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Can Ozempic® Cause Joint Pain: Explanation & Treatment
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Weight loss
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Why Do I Have Joint Pain & Should I See a Doctor About It?
Joint pain can be related to a variety of root causes. Arthritis, both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, are common suspects. Issues with the thyroid, viral infections, bone disease, or fibromyalgia may also be to blame. Talk with your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing joint pain after starting Ozempic®. Your provider will collect a family history, perform a joint examination, and likely run some blood tests to look at your inflammatory markers and antibody markers.
If you’re experiencing joint pain in your hands, hips, and knees, you may be experiencing a type of arthritis known as osteoarthritis (OA). OA is a type of “wear and tear” arthritis that develops over time as we age. OA risk factors include joint injury or overuse, increasing age, female sex, genetics and obesity (5).
Can Ozempic® Help With Joint Pain?
Ozempic® can be an excellent tool for those looking to lose a drastic amount of weight safely without causing damage to your joints, potentially even relieving added pressure.
Extra weight adds more stress on the joints, especially weight-bearing ones such as the hips and knees. The extra load has been theorized to hasten the breakdown of cartilage, elevating the risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA) in these areas. Weight loss is one of the best things you can do to relieve joint pain due to OA.
One study showed that a reduction of at least 10% in body weight achieved through a combination of dietary adjustments and physical activity has been linked to a 50% decrease in pain scores among overweight or obese individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) over an 18-month period (6).
Furthermore, lab studies have linked GLP-1 receptor agonists to anti-inflammatory effects. GLP-1 therapies could play a role in relieving joint pain as it is largely tied to inflammation of joint tissues. Researchers are evaluating its potential to benefit patients with osteoarthritis (7).
So if you suffer from OA, being on Ozempic® to help with your weight loss may be one of the best things for your joint pain.
Learn More About Ozempic® and Weight Loss
If you want to learn more about GLP-1 medications or see if you might be eligible for medication-assisted weight loss, our team of medical professionals and obesity medicine experts is here to help.
Mochi Health is a comprehensive obesity medicine practice with access to 1-on-1 provider support from licensed physicians, 24/7 customer support, direct provider messaging, and medications delivered to your door. Find out if you're eligible to join here.
References:
Ozempic® Side effects: Ozempic® (SEMAGLUTIDE) injection. Ozempic® Side Effects | Ozempic® (semaglutide) injection. (2023, August). https://www.Ozempic®.com/how-to-take/side-effects.html
Clinical Review Report: Semaglutide (Ozempic): (Novo Nordisk Canada Inc.): Indication: For the treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to improve glycemic control, in combination with metformin (second-line treatment), and in combination with metformin and sulfonylurea (third-line treatment) [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health; 2019 Jun. Results. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544016/
Tarapués, M., Cereza, G., & Figueras, A. (2013). Association of musculoskeletal complaints and gliptin use: review of spontaneous reports. Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety, 22(10), 1115–1118. https://doi-org.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/10.1002/pds.3503
FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA warns that DPP-4 inhibitors for type 2 diabetes may cause severe joint pain. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www-fda-gov.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-drug-safety-communication-fda-warns-dpp-4-inhibitors-type-2-diabetes-may-cause-severe-joint-pain
Osteoarthritis. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/types/osteoarthritis.htm?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Farthritis%2Fbasics%2Fosteoarthritis.htm
Messier, S. P., Mihalko, S. L., Legault, C., Miller, G. D., Nicklas, B. J., DeVita, P., Beavers, D. P., Hunter, D. J., Lyles, M. F., Eckstein, F., Williamson, J. D., Carr, J. J., Guermazi, A., & Loeser, R. F. (2013). Effects of intensive diet and exercise on knee joint loads, inflammation, and clinical outcomes among overweight and obese adults with knee osteoarthritis: the IDEA randomized clinical trial. JAMA, 310(12), 1263–1273. https://doi-org.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/10.1001/jama.2013.277669
Meurot, C., Jacques, C., Martin, C., Sudre, L., Breton, J., Rattenbach, R., Bismuth, K., & Berenbaum, F. (2022). Targeting the GLP-1/GLP-1R axis to treat osteoarthritis: A new opportunity? Journal of Orthopaedic Translation, 32, 121–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jot.2022.02.001
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