Semaglutide is an active pharmaceutical ingredient. It is the substance that does the work inside certain prescription medicines, in the same way that a specific ingredient sits inside any other drug you might be prescribed. It is not itself a brand, and it is not available without a prescription.
Important safety information. Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, FDA-approved prescription medicines from Novo Nordisk A/S. Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound, from Eli Lilly and Company. These branded medicines carry a boxed warning about the risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. They should not be used by people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, or by people with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2. Serious risks can include pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, acute kidney injury, severe stomach and intestinal reactions, serious allergic reactions, low blood sugar when taken with certain other diabetes medicines, and diabetic retinopathy complications. Read the official Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for each: Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician about your situation.
What class of medicine it belongs to
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone your gut releases after you eat. An agonist is a substance that activates a receptor the way the body's own signal would.
So the short version is that semaglutide acts at a receptor your body already uses, and it is built to last longer in the body than the natural hormone does.
How it works in the body
According to the FDA-approved labeling for these medicines, activating the GLP-1 receptor does several things at once.
It increases insulin release from the pancreas in a glucose-dependent way, meaning more when blood sugar is high and less when it is not. It reduces glucagon secretion, which is the signal that tells the liver to put more sugar into the blood. And it slows how quickly the stomach empties after a meal.
The labeling also describes effects in areas of the brain involved in appetite regulation, which is why people taking it commonly report feeling full sooner and staying full longer.
None of that is a description of what will happen for any particular person. It is a description of a mechanism, and mechanisms play out differently in different bodies.
How it is taken
The injectable products that contain semaglutide are given under the skin, typically once a week, using a prefilled pen. A clinician usually starts at a low dose and increases it in steps over time, which the labeling describes as a way to reduce gastrointestinal side effects.
Common side effects across this class include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain. They often show up around a dose increase. They are worth reporting rather than waiting out, because a clinician can adjust the plan.
Approved uses are specific
This is a point that gets blurred constantly online. FDA approval is not granted to a molecule in general. It is granted to a specific product, at specific doses, for specific indications, with a specific label.
That is why two medicines that share an active ingredient can have different approved uses, different dosing, and different packaging. The Prescribing Information for each product is the authoritative source for what it is approved to treat, and the links above go to those documents directly.
If you want to see the regulatory record behind an approval, FDA publishes it in Drugs@FDA.
Who should not take it
The labeling is explicit. These medicines are contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma and in people with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, and in people with a serious hypersensitivity reaction to the product.
There are also situations that call for caution rather than a flat no, including a history of pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney problems, diabetic retinopathy, and pregnancy or plans to become pregnant.
This is exactly why an evaluation exists. The medicine is not the decision. Your history is.
Compounded semaglutide is a different thing
You will see the phrase "compounded semaglutide" used online as though it were a cheaper version of a brand. It is not, and describing it that way is wrong.
Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing quality.
Compounded semaglutide is prepared by a pharmacy for an individual patient. It is not Zepbound, not Mounjaro, not Ozempic and not Wegovy. It is not a generic version of any approved drug, and it is not interchangeable with one. There is no FDA review of its strength, purity or consistency behind it, and there is no approved label for it.
It may be dispensed only pursuant to a valid prescription issued by a licensed clinician after a clinical evaluation, and only from a state-licensed pharmacy. FDA's overview of human drug compounding explains how the category is regulated.
Also worth naming: material sold online as semaglutide for "research use only" is not a medicine, is not intended for people, and has no verified identity or purity. FDA has warned consumers about products purchased outside the legitimate supply chain.
Where a program like Body Good fits
Body Good runs a clinical service. A licensed clinician reviews your history through intake, decides whether anything is appropriate, and stays involved with follow-up over time. The service is a service. It is not a drug, and it does not carry any drug's approval status.
Body Good's prices are service fees for the program described at intake. They cover the clinical evaluation and the ongoing care and support in that program. They are not the price of medication and are not a quote for any individual. Eligibility is determined by a clinician.
A Body Good service fee does not include the cost of medication. The pharmacy bills for what it dispenses, and a laboratory bills for its own work.
This site is an information and pricing overview only. It takes no payment, collects no health information, and runs no intake form. Intake happens on joinbodygood.com.
Frequently asked questions
Is semaglutide the same thing as a brand name medicine?
No. Semaglutide is the active ingredient inside certain FDA-approved prescription products. Each product has its own label, its own approved uses and its own dosing, and the Prescribing Information for that product is what governs.
Can I get semaglutide over the counter?
No. It is a prescription medicine in the United States, and it requires an evaluation by a licensed clinician before it can be prescribed and dispensed by a licensed pharmacy.
How do I find out if it is appropriate for me?
By talking with a licensed clinician who takes your full history, including thyroid and pancreatic history and everything else you take. Begin Body Good's clinical intake to have a clinician review your situation.
Zepbound and Mounjaro are registered trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company. Ozempic and Wegovy are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S. Body Good is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or authorized by Eli Lilly and Company or Novo Nordisk A/S. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.