measurements.
As your muscles expand, you add on more to support the growth. Once you stop lifting, the muscle fibers will get smaller, but some studies show they retain those nuclei, which may set you up for faster gains when you finally hit the gym again.
Essential Vitamins for Muscle Growth
While you can stop Ozempic "cold turkey" without dangerous withdrawal symptoms, a gradual reduction might help your body adjust more easily. Some healthcare providers recommend tapering with lower doses before stopping completely. This approach might help with the transition as your body readjusts its hormone levels.
You Won't Lose Weight on Ozempic Forever. People taking the drug and similar medications will hit an inevitable, and necessary, plateau. Here's why. Kimmy Meinecke blamed herself when she stopped losing weight.
The 3-3-3 rule for weight loss is a simple, habit-based method focusing on three key areas: 3 balanced meals a day, 3 bottles (or ~1.5L) of water by 3 PM, and 3 hours of physical activity per week, aiming for consistency over complex diets. It simplifies fat loss by establishing rhythm through consistent eating, adequate hydration to support metabolism, and regular movement, promoting sustainable health without intense calorie counting or restrictive rules, says Five Diamond Fitness and Wellness, Joon Medical Wellness & Aesthetics, and EatingWell.
Age. As you age, it becomes more challenging to build muscle. After age 30, muscle mass naturally declines, making it harder to gain power and strength.
Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a great antioxidant, and it's antioxidants that aid the body in the healing process. It is a necessary vitamin for the repair of tissues and helps speed up the repairing of the muscle fibers after that tough training session.
Let's get into it.
At 22% body fat, men often have a softer midsection, less muscle definition, and a healthy but not overly lean look, while women typically appear athletic and toned, with some ab definition visible when flexing and definition in arms and legs, sitting in the "fitness" or "average" range for both genders, though visual appearance varies by individual.
During this process, you might notice your body feels a bit softer or "jiggly." This can happen because your skin and tissues are adjusting to the shrinking fat cells, and sometimes your body retains a little extra water as it adapts. It's all part of the transition to a leaner, stronger version of you!
People on Ozempic lose an average of 2 to 8 lb in the first month. Beginning at 0.25 mg, weight loss is expected to be 2 to 4 lb, but when the dose increases to 0.5 or 1 mg weekly, weight loss increases.
Those with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2), pancreatitis, or gallbladder disease are not suitable candidates for Ozempic. In addition, this treatment is not intended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.