Metformin vs. Ozempic: What Is the Difference?

Millions of people around the world are affected by diabetes. Significant advances regarding options for treatment have occurred regarding the disease, which causes high blood sugar levels. Two diabetes medications, Metformin and Ozempic, have become important for patients who seek management of diabetes and/or want to lose weight.

You may be wondering about metformin vs. Ozempic. This article will explain the similarities and differences between the two medications, which are used for blood sugar control.

Ozempic vs. Metformin: Differences Summarized

Ozempic and Metformin are two popular FDA-approved diabetes medications. The two medications have similarities and differences.

Ozempic vs. Metformin: The Similarities

Ozempic and metformin, like some other diabetes medications, both help lower blood sugar levels. The two medications have both been approved by the FDA for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

The Differences

First off, metformin is typically the first choice to help those struggling to manage type 2 diabetes. Metformin does a good job of lowering hemoglobin A1C, or average levels of blood glucose over a period of three months. In addition, metformin is available as an affordable generic medication. For these reasons, metformin is typically a great place for people to begin when they can’t manage their type 2 diabetes solely through lifestyle changes.

While metformin is not approved for weight loss, semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, is approved for weight loss under the name Wegovy. In fact, weight loss can be considered a side effect of Ozempic, a side effect which may be undesirable in people who are already at a healthy weight. Ozempic is sometimes recommended off-label to overweight people with issues like high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

If you have diabetes and heart disease, Ozempic can lower your risk of stroke.

Another difference is that Ozempic is injected, while metformin is an oral medication. Ozempic is taken once per week, whereas metformin is taken once or twice per day.

Metformin is approved for children, while Ozempic is only approved to treat type 2 diabetes in adults.

The two medications work differently. Ozempic mimicks a naturally occurring hormone known as GLP-1. The drug stimulates insulin secretion after you eat. The medication also prevents your liver from making more glucose, and it slows down the rate of food leaving your stomach. Metformin doesn’t cause the pancreas to secrete insulin – rather, it helps the body utilize insulin in a more effective way. It also reduces how much glucose your body absorbs and makes.

The two medications carry different risks. Ozempic has been linked by clinical trials and other data with gastroparesis, pancreatitis and gallbladder disease, whereas metformin has been linked with lactic acidosis.

Metformin is a drug which is available as a combination treatment along with other medications, whereas Ozempic is not.

Ozempic Overview

Ozempic is one of the most popular new medications to come out in recent years. The following will explain its benefits, how it works, its side effects, and warnings regarding its usage.

The Benefits of Ozempic

Ozempic helps those with type 2 diabetes to manage their glucose levels.

Ozempic can also promote weight loss, helping people with their weight management. The drug can help reduce excess weight and prevent weight gain.

The drug has also been shown by studies to reduce major cardiovascular events.

How it Works

Ozempic is known as a GLP-1 receptor agonist medication. It reduces levels of blood sugar in a unique and complex way.

The drug works by helping our pancreas release extra insulin when blood sugar levels get high in our body. This, in turn, reduces the levels of sugar which are released into our blood.

The medication can increase blood flow, lower blood pressure and affect heart rate. The drug has also been shown to help with weight loss by increasing the amount of hormones which make you feel full and make you feel less hungry.

Side Effects

Minor side effects which are associated with the use of Ozempic include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Indigestion
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Headache
• Weakness

In addition, Ozempic has been linked with:

• Pancreatitis
• Thyroid tumors
• Thyroid cancer
• Gallbladder disease
• Allergic reaction
• Retinopathy
• Low blood sugar
• Hypersensitivity
• Acute kidney injury
• Gastroparesis (stomach paralysis)
• Ileus

Warnings for Ozempic Use

Ozempic has been linked with serious side effects. If you have experienced serious side effects after using Ozempic, call us today for a free consultation, as you may be entitled to financial compensation in a lawsuit.

Serious side effects which may be caused by Ozempic include:

• Gastroparesis
• Ileus
• Gallbladder disease
• Gallbladder removal
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pancreatic cancer
• Pulmonary aspiration
• Suicide
• Other gastrointestinal injuries

Metformin Overview

Metformin has been helping type 2 diabetes medications manage diabetes for decades. The following explains the drug’s benefits, its mechanism of action, its side effects and warnings about its usage.

Benefits of Metformin

Metformin helps lower blood sugar levels in those with type 2 diabetes.

Metformin has been around for a long time, meaning it can be found at cheaper rates since it is available as a generic medication, and meaning we know more about its side effects – Ozempic is new in comparison.

