Semaglutide is a prescription medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. It may also help people with overweight or obesity lose weight, and it may help reduce fat buildup in the liver.
Semaglutide falls into a group of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. These medications are most often prescribed to help manage type 2 diabetes.
Semaglutide is also the active ingredient in several weight loss medications, including:
Although semaglutide isn’t Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved to treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) , research suggests that semaglutide may help reduce fat in the liver, likely due to its ability to aid weight loss.
Read on to learn more about how semaglutide may help treat NAFLD.
What is semaglutide and how might it help treat fatty liver disease?
Semaglutide falls into a class of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists. These medications can:
- delay stomach emptying
- inhibit the release of a hormone that increases your blood sugar levels called glucagon
- promote the function of pancreatic beta cells, which produce and release insulin
GLP-1 receptor agonists were first FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes, but they’ve also been approved for weight loss for people with overweight or obesity.
Semaglutide may help reduce fat in the liver due to its ability to improve blood sugar management and encourage weight loss. It’s also possible that semaglutide may benefit the liver through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions.
How effective is semaglutide for treating fatty liver disease?
Researchers are still examining the effectiveness of semaglutide for NAFLD, but in recent years, some studies have found promising results.
In a 2023 review of studies , researchers examined the effectiveness and safety of semaglutide for managing NAFLD in 458 people, of which 321 received semaglutide and 137 received a placebo.
The researchers concluded that semaglutide was an effective treatment for people with NAFLD with low rates of side effects.
In another 2023 research review , researchers found that 24 weeks of semaglutide significantly improved liver enzyme levels and other markers of liver health in people with NAFLD or a more serious form of the disease called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis .
How is semaglutide given for fatty liver disease?
Three forms of semaglutide are FDA-approved in the United States:
| Name | Route | Use |
|---|
| Ozempic | once weekly subcutaneous injection | • with diet and exercise to manage type 2 diabetes in adults
• to reduce risk of major cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes |
|---|
| Rybelsus | daily oral tablets at least 30 minutes before eating in the morning | with diet and exercise to manage type 2 diabetes in adults |
|---|
| Wegovy | once weekly subcutaneous injection | • to reduce risk of major cardiovascular events in people with cardiovascular disease and who are either obese or overweight
• to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction in people over 12 with obesity or people who are overweight with at least one weight-related complication |
|---|
Although Ozempic and Rybelsus aren’t FDA-approved for weight loss, they’re sometimes prescribed off-label for this purpose. Most studies have reported significant amounts of weight loss at a 12-week follow-up.
What are the known side effects of semaglutide?
The most common adverse reactions of semaglutide reported in clinical trials include:
Who shouldn’t take semaglutide?
Rodent studies have linked semaglutide to thyroid cancer . It’s not clear if semaglutide also causes tumors in humans, but to be safe, people with a personal or family history of the following conditions should not take semaglutide:
People who have had a hypersensitivity to semaglutide or any of the non-active ingredients should also avoid taking semaglutide.
What other treatments are available for fatty liver disease?
Most people with NAFLD don’t develop serious problems. However, NAFLD is often associated with obesity , which can cause many health problems.
Losing weight through diet and exercise can potentially reverse NAFLD . Taking medications to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels may also help reduce the amount of fat stored in your liver.
Lifestyle changes that may help you lose weight include:
Severe cases of NAFLD may require a liver transplant , but this is rare.
Is Ozempic good for weight loss?
Ozempic is sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss even though it isn’t FDA-approved for this. Another form of semaglutide called Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight loss.
Your doctor can advise you on the potential risks and benefits of taking Ozempic to lose weight.
Learn more about Ozempic for weight loss .
Takeaway
Semaglutide is a medication that’s most often used to treat type 2 diabetes. Semaglutide may help treat NAFLD by improving blood sugar control and aiding weight loss.
Research is still ongoing examining the benefits of semaglutide for NAFLD by itself and combined with other medications. As of now, it isn’t currently FDA-approved to treat NAFLD, but some doctors may prescribe it off-label for this purpose.
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