From the Guidelines
Yes, Wegovy (semaglutide) can cause fatigue as a side effect, as reported in the most recent and highest quality study 1.
Fatigue as a Side Effect
Fatigue is listed as a common side effect of semaglutide, with the exact percentage of patients experiencing fatigue not specified in the provided evidence. However, it is mentioned alongside other common side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and dizziness.
Mechanism of Action
The medication works by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1 that regulates appetite and food intake, which can also affect energy levels. Several factors may contribute to this fatigue, including the medication's effects on slowing gastric emptying, potential changes in blood sugar levels, reduced caloric intake, or mild nausea that sometimes accompanies treatment.
Management of Fatigue
If you experience severe or persistent fatigue while taking Wegovy, you should discuss this with your healthcare provider. They may recommend strategies such as ensuring adequate hydration, maintaining proper nutrition despite reduced appetite, gradually increasing physical activity as tolerated, or adjusting the timing of your injection. For most people, fatigue symptoms tend to improve over time as the body adapts to the medication, as suggested by the general understanding of how bodies adjust to new medications and their side effects 1.
Key Considerations
- The FDA indication for semaglutide is for adults with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² or BMI ≥ 27 kg/m² with significant complications.
- The medication is dosed once weekly, and its efficacy in weight loss has been demonstrated in several trials, including the STEP trials, which showed significant weight loss compared to placebo 1.
- While fatigue is a potential side effect, the benefits of semaglutide in terms of weight loss and improvement in weight-related comorbidities, as well as its potential to decrease the risk of cardiovascular events, are important considerations in its use 1.
From the Research
Adverse Events Associated with Semaglutide
- The most common adverse events associated with semaglutide include nausea and diarrhea, which are typically transient and mild-to-moderate in severity and subside with time 2.
- More participants in the semaglutide group than in the placebo group discontinued treatment owing to gastrointestinal events 2.
- Serious adverse events possibly or probably related to treatment were reported in 1% of participants in the semaglutide group and 2% of participants in the placebo group, with the most frequent being serious gastrointestinal events 3.
Fatigue as an Adverse Event
- None of the provided studies explicitly mention fatigue as a common adverse event associated with semaglutide.
- The studies primarily focus on the efficacy of semaglutide in weight loss and glycemic control, as well as its safety profile in terms of gastrointestinal events and other adverse effects 2, 4, 3, 5.
- There is no direct evidence to suggest that semaglutide causes fatigue, but it is possible that fatigue may be an understudied or underreported adverse event associated with this medication.