Let’s start with the basics: Ozempic is not a weight loss drug. It is an antidiabetic drug, authorized in France for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and only for this indication. If millions of people have seen significant weight loss under semaglutide, it is because this active ingredient acts on GLP-1 receptors, hormones that regulate both blood sugar and appetite. By slowing down gastric emptying, it provides faster and longer-lasting satiety. The brain receives the “I’ve eaten enough” signal long before the plate is finished.
STEP clinical trials have shown impressive results: up to 15-17% body weight loss in 68 weeks. These figures have logically whetted many appetites — including among people without diabetes.
Ozempic vs Wegovy vs Mounjaro: the trio to be distinguished
This is where confusion sets in. Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro are three separate drugs, even if their mode of action is similar. Wegovy contains the same semaglutide as Ozempic, but at a higher dose (2.4 mg versus 1 mg) and has a marketing authorization specifically for obesity. This is the version legally indicated for losing weight.
Mounjaro (tirzepatide), on the other hand, goes even further by simultaneously targeting two hormones: GLP-1 and GIP. This dual action gives it particularly significant results, especially in patients suffering from obesity associated with type 2 diabetes. To understand everything about this treatment and whether it may concern you, the qare platform offers complete medical information written by doctors.
Using Ozempic to lose weight without being diabetic means using a drug that is not its official indication — which the ANSM qualifies as misuse. And the consequences are concrete: chronic supply tensions regularly deprive real diabetic patients of their treatment.
Who can legitimately access these treatments?
Since June 2025, the prescription of GLP-1 agonists for obesity has been extended to all doctors — and no longer just to specialists. But strict criteria remain. The HAS reserves these treatments for patients under 65 years of age with an initial BMI greater than or equal to 35 kg/m², after at least six months of nutritional management without conclusive results (less than 5% weight loss). They do not replace a dietary rebalancing: they complement it.
It is therefore not an à la carte treatment. For people wishing to lose weight healthily without associated pathology, nutritional approaches remain the first essential step, and often the most sustainable.
Side effects: what is not said enough
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea: digestive disorders are the most common side effects with semaglutide, especially at the beginning of treatment. Less well known, but documented: the risk of pancreatitis, the possible worsening of diabetic retinopathy, and the absolute contraindications in case of a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma.
Another point that is rarely mentioned: the rebound effect when stopped. The studies are clear — much of the weight lost returns within months of stopping treatment. This confirms that Ozempic is not an express diet, but a chronic treatment, to be considered in a global approach including diet and physical activity.
This is precisely why doctors insist: even under drug treatment, focusing on the right slimming foods and developing new eating habits remains fundamental for long-term results.
So, Ozempic: revolution or media bubble?
Neither, or perhaps both at the same time. These molecules represent a real therapeutic advance for patients suffering from severe obesity with comorbidities. They are not — and never will be — a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. Doctors who see patients arriving for a consultation asking for a prescription “like influencers” have an essential educational role to play.
The real question is not “Does Ozempic make you lose weight?” — the answer is yes, within a specific framework. The real question is, “Is this the right tool for me?” And this one, only a doctor can answer. For those looking to build a solid slimming approach over the long term, the advice of nutritionists remains the most reliable foundation — with or without drug treatment.
