From the Guidelines
Ozempic (semaglutide) is typically started at a dose of 0.25 mg once weekly for the first 4 weeks, which serves as an introductory dose to minimize gastrointestinal side effects, as recommended in the most recent study 1. After this initial period, the dose is increased to 0.5 mg once weekly for at least 4 weeks. If additional glycemic control is needed, the dose can be further increased to 1 mg once weekly, and some patients may eventually be prescribed up to 2.4 mg once weekly if necessary for optimal blood sugar management or weight management, as indicated in the study 1. The dosing regimen is as follows:
- Initially, 0.25 mg once weekly at any time of day
- After 4 weeks on 0.25-mg dose, increase to 0.5 mg once weekly
- If additional glycemic control is required, can increase to 1 mg once weekly after 4 weeks of treatment with the 0.5-mg dose
- For weight management, the dose can be increased to 2.4 mg once weekly. Ozempic should be injected subcutaneously in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm on the same day each week, though the time of day can vary. The medication should be stored in the refrigerator before first use and can be kept at room temperature for up to 56 days after opening. Patients should monitor for side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, which typically improve over time as the body adjusts to the medication, as reported in the study 1. This gradual dose escalation approach allows the body to adapt to the medication while minimizing adverse effects while still providing effective blood glucose control through its action as a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It is essential to note that the medication has several contraindications, including personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2, and precautions should be taken in patients with a history of pancreatitis or cholelithiasis, as indicated in the study 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
Your pen is a prefilled, single-patient-use, dial-a-dose pen. It contains 2 mg of semaglutide, and you can select doses of 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg. Your pen is a prefilled, single-patient-use, dial-a-dose pen. It contains 4 mg of semaglutide, and you can only select doses of 1 mg
The doses of Ozempic are 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg 2 2.
From the Research
Doses of Ozempic (Semaglutide)
- Ozempic, also known as semaglutide, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) used to treat type 2 diabetes 3.
- The typical doses of semaglutide are 0.5 mg or 1 mg once weekly, but higher doses such as 2 mg have also been studied 4, 5.
- A study comparing once-weekly semaglutide 2.0 mg versus 1.0 mg found that the higher dose was superior in reducing HbA1c, with additional bodyweight loss and a similar safety profile 4.
- Another study found that switching from liraglutide or dulaglutide to semaglutide resulted in further reductions in HbA1c and weight, with a small number of gastrointestinal side effects 6.
- A phase 2 trial investigating high-dose semaglutide (up to 16 mg) found that higher doses provided modest additional glucose-lowering effect, with additional weight loss, but also more adverse events and treatment discontinuations 5.
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of semaglutide for type 2 diabetes mellitus found that it significantly reduced HbA1c, body weight, and systolic blood pressure, but was associated with increased incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events 7.
Available Doses
- 0.5 mg once weekly
- 1 mg once weekly
- 2 mg once weekly
- Higher doses (up to 16 mg) have been studied, but are not typically recommended 5