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Weight loss injections appear to be all the rage these days. They are very popular. None more so than Ozempic, which provides the drug Semaglutide via once-weekly injections.

Semaglutide was originally developed as a second-line treatment for type-2 diabetes. It’s marketed as Ozempic.

There is now an Ozempic pill soon to be released. The pill form Semaglutide weight loss medication will be via prescription only and is currently at the latter stages of clinical trials.

It is likely that there will be two similar medications on the market towards the end of 2023 and beginning of 2024.

Ozempic injections have gained lots of media attention in 2023 and not entirely positive. Although the results are a step in the right direction, the high cost and side effects have turned people looking to lose weight toward premium over the counter alternatives instead.

OTC Alternatives to Ozempic Weight Loss Pills

Here are the 3 main competitive over the counter weight loss pills that are alternatives to Ozempic pill form Semaglutide.

#1 – PhenQ

CLICK to view PhenQ website and see current offers

PhenQ is an over-the-counter weight loss pill that contains natural ingredients like caffeine, capsimax powder, chromium picolinate, and nopal. It is considered a safer and cheaper alternative to prescription weight loss drugs like Ozempic for the following reasons:

Contains only natural ingredients and stimulants, while Ozempic contains semaglutide, a synthetic prescription drug. Natural ingredients tend to have fewer side effects and risks compared to potent prescription medications.

PhenQ is available without a prescription and doctor’s visit, while Ozempic requires a prescription from a doctor, usually an endocrinologist or obesity medicine specialist. This makes PhenQ more convenient and cheaper to obtain. There are many satisfied customers and lots of PhenQ reviews from real customers.

It costs around $70 per bottle and may be cheaper if you buy more bottles at once or take advantage of promotions. In contrast, Ozempic can cost up to $1,200 per month or more, depending on your insurance coverage. 

PhenQ’s natural formula is unlikely to cause side effects like nausea, diarrhea and vomiting which are common with Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs. The side effects from Ozempic can be dose-dependent and bothersome for some patients.

PhenQ is considered safe for most adults when used as directed, but Ozempic may cause problems in certain populations like people with kidney or liver disease, or history of pancreatitis. Ozempic can also lower blood sugar too much and cause hypoglycemia in some diabetic patients.

There is little risk of dependency or withdrawal with PhenQ since it relies on natural ingredients. However, Ozempic may cause physical dependence and difficult withdrawal for some chronic users.

#2 – Capsiplex

CLICK to view Capsiplex website and see current offers

Capsiplex is an over-the-counter weight loss pill containing natural capsicum extract to boost fat burning. Capsicum from chili peppers activates thermogenesis and speeds up metabolism, allowing users to lose excess weight gradually by burning more calories per day. 

As a natural supplement rather than prescription medication, Capsiplex avoids the side effects, costs, and risks associated with Ozempic and similar drugs. Capsiplex can be purchased affordably without a prescription or insurance.There is little danger of dependence or harsh side effects, making it a safer alternative for cosmetic weight loss.

While Capsiplex may produce only modest weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week through natural thermogenesis, this may be sufficient and healthier for those preferring natural alternatives over aggressive prescription obesity medications. However, more potent drugs like Ozempic could yield faster or greater total weight loss, especially for those requiring rapid and drastic reductions to mitigate other health conditions related to excessive body weight.

In summary, for overweight individuals looking for natural assistance with fat burning, Capsiplex offers a safer option than potent obesity medications like pill form Ozempic, at a lower cost and risk of complications, though with likely slower and more moderate weight loss overall depending on excess weight. 

#3 – Zotrim 

CLICK to view Zotrim website and see current offers

Zotrim is an herbal weight loss supplement containing yerba mate, guarana, and damiana. These natural ingredients gently speed up metabolism and reduce appetite without the risks of drugs like Ozempic. Zotrim is an over-the-counter pill, avoiding the cost and hassle of doctor visits and insurance approval that prescription Ozempic requires. 

Zotrim’s natural formula produces modest weight loss of 2-3 pounds per week through safe mechanisms like appetite suppression and fat burning activation. This gradual weight loss avoids the GI side effects common with potent medications like Ozempic. 

While Zotrim may yield less weight loss than Ozempic pills overall, its natural approach and minimal risks make it an appealing option for those preferring to avoid dependence on chronic prescription medications for cosmetic weight loss purposes. Unlike synthetic drugs, Zotrim’s natural ingredients present little danger of withdrawal or dependency, even when stopped after prolonged use.

