Ozempic: Here’s what you need to know about the jab being used for weight loss

A much-hyped weight-loss jab will soon go on sale at high street chemists in the UK. Although a prescription will still be needed from a doctor to buy the drug, the news will no doubt be welcome to the many millions of people who have struggled to lose weight.
The drug, which will be sold in the UK under the brand name Wegovy, is the same as the drug Ozempic, which has made headlines recently thanks to its popularity as a weight loss aid used by celebrities.
But while in clinical trials these drugs have been shown to result in significant weight loss in patients who are overweight or obese, there’s still a lot we don’t know about it – including its effects on people who are not overweight and simply want to shed a few pounds.
Wegovy and Ozempic are the brand names of the drug semaglutide. Semaglutide belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists that mimic the naturally occurring hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (or GLP-1 for short). GLP-1 is one of a cocktail of hormones that are released by the gut after we eat. 
Ozempic: Here’s what you need to know about the jab being used for weight loss