Although it's typically used by adults with type 2 diabetes, conversations around Ozempic have been swirling in the news for months with numerous celebrities saying they have used it for weight loss management.
Comedian Tracy Morgan is the latest celeb to come forward and admit to taking Ozempic to slim down.
During an appearance on Today with Hoda & Jenna, the actor said he lost weight thanks to a prescription for the semaglutide medication.
"I take Ozempic every Thursday," Morgan told the hosts. "It cuts my appetite in half. I only eat half a bag of Doritos."
According to Insider, actress Amy Schumer, TikToker Remi Bader and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have also admitted to taking the diabetes drug for weight loss in the past.
While there is a lot of information out there about what Ozempic can do in terms of weight loss, another possible question on a lot of people's minds may be what happens to your body when you stop taking it.
From what we know about the shortage in Canada to what will happen to your body when you cut out Ozempic, here's everything you should be aware of.
Does Canada have a shortage of Ozempic?
According to Health Canada, a shortage of the diabetes drug Ozempic is expected in Canada.
On its website, the health authority says the "intermittent shortages" of the Ozempic 1 mg pen are expected from late August until early October.
It adds that the shortage is due to a "temporary delay in shipments and delivery, global supply constraints and increased demand for the product."
The 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg Ozempic injection pens are still available and "may be an option for some patients to mitigate the impacts of a supply disruption."
Global News reports that a spokesperson for the drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk says Canada is one of "many countries" experiencing the shortage.
"We are experiencing a temporary supply disruption with the Ozempic 1 mg (injection) pen due to the combination of overall global supply constraints coupled with increased demand," spokesperson Kate Hanna said.
Can you just stop taking Ozempic?
Certain medications may require a person to taper off the prescription slowly rather than all at once.
However, with Ozempic, Abbey Sharp, a registered dietitian and YouTuber based in Toronto, tells Narcity that a person taking it doesn't need to "wean off" the drug because there are no "withdrawal" symptoms.
"In fact, a lot of the not so nice side effects will subside quicker the sooner you come off," she added.
"However, if weight loss maintenance is the goal, most doctors would rather you lower the dose to see if your weight loss could be maintained on a lower dose rather than stopping all together (unless it's medically necessary to no longer be on the drug, of course)."
What happens after you stop taking Ozempic?
Since Ozempic regulates blood sugar and reduces a person's appetite, it's fair to question what happens once you stop taking it altogether.
Sharp says once you stop taking it, you will see a reversal in those effects.
"Research funded by the makers of Ozempic suggested that when patients discontinued Ozempic after being on the drug for over a year, they gained ⅔ of the weight they lost back," the dietitian said.
"Their improved blood markers (blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure) also went back up, though they were still lower than the placebo."
Those findings were published in 2022 in the Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Some of the other side effects like "Ozempic face" will also subside.
Ozempic face was coined to describe what many people taking Ozempic experience when it comes to their facial appearance. The medication causes people to lose weight quickly and that can result in facial skin sagging and making you look older.
Dr. Joshua Zeichner, an associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, told Everyday Health that once a person stops taking Ozempic, they will see a reversal in those facial features.
"Ozempic face will go away if you gain back the weight you lost from the drug,” Zeichner said. "The face can get full the way it used to, just as you can regain the weight in your body."
Do you gain weight back after stopping Ozempic?
A person checking their weight on a scale.
In an interview with the New York Times, Dr. Andrew Kraftson says he has seen patients "rebound" with their weight after they stopped taking the medication.
"I’ve seen people and they’ve lost maybe 50 pounds, and then they’re off of it for a month and then I see them back in clinic and they’ve gained 20 pounds," the clinical associate professor in the division of metabolism, endocrinology and diabetes at Michigan Medicine told the NYT.
Sharp agrees that on average there will be "significant" weight regain once a person stops taking Ozempic.
"That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to maintain the weight loss, but because of the profound impact on insulin and appetite, once the drug has fully left the system (this can take several weeks depending on dose), your body will revert to its natural state of appetite regulation," she told Narcity.
What is the advice for someone who is thinking about taking Ozempic for weight loss?
While there are pros and cons to any medication, in Canada, Ozempic is not federally approved only for weight loss.
"But if traditional weight loss efforts have consistently failed you due to hunger management, then it's worth a conversation with your doctor," Sharp told Narcity.
"Ideally, we titrate up very slowly while also working with a dietitian on a high protein diet that can support the weight loss efforts long term."
What are tips for someone who wants to be healthy and lose a bit of weight?
For anyone wanting to stay healthy while also losing a bit of weight, Sharp recommends trying out a framework she's created called the Hunger Crushing Combo.
"You simply add a source of fibre, protein and healthy fats to meals and snacks. This additive approach helps to shift us out of scarcity mentality into a state of abundance that prevents an inevitable binge," she explained.
"But this helps to naturally increase nutrition, volume and satiety which also helps edge out higher calories, lower nutritious food in the diet. It also helps stabilize blood sugars which is important for providing sustained energy between meals."
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Photos shared on Irina Solomonova's Instagram stories. 
