{"id":630334,"date":"2024-11-08T11:58:48","date_gmt":"2024-11-08T16:58:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=630334"},"modified":"2025-02-19T15:44:46","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T20:44:46","slug":"how-to-relieve-wegovy-constipation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/how-to-relieve-wegovy-constipation\/","title":{"rendered":"How to relieve Wegovy constipation"},"content":{"rendered":"

For people needing more help managing their weight and reducing obesity-related health complications, <\/span>Wegovy<\/span><\/a> (semaglutide) is an increasingly popular choice. This glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist is specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight loss, <\/span>unlike Ozempic<\/span><\/a>, which also contains semaglutide but is FDA approved for people with Type 2 diabetes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many people take Wegovy and experience little to no side effects, but <\/span>GLP-1 agonists<\/span><\/a> have a reputation for causing gastrointestinal (GI) distress. This makes sense since one way that Wegovy helps you lose weight is by <\/span>slowing gastric emptying<\/span><\/a>\u2014keeping food in your stomach for longer periods of time. In addition to other GI side effects like nausea and stomach pain, this delayed gastric emptying can cause constipation. Here\u2019s what to know about <\/span>Wegovy<\/span><\/a> and constipation, including why it happens and what you can do to treat and prevent it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Does Wegovy cause constipation?<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019ve experienced constipation while taking Wegovy, you\u2019re not alone. In clinical trials performed by Wegovy\u2019s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, <\/span>24% of participants reported constipation<\/span><\/a> as a side effect. Meanwhile, in the Wegovy clinical trial known as the STEP 8 study, <\/span>39% of people reported constipation<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why does Wegovy cause constipation?<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to <\/span>Monelle Burrus<\/span><\/a>, a family nurse practitioner and health expert at Verve Health, Wegovy reduces the speed at which stomach contents are moved through the digestive system, a change that leads to constipation in the form of harder stools or infrequent bowel movements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On top of that, Burrus says the appetite-suppressing effect of Wegovy can cause dehydration, which contributes to constipation since <\/span>people tend to drink less fluid when they aren\u2019t eating as much<\/span><\/a>. Finally, anyone experiencing the common side effects of vomiting or diarrhea on Wegovy may also find themselves dehydrated, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to prevent and treat Wegovy constipation<\/span><\/h2>\n

Although Wegovy commonly causes constipation, there are things you can do at home to both <\/span>prevent and treat constipation<\/span><\/a> while taking this medication:<\/span><\/p>\n