Why Does Wegovy® Cause Diarrhea: Insights and Advice

Comparing Diarrhea as a Side Effect Across Weight Loss Treatments

When considering weight loss options, it's helpful to compare potential side effects across different treatments:

• Tirzepatide (sold under the brand-name medications Zepbound® and Mounjaro): A relatively new addition to the weight loss pharmacotherapy landscape, Tirzepatide works through dual incretin receptor agonism (GLP-1 and GIP). This unique mechanism not only aids in weight loss but may also influence the gastrointestinal tract, potentially leading to diarrhea in some users (9).

• Liraglutide (Saxenda): Sharing a similar action mechanism to Wegovy® as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, Liraglutide is associated with gastrointestinal side effects, including diarrhea. Like Wegovy®, it works by regulating appetite but can affect gut movement and sensitivity, leading to discomfort (10).

Explore other medications here: https://joinmochi.com/medications 

In conclusion, while diarrhea is a potential side effect of Wegovy®, it's important to weigh this against the medication's potential benefits in terms of weight loss and overall health improvement. Discussing this with a healthcare provider can help in making an informed choice and managing any side effects effectively.

References:

1. Wilding, J. P. H., Batterham, R. L., Calanna, S., Davies, M., Van Gaal, L. F., Lingvay, I., McGowan, B. M., Rosenstock, J., Tran, M. T. D., Wadden, T. A., Wharton, S., Yokote, K., Zeuthen, N., Kushner, R. F., & STEP 1 Study Group (2021). Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. The New England journal of medicine, 384(11), 989–1002. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

2. Bettge, K., Kahle, M., Abd El Aziz, M.S., Meier, J.J., Nauck, M.A., 2017. Occurrence of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea reported as adverse events in clinical trials studying glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: A sys- tematic analysis of published clinical trials. Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism 19:336e347. https://dom-pubs.pericles-prod.literatumonline.com/doi/10.1111/dom.12824

3. Smits, M. M., & Van Raalte, D. H. (2021). Safety of Semaglutide. Frontiers in endocrinology, 12, 645563. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/34305810/

4. Holst J. J. (2007). The physiology of glucagon-like peptide 1. Physiological reviews, 87(4), 1409–1439. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physrev.00034.2006?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org

5. Müller, T. D., Finan, B., Bloom, S. R., D'Alessio, D., Drucker, D. J., Flatt, P. R., Fritsche, A., Gribble, F., Grill, H. J., Habener, J. F., Holst, J. J., Langhans, W., Meier, J. J., Nauck, M. A., Perez-Tilve, D., Pocai, A., Reimann, F., Sandoval, D. A., Schwartz, T. W., Seeley, R. J., … Tschöp, M. H. (2019). Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). Molecular metabolism, 30, 72–130. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212877819309135?via%3Dihub

6. Kato, S., Sato, T., Fujita, H. et al. Effects of GLP-1 receptor agonist on changes in the gut bacterium and the underlying mechanisms. Sci Rep 11, 9167 (2021). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-88612-x

7. Avery, M. E., & Snyder, J. D. (1990). Oral therapy for acute diarrhea. The underused simple solution. The New England journal of medicine, 323(13), 891–894. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJM199009273231307?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

8. Riddle, M. S., DuPont, H. L., & Connor, B. A. (2016). ACG Clinical Guideline: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Acute Diarrheal Infections in Adults. The American journal of gastroenterology, 111(5), 602–622. https://journals.lww.com/ajg/fulltext/2016/05000/acg_clinical_guideline__diagnosis,_treatment,_and.14.aspx

9. Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, Wharton S, Connery L, Alves B, Kiyosue A, Zhang S, Liu B, Bunck MC, Stefanski A; SURMOUNT-1 Investigators. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2022 Jul 21;387(3):205-216. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

10. Bettge, K., Kahle, M., Abd El Aziz, M. S., Meier, J. J., & Nauck, M. A. (2017). Occurrence of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea reported as adverse events in clinical trials studying glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: A systematic analysis of published clinical trials. Diabetes, obesity & metabolism, 19(3), 336–347. https://dom-pubs.pericles-prod.literatumonline.com/doi/10.1111/dom.12824

This post was written by our team of health writers for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your doctor or healthcare provider for personalized guidance regarding your health. Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Mounjaro®, and Zepbound® and their delivery device are registered trademarks. Mochi Health is a telehealth clinic that offers prescriptions for these products by medical necessity only as determined by a licensed health provider.