Metformin can improve insulin sensitivity, meaning it can help our body utilize insulin more efficiently.

How It Works

Metformin helps to lower the levels of glucose in the drug in two different ways:

• It reduces how much glucose your liver releases
• It helps your body’s cells absorb extra glucose from your blood

The drug reduces your chances of ending up with complications from diabetes. Benefits of metformin include:

• Effectiveness in lowering levels of blood sugar
• Not causing weight gain
• Reduces LDL cholesterol, sometimes referred to as “bad cholesterol”
• Typically does not cause low levels of glucose in the blood, known as hypoglycemia

Metformin Side Effects

The common side effects of metformin include:

• Abdominal pain
• Hoarseness or cough
• Decreased appetite
• Shallow or fast breathing
• Diarrhea
• Malaise
• Chills or fever
• Cramping or muscle pain
• Lower side or back pain
• Sleepiness
• Difficult or painful urination

Less common side effects of metformin include:

• Blurred vision
• Anxiety
• Cold sweats
• Chest discomfort
• Confusion
• Coma
• Depression
• Cool, pale skin
• Dizziness
• Labored or difficult breathing
• Racing, pounding, irregular or fast pulse or heartbeat
• Headache
• Feeling of warmth
• Increased sweating or hunger
• Nervousness
• Nausea
• Redness of the arms, neck, face or upper chest
• Nightmares
• Shakiness
• Seizures
• Unusual weakness or tiredness
• Chest tightness
• Slurred speech

Rare side effects of metformin include:

• A feeling similar to being drunk
• Drowsiness
• Trouble concentrating
• Unusual sleepiness
• Restless sleep
• Loss or lack of strength

Warnings for Metformin Use

Metformin may cause lactic acidosis, which results in a pH imbalance when metformin builds up in your body. This is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment in a hospital.

Anemia can be caused when metformin decreases the amount of vitamin B12 in your body.

While metformin does not typically cause low blood sugar levels, it can rarely cause hypoglycemia when combined with other diabetes medications, excessive intake of alcohol, strenuous exercise and/or an unhealthy diet.

Can You Take Metformin and Ozempic Together?

Metformin and ozempic are safe to be taken together.

If your blood sugar is not being kept in its target range by metformin alone, your doctor may prescribe you Ozempic as well.

Both of these medications only rarely cause low blood sugar, so they are safe to take together.

Taking both medications may control your blood sugar well since the two drugs work in two different ways.

You should listen to the advice of your doctor, so if your doctor says to take both, it should be fine.

Metformin vs. Ozempic FAQs

Is Ozempic the Same as Metformin?

Ozempic is not the same as metformin. While the two drugs both help control type 2 diabetes, they work in different ways, and only Ozempic is approved for weight loss. Ozempic is also taken via injection whereas metformin is taken orally.

Is Ozempic Better Than Metformin?

Neither of these drugs are better than the other. They work in different ways, have different costs and have different side effect profiles. An advantage Ozempic has over metformin is that it can induce weight loss. However, metformin has advantages in that it can be found much cheaper and that its side effect profile is much more well known, since Ozempic is much newer.

Is Semaglutide the Same as Metformin?

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, is not the same as metformin. It works in different ways, and while it can induce weight loss whereas metformin is not approved for weight loss, semaglutide also has a completely different side effect profile to metformin, with some of its side effects being potentially serious.

Which Is Better For Weight Loss? Ozempic or Metformin?

Ozempic has been approved for weight loss. Metformin has not been approved for weight loss.

Have You Been Harmed By Ozempic? Contact A Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one has suffered serious side effects after taking Ozempic, contact us today for a free consultation. You may qualify for financial compensation in a lawsuit against the makers of Ozempic.

We handle Ozempic cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you will not be charged any fee for us to handle your Ozempic case until and unless we recover money to compensate you for your injuries. The only fee you will ever owe us will be a percentage of any compensation we recover in your Ozempic case. You won’t be charged any upfront or out-of-pocket fees for us to handle your Ozempic case.

If you can’t afford treatment for the injuries you’ve suffered because of Ozempic, we can get you to doctors who will treat you on a lien, which means that you won’t be charged to have your Ozempic injuries treated until your case is over. Doctors do this for our clients because they know we get great results for our clients who are harmed by dangerous drugs like Ozempic.

We have been helping those injured by dangerous drugs since 1990, having recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of clients. Our vast experience in handling dangerous drug cases means we can recover the most compensation possible on your behalf.

Call us today for a free consultation. Remember: we won’t charge a fee unless we win your case. Call us today.