Research

Hormonal

Subcutaneous semaglutide (up to 2.4 mg weekly) produces a mean weight reduction of 11.85% in adults with obesity without diabetes compared to placebo, though it significantly increases the risk of gastrointestinal adverse events and treatment discontinuation.

If you have obesity without diabetes, semaglutide (up to 2.4 mg weekly) can help you lose about 12% of your body weight, which is significantly more than placebo. However, you must be prepared for a high likelihood of temporary stomach issues like nausea or diarrhea. These side effects are common but usually mild and go away. You will also need to follow a reduced-calorie diet and exercise plan alongside the medication for best results.

GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
The mean difference for weight reduction was -11.85%, favoring semaglutide... Secondary outcomes showed that the risk of developing gastrointestinal adverse events was 1.59 times more likely with semaglutide... Risk for discontinuation due to adverse events was twice as likely in the semaglutide group... Serious events were mostly of gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disorders such as acute pancreatitis and cholelithiasis.
Hanna Clementine Tan et al. · Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies · 2022

Why this rating

Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 4 RCTs with 3,613 participants, though heterogeneity was noted in some outcomes.

Source

Efficacy and Safety of Semaglutide for Weight Loss in Obesity Without Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Hanna Clementine Tan et al. · Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies · 2022

DOI 10.15605/jafes.037.02.14

Meta-analysis · 4 studiesCited 102×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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