In August 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence quality standard for overweight and obesity management was updated to add that people who are stopping weight-loss medicines should be given advice for maintaining changes and support for improving their health and wellbeing
The mechanism of action involves several key processes: Stimulating insulin secretion from the pancreas when blood glucose levels are elevated Suppressing glucagon release , which reduces glucose production by the liver Slowing gastric emptying , helping to moderate post-meal blood sugar spikes Reducing appetite through effects on brain centres that regulate hunger Ozempic is administered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection , typically into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm
GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide or liraglutide usually show measurable weight reduction within the first one to two months, with continued progress as doses increase
These drugs were originally developed for diabetes, then approved for weight loss, and are now being studied to see how they affect a variety of mental health disorders, including addiction and food noise, she explains