Diabetes Medications for Weight Loss: What to Know

There’s been a lot of buzz around type 2 diabetes drugs lately — especially because some of them may also support weight loss. Whether you’re living with type 2 diabetes or obesity, you’ve probably heard about drugs like Ozempic^® (semaglutide) that help manage both blood sugar and weight.

But how do these medications work, and what’s the best diabetes drug for weight loss? Is there such a thing as a diabetes shot for weight loss? And are these medications actually effective for people who don’t have diabetes?

In this guide, we’ll break down the facts about diabetes medications for weight loss, including which FDA-approved diabetes drugs can cause weight loss, how effective they are at reducing and managing body weight, and the possible side effects.

Which Diabetes Drugs Can Support Weight Loss?

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You’ve probably heard of people using diabetes drugs for weight loss.

When used off-label for weight loss, diabetes drugs are prescribed alongside lifestyle changes, like a healthy eating plan and increased exercise.

These medications affect the body in different ways, including helping the pancreas produce more insulin and lowering blood sugar levels. Newer diabetes drugs also act on parts of the brain responsible for appetite regulation.

Types of diabetes drugs for weight loss include:

• GLP-1s. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) are a class of medications that stimulate the GLP-1 receptor in your pancreas. This leads the pancreas to produce more insulin, which helps lower blood sugar and promote weight loss. GLP-1 drugs for weight loss and type 2 diabetes include dulaglutide, liraglutide, and semaglutide.
• GIP/GLP-1s. These are dual-acting, meaning they target two receptors in the body: gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and GLP-1. Besides acting on GLP-1, they mimic GIP.This hormone is released after eating to trigger insulin production and is linked with feelings of fullness. Tirzepatide is a GIP/GLP-1.
• Biguanides. These medications help keep blood sugar in check by making the liver produce less glucose. Metformin is a biguanide drug.
• SGLT-2 inhibitors. These help the body get rid of excess glucose by inhibiting its reabsorption in the kidneys, which can lead to increased urinary glucose elimination.

We’ll break down the different active ingredients in each of these diabetes drug classes ahead.

1. Ozempic

Ozempic was FDA-approved in 2017 to treat type 2 diabetes and is sometimes prescribed off-label to support weight management.

This once-weekly subcutaneous injection contains the active ingredient semaglutide and belongs to a class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which work by acting on a hormone affecting appetite regulation.

It’s among the diabetes drugs commonly prescribed off-label for weight loss (when a medication is prescribed to treat something it’s not FDA-approved for).

Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, also makes Wegovy^® — another once-weekly semaglutide injection. The main differences are that Wegovy^® contains a higher dose, and it isn’t approved for type 2 diabetes.

Instead, Wegovy^® is FDA-approved for weight loss in people with obesity or those with an overweight BMI (body mass index) who also have an obesity-related condition, like high blood pressure (hypertension) or high cholesterol.

One Wegovy^® study followed nearly 2,000 adults with a BMI of 30 or more who didn’t have diabetes. Over the course of a 68-week treatment, they lost 15 percent or more of their initial body weight.

The list price for a one-month supply of Ozempic is $997.58, while Wegovy^® is $1,349.02. The actual price will depend on various factors, like your insurance plan coverage.

2. Rybelsus

Rybelsus^® is another brand-name semaglutide medication from Novo Nordisk — but unlike Ozempic and Wegovy^®, it comes in pill form and is taken daily.

In a Novo Nordisk–sponsored clinical trial, participants with overweight or obesity who took a 50-milligram dose of Rybelsus lost up to 17.4 percent of their body weight over 68 weeks.

This is promising, but there’s a small catch: That 50-milligram dose isn’t currently available from U.S. pharmacies. The versions you can get right now are 3, 7, and 14 milligrams.

It’s also worth noting that the study participants also followed structured lifestyle interventions, which likely boosted their results.

Still, this early research suggests that Rybelsus may support weight loss — especially when paired with diet and exercise.

The list price for Rybelsus is $997.58.

2. Victoza

Liraglutide is the active ingredient in Victoza^®, which is FDA-approved to manage type 2 diabetes, but it’s also prescribed off-label for weight loss. Saxenda also contains the active ingredient liraglutide, but it’s FDA-approved for chronic weight management in people with obesity.

Like semaglutide, liraglutide is an injected GLP-1 receptor agonist that works by regulating a hunger hormone. But there’s a key difference: While Ozempic and Wegovy^® are injected once a week, Victoza and Saxenda are once-daily injections.

If a once-daily injectable medication sounds like a lot, semaglutide might be the more convenient option. But for some, Victoza, Saxenda, and generic liraglutide may still be worth considering.

In one Novo Nordisk–sponsored study, 846 people followed a calorie-reduced diet and regular physical activity for 56 weeks. Those who took 3 milligrams of liraglutide lost the most weight — more than those who took 1.8 milligrams or a placebo.

List prices are around $543.51 for Victoza and $1,349.02 for Saxenda. Generic liraglutide can be a more affordable option.

3. Trulicity

Dulaglutide is another GLP-1 injection available under the brand name Trulicity^®. It’s FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes in adults and kids 10 and older, but it’s also sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss.

Like semaglutide, Trulicity is a once-weekly injection.

And while it’s not officially approved for weight management, research suggests it may help support weight loss. A 2023 meta-analysis found that dulaglutide led to reductions in body weight, BMI, and waist circumference — with greater weight loss linked to higher doses and longer treatment duration.

The list price for Trulicity is $1,064.

4. Mounjaro

Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in the brand-name drugs Mounjaro^® and Zepbound^®.

Mounjaro is FDA-approved as a diabetes drug but is also prescribed off-label for weight loss, while Zepbound is FDA-approved for weight loss.

Tirzepatide is a dual-action injection known as a GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist. In simpler terms, it targets two gut hormones instead of one, helping to reduce appetite and food intake.

In a large 2022 study sponsored by Eli Lilly, people with obesity (but without diabetes) who took tirzepatide for over a year lost a significant amount of weight, with higher doses leading to even more significant results.

The list price for Zepbound is $1,059.87, while the list price for Mounjaro is $1,079.77.

5. Metformin

Metformin — a biguanide — is an oral diabetes medication that helps keep blood sugar in check by causing the liver to produce less glucose. It was approved by the FDA in 1994 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Besides blood sugar control, metformin may support weight loss by curbing appetite and changing gut bacteria in a way that helps promote weight loss.

It also has other benefits, like lowering the risk of heart disease and possibly protecting against some cancers.

A large review of metformin trials found that the diabetes drug helped people with obesity lower their BMI in a meaningful way.

One smaller study showed people lost an average of 13 to 15 pounds while taking metformin.

6. Jardiance

Jardiance^® (empagliflozin) belongs to a class of medications known as sodium-glucose transport protein 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors.

Empagliflozin is a daily oral medication FDA-approved to improve blood sugar control in adults and pediatric patients 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes. It’s prescribed alongside diet and exercise.

It works by stabilizing blood sugar and preventing reabsorption of filtered glucose. This drug may also lead to weight loss, as it basically causes you to pee out extra sugar. While not primarily prescribed for weight loss, some people notice they lose weight when taking these medications.

In addition to improving blood sugar control, SGLT-2 inhibitors have been shown to benefit heart and kidney health in many patients.