Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Ozempic? 5 Things to Consider Before You Do
Key takeaways:
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a once-weekly injection for adults with Type 2 diabetes. It works by mimicking a gut hormone that has targets in multiple organs, including the pancreas, gut, and liver. Targets are also found in areas of the brain.
Ozempic’s effects on the brain may lessen the reward you experience from drinking alcohol. Some people taking Ozempic report losing their taste for alcohol altogether.
Ozempic can cause nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and upset stomach, which may be worse if it’s combined with alcohol. There’s also a potential risk of serious side effects, including pancreatitis and kidney damage.
You may not need to avoid alcohol entirely with Ozempic. But it’s a good idea to discuss what’s considered a safe amount for you with your healthcare team.
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You’ve started Ozempic (semaglutide) within the last few months and are leaving to meet up with some friends for dinner. But just as you begin to order a glass of your favorite wine, you pause and think, “Wait, is it safe to drink alcohol with Ozempic?”
The short answer: It depends. There’s no direct interaction between alcohol and Ozempic. But alcohol might sabotage some of Ozempic’s potential benefits for your body weight, kidneys, and heart. And the combination may also worsen Ozempic’s side effects.
An occasional drink or two with Ozempic may not be a big deal. But how much you drink — or how often — might make a difference. If you’re thinking about drinking alcohol with Ozempic, consider these five facts before you do.
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1. You may not have the same desire to drink alcohol with Ozempic
You may have heard that Ozempic can make alcohol less appealing for people using it. In other words, you may not even want to drink alcohol with Ozempic. There’s some science to back that up. It’s thought to involve how Ozempic works in your brain.
Ozempic works by mimicking a gut hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 has targets in several different organs, including your pancreas, gut, and liver. There are also GLP-1 targets in areas of the brain involved in regulating your metabolism and appetite.
When you drink alcohol, a chemical called dopamine is released, which activates your brain’s reward system and makes you feel good. GLP-1 targets are also found in the reward-related areas of the brain, which may block or lessen this dopamine boost. This might explain why some people may not get the same “feel good” chemicals from alcohol while using Ozempic.
In fact, animal studies have shown that medications similar to Ozempic may reduce not only alcohol use, but also cocaine, nicotine, and amphetamine use. Due to these findings, researchers are currently studying Ozempic to treat people with alcohol use disorder.
2. Alcohol may worsen common Ozempic side effects
For some people, the nausea, vomiting, and stomach upset they experience from Ozempic can be pretty unpleasant. And if you’re experiencing these side effects, having a drink might be the last thing you want to do. But if you decide to indulge, alcohol won’t do your stomach any favors.
When you drink alcohol, it’s absorbed into your blood through your digestive tract. But it can irritate your stomach lining in the process, causing it to become inflamed. Alcohol can also slow down how fast your stomach empties. These effects can result in nausea, vomiting, and stomach upset, as well.
Keep in mind that Ozempic’s digestion-related side effects are usually worse as you’re first starting treatment, as well as after dosage increases. But for most people, they should get better over time. If your healthcare team has said an occasional drink is OK, you may want to wait until your body gets used to Ozempic.
3. Alcohol may increase the risk of low blood glucose with Ozempic
If you’re living with Type 2 diabetes, there’s an increased risk of low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) if you drink alcohol. This is because alcohol can interfere with how your liver helps keep your blood sugar levels in balance. Adding diabetes medications into the mix can increase this risk even more.
That said, Ozempic may be less likely to cause low blood sugar on its own compared to certain other diabetes medications. Even so, low blood sugar is still a concern, especially if you decide to drink. In this case, it’s best to follow your healthcare team’s instructions for what’s considered a safe amount of alcohol for you.
Best place to inject Ozempic: Is it better to inject Ozempic (semaglutide) into your stomach, thigh, or arm? Here’s what you should know about where to inject Ozempic.
Ozempic side effects: Are you experiencing diarrhea from Ozempic? Here’s a list of potential semaglutide side effects and tips for managing them.
How to save: GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic, don’t need to break the bank. Learn how to make your prescription more affordable with the GoodRx GLP-1 savings guide.