For those seeking affordable natural weight management without safety concerns or harsh side effects, Zotrim can be considered a reasonably safer and cheaper alternative to potent obesity drugs, albeit with more moderate effects. The choice of product depends on how much and how quickly one aims to lose excess weight, as well as personal preferences regarding use of prescription medications.

Ozempic and Wegovy

It soon became clear one of the main side effects was loss of appetite, so the FDA approved a stronger version (We) as a prescription-only weight loss medication.

However, many potential candidates for Wegovy weight loss treatment have an aversion to needles, so Nova Nordisk, the Danish Pharmaceutical company that developed Semaglutide, has been working hard to develop a Wegovy weight loss pill. All being well, the pills could be available in pharmacies early next year.

Ozempic and Wegovy are both injectable medications used to treat type 2 diabetes, but there are a few key differences:

• Ozempic contains semaglutide, while Wegovy contains higher doses of semaglutide specifically for weight loss in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition. Wegovy can be used for chronic weight management, while Ozempic is primarily for blood sugar control.

The doses of semaglutide differ between the two medications. Ozempic doses range from 0.5 mg to 1 mg per week. Wegovy provides higher doses of semaglutide ranging from 2.4 mg to 5 mg per week for weight loss.

Ozempic is approved for blood sugar control and reducing cardiovascular risk, while Wegovy is specifically approved for chronic weight management.

Wegovy may cause more gastrointestinal side effects due to the higher doses of semaglutide, such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Ozempic at lower doses tends to have fewer GI side effects.

Wegovy is more expensive than Ozempic due to the higher semaglutide doses and additional clinical trials required for FDA approval as a weight loss medication.

Weight loss may be greater and faster with Wegovy compared to Ozempic alone. In clinical trials, Wegovy patients lost an average of 15-20% of their body weight, compared to 3% with Ozempic.

Other than the differences above, the weight loss drugs work in a similar way by increasing feelings of fullness, slowing digestion, and reducing appetite. They are both administered as a once-weekly injection.

So in summary, while Ozempic and Wegovy contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide, Wegovy is specially formulated and approved as a weight loss drug at higher doses. But Ozempic can still produce modest weight loss for some patients at the lower doses used for diabetes treatment.

Rybelsus Semaglutide Pills

An oral version of Semaglutide injections is already available as an anti-diabetic medication. The pill version of Ozempic is marketed under the brand name Rybelsus.

Rybelsus gained FDA approval in September 2019 and was approved for use in the European Union in April 2020.

Should it also gain approval, the only difference between the Ozempic weight loss pill and Rybelsus will be the dose. The weight loss pill will provide slightly more Semaglutide.

How Will Ozempic (Semaglutide) Weight Loss Pills Work?

Like Ozempic weight loss injections, by suppressing appetite, the pill version will make it easier for its users to feel satisfied with smaller portions of food, helping them to avoid overeating and further weight gain.

Weight loss injections and pills that control hunger are valuable weapons in the war against obesity. They help people to maintain the calorie deficit that forces their bodies to begin burning fat for energy.

As with similar drugs used for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity, such as Eli Lilly’s Tirzepatide, Semaglutide mimics the actions of a gut hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that regulates blood sugar levels, appetite, and satiety.

GLP-1 receptor agonists further support weight loss by slowing down the digestive process, causing food to remain in the stomach for longer.

If Novo Nordisk is successful in its attempt to bring Ozempic weight loss pills to market, they could prove to be even more popular than Ozempic injections.

Developing an oral version of Ozempic could also prove to be an extremely lucrative investment for Novo Nordisk. If the product takes off, it may become the most important prescription weight management aid of the century.

However, the Danish Pharmaceutical company could have some stiff competition.

The Race to Develop Alternatives to the New Ozempic Diet Pill

Although Novo Nordisk is currently winning the race to get a GLP-1 slimming pill to market, Eli Lilly and Pfizer are both snapping at its heels.

Eli Lilly is busy developing an oral version of its Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) injection. It’s called Orforglipron, and it has already helped people to lose up to 15 percent of their body weight in early clinical trials.

Meanwhile, Pfizer has a couple of oars in the water, one of which does not appear to be fit for purpose.

On Monday (26/06/2023), the New York-based pharmaceutical company was forced to scrap one of its potential candidates, Lotiglipron, after the results of a clinical trial showed indications of liver damage.

However, Pfizer is continuing to develop its other oral obesity medication, Danuglipron and, so far, there have been no signs of it causing liver damage.

With only one oar in the water, Pfizer could still end up going around in circles, but for Novo Nordisk, it appears to be full steam ahead.

The company has just unveiled the results of two gold-standard clinical trials at the 2023 American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions.

The (Novo Nordisk-funded) Phase 3 OASIS 1 trial tested the new semaglutide pill on 667 people who were overweight or obese but non-diabetic.

During the study, which ran for 68 weeks, the researchers tracked the responses to the new oral version of Ozempic..

Half the patients received pills providing 50 mg of the new drug. The rest got a placebo.

On average, the people who were given the Semaglutide pills lost 15 percent of their body weight (35 lbs). By comparison, the people given the placebo showed an average weight loss of only 2.4 percent.

These results suggest the new oral medication produces weight losses that are comparable to Ozempic injections providing 2.4 mg of Semaglutide.

Results from the Phase 3 PIONEER PLUS trial are equally promising. In this case, the study was conducted on people with type 2 diabetes.

A total of 1,600 diabetes patients were involved. The researchers split them into three groups. Each group received 14 mg, 25 mg, or 50 mg doses of the new oral medication each day for 68 weeks.

The participants receiving the lowest dose achieved an average weight loss of 10 lbs. However, those receiving the higher dose pills lost 15 to 21 lbs.

Will Ozempic Weight Loss Pills Cause Side Effects?

Ozempic injections can present some very unpleasant side effects, including severe diarrhea and other forms of gastrointestinal upset.

Due to the possible dangers of using GLP-1 agonists, the injections also have to be distributed with warnings about the potential for pancreatitis and thyroid cancer.

All the clinical evidence Nova Nordisk has presented so far suggests the risk of gastrointestinal problems is still present in the new oral medication.

Around 13 percent of patients also experienced “altered skin sensation,” such as tingling.

Eighty percent of the people who took part in the Oasis clinical trial reported mild to moderate gastrointestinal side effects, including diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Six percent of the participants found the side effects so bad they stopped taking the pills.

Thirteen percent of the participants in the Pioneer stopped taking the pills due to side effects as well.

Other Weight Loss Medications Like Ozempic

Here are some other weight loss drugs similar to Ozempic and Wegovy:

Weight loss drugs come in pill form such as Qsymia and Belviq. Qsymia contains phentermine and topiramate, two generic weight loss drugs combined into one weight loss pill. 

Belviq activates receptors in the brain that regulate mood and appetite. In clinical trials , patients on Qsymia and Belviq lost significantly more weight than the placebo group. 

Contrave is an obesity medicine containing bupropion and naltrexone in pill form. In studies, those taking Contrave lost 2-4 times more weight than placebo. Saxenda is a higher dose formula of Victoza, a weight loss drug for diabetics. Saxenda is injected daily and helps patients lose up to 5% of body weight in trials.

The new weight loss medications Wegovy and Imcivree contain semaglutide but at a higher dose than Ozempic as an oral pill version or injection to treat excess weight and obesity. In trials, Wegovy and Imcivree led to significant weight loss of 15-20% of body weight compared to placebo. The pill version of semaglutide may be an oral medication option in the future for cosmetic weight loss.

Other options include orlistat, taken with or without food, which blocks fat absorption. Lorcaserin (Belviq) is an oral medication taken on an empty stomach twice daily. Naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave) combines an active ingredient for addiction with one for depression. In trials, patients lost weight while taking these chronic medications.

Some weight loss drugs were previously approved but withdrawn, like Meridia, due to risks. Newer drugs await Food and Drug Administration approval, like lorcaserin’s combination with phentermine. 

Experts urge caution and close monitoring, as side effects may include abdominal pain , medullary thyroid cancer from liraglutide, and adverse effects on mood or heart rate. While clinical trial results are promising, the only two clinical trials of semaglutide were funded by Novo Nordisk, and lead study author Dr. Wadden is a paid consultant. An oral semaglutide is forthcoming, though cost and real-world results remain to be seen.

In summary, several weight loss medications and obesity medicines are available to help patients lose weight, but diet, exercise and lifestyle changes are still key. Patients should discuss options with their health care providers to determine what approach is safest and most effective for their needs.