Keeping tabs on your blood sugar levels before, during, and after drinking can help you identify and manage low blood sugar levels quickly. Avoid drinking alcohol on an empty stomach, and be sure to keep hydrated. You should also have some fast-acting carbohydrates (such as glucose tablets) on hand, just in case.
4. Both alcohol and Ozempic have a risk of pancreatitis and kidney damage
A drink or two every now and then may not be a big deal with Ozempic. But if you combine Ozempic with long-term or heavy alcohol use, you may be at higher risk for two serious complications: pancreatitis and kidney damage.
While rare, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) has been reported in some people taking Ozempic. And while Ozempic can have positive effects on the kidneys, there may be a risk of kidney damage for certain people. This risk may be higher if you become dehydrated from fluid loss due to side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
Long-term or heavy alcohol use has also been linked to pancreatitis. And it can damage your kidneys, too. There’s also an increased risk of becoming dehydrated while drinking, since alcohol can make you pee more.
Researchers haven’t specifically studied how combining alcohol with Ozempic might affect these risks. But it’s a good idea to moderate your alcohol intake to be safe.
5. You may lose some of Ozempic’s benefits if you’re drinking alcohol regularly
Ozempic isn’t approved for weight loss. But some people taking it for Type 2 diabetes lose weight as a side effect. And others without diabetes might be prescribed Ozempic off-label to help them lose weight.
Alcohol, on the other hand, can cause weight gain by adding extra calories to your diet and slowing down your metabolism. If you’ve been prescribed Ozempic for its weight-related benefits, alcohol might make it harder to lose weight or keep it off.
What’s more, Ozempic can help lower the risk of serious cardiovascular and kidney-related problems for certain people with Type 2 diabetes. But alcohol can have negative effects on your heart and kidney health, especially if you drink heavily and regularly. This can include high blood pressure, heart failure, and stroke. So, you may not get the full benefits of Ozempic if alcohol is part of your regular routine.
Things to keep in mind if you decide to drink on Ozempic
If you choose to drink while taking Ozempic, here are a few important tips to help minimize potential risks:
Follow your healthcare team’s guidance for how much alcohol is OK for you to drink.
Avoid drinking alcohol on an empty stomach.
Monitor your blood sugar levels before, during, and after drinking.
Have fast-acting carbohydrates on hand in case your blood sugar drops too low.
Stay hydrated to counteract alcohol’s dehydrating effects.
Opt for low-alcohol options such as light beer, and avoid sugary drinks.
Frequently asked questions
Semaglutide (found in Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus) may not be safe for everyone to take. Your healthcare team will help determine if it’s safe for you. But it’s generally recommended to avoid semaglutide if you have any of the following:
A personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer
An inherited condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2
Allergic reactions (such as anaphylaxis) to semaglutide or any of its other ingredients
Severe gastroparesis (slowed stomach emptying)
History of pancreatitis
You may not need to avoid alcohol entirely while taking Wegovy. But it’s best to drink in moderation, or as recommended by your healthcare team. Alcohol can increase the risk of low blood sugar, especially if you take diabetes medications. It can also worsen side effects such as nausea or an upset stomach, which are already common with Wegovy.
The bottom line
If you’re considering drinking alcohol with Ozempic (semaglutide), there are a few things to consider first. To start, you may not have a desire to drink due to how Ozempic is thought to affect the brain.
But if you decide to drink alcohol with Ozempic, side effects like nausea, vomiting, and stomach upset may be worse. While rare, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) and kidney damage are also possible. And alcohol may interfere with potential weight loss and heart- and kidney-related benefits from Ozempic, too.
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References
Apte, M. V., et al. (1997). Alcohol-related pancreatic damage: Mechanisms and treatment. Alcohol Health and Research World.
Aviles, B., et al. (2021). Semaglutide in real life practice decreases albuminuria in high risk progression chronic kidney diabetic patients. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation.
Eren-Yazicioglu, C. Y., et al. (2021). Can GLP-1 be a target for reward system related disorders? A qualitative synthesis and systematic review analysis of studies on palatable food, drugs of abuse, and alcohol. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
Marty, V. N., et al. (2020). Long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists suppress voluntary alcohol intake in male Wistar rats. Frontiers in Neuroscience.
Swift, R., et al. (1998). Alcohol hangover: Mechanisms and mediators. Alcohol Health and Research World.
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