How Does Ozempic Affect Your Gallbladder? Understanding This Possible Side Effect
Key takeaways:
Your gallbladder is an organ that stores and releases a substance called bile, which helps with digestion. Ozempic causes your gallbladder to empty more slowly.
Research shows that people who take Ozempic may have a slightly increased risk for gallstones and gallbladder infection. But these conditions are still relatively rare.
If you have gallstones, you can still take Ozempic. But it’s worth talking this over with a healthcare professional before you start taking it.
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Any time you’re starting a new medication, it’s important to weigh the benefits with the possible risks and side effects. Ozempic has many benefits for people with diabetes, like decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. But among its risks is the potential for gallbladder problems. So if you’ve had problems with your gallbladder before — or have any particular concern about this side effect — we’ll walk you through exactly how Ozempic affects your gallbladder.
How does Ozempic affect the gallbladder?
Ozempic (semaglutide) belongs to a group of medications called GLP-1 agonists. These medicines act like a hormone in your body called GLP-1. This hormone affects different parts of the digestion process. To understand how Ozempic affects the gallbladder, it helps to first understand how your body breaks down food:
Your stomach empties food into your intestines.
Your intestines break down the sugars, proteins, and fats in your food so they can be absorbed. But to do this, the intestines need the help of a chemical called bile.
Bile is made in the liver, then stored in the gallbladder. As food enters the intestines, the gallbladder releases stored bile to help with digestion.
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Ozempic affects several steps of this process:
It tells your brain that you are full.
It tells your stomach to slow down the emptying process.
It tells your body to make insulin, which regulates the rise and fall of your blood sugar.
It tells your liver to make less bile acid.
And finally, it also tells your gallbladder not to empty.
Many of these effects are why Ozempic can help with appetite, weight loss, and blood sugar. But its effect on the gallbladder can also cause problems.
Can Ozempic cause gallbladder problems?
Yes, Ozempic can cause problems with the gallbladder. Before we talk about the specific risks associated with Ozempic, let’s first explain exactly what gallbladder problems are.
Gallstones happen when the bile acid inside of the gallbladder hardens into stones. Sometimes, these stones just hang out in the gallbladder without causing too many problems. Other times, the gallstones can get stuck when the gallbladder squeezes to empty. This can lead to episodes of pain when your body is digesting. And if the gallstone remains stuck, it can progress to gallbladder swelling and infection. This is a more serious condition called cholecystitis.
Scientists performed a large-scale review of all the research on GLP-1 agonists (including Ozempic) and gallbladder problems. They found that people who take some of these medications have an increased risk for gallstones and gallbladder infection. This risk was related to the dose and the duration of treatment. In other words, the risk was higher in people on higher doses for longer periods of time.
But even though the risk for gallbladder problems was increased, these problems were still very rare. When taking Ozempic, only about 1 in 100 people developed gallstones. And only about 1 in 1,000 people developed gallbladder infections.
But since Ozempic is a relatively new medication, scientists are still studying all of its effects. A better understanding about the risk of gallbladder problems may take time.
How does Ozempic cause gallbladder problems?
There are different ideas about why Ozempic might cause gallbladder problems:
Ozempic tells the gallbladder not to empty. So it’s possible that when bile sits around, it’s more likely to harden into stones.
Ozempic can lead to rapid weight loss. People who lose weight quickly are at higher risk of gallstones.
Ozempic side effects: Semaglutide can cause things like diarrhea and stomach upset. It’s important to learn about Ozempic side effects before you start taking the medication.
What do gallstones feel like? Learn the most common symptoms of a gallbladder attack — and when they become an emergency.
Foods to avoid if you take Ozempic: Certain foods can increase the risk for Ozempic side effects, including gallstones.
What are the symptoms of gallbladder side effects from Ozempic?
Your gallbladder is next to your liver. It’s in the right upper part of your abdomen, just below your ribcage. If you have gallstones, you may experience pain (often called gallbladder attacks) in this area. These are episodes of pain that:
Often happen after eating, especially meals with more fatty foods
Last for minutes or for hours
Can cause nausea or vomiting
When gallstones get stuck, an infection of the gallbladder can happen. Symptoms of infection include:
Pain in the upper part of the abdomen that doesn’t go away
Loss of appetite
Nausea and vomiting
Fever
Yellowing of the skin or of the eyes (jaundice)
How serious are gallbladder issues from taking Ozempic?
Gallstone issues can be serious. They can be painful and can significantly affect your quality of life. Treatment can sometimes include surgery to remove the entire gallbladder.
And if gallstones lead to an infection of the gallbladder, this can be life-threatening. Without treatment, the infection can spread to other organs or to your bloodstream. So it’s important to go to your nearest emergency room (ER) if you experience the symptoms of infection listed above. The treatment usually includes hospitalization, antibiotics, and surgery.
Frequently asked questions
Overall, gallbladder issues are rare with Ozempic. Less than 2% of people on Ozempic had a gallbladder problem after taking the medication.
And keep in mind that this doesn’t necessarily mean Ozempic caused the gallbladder problem. These people may have been prone to them with or without the medication.
Yes, you can take Ozempic after gallbladder removal surgery.
You can take Ozempic if you’ve had gallstones in the past. But it’s a good idea to talk this over with a healthcare professional before you start the medication. They can help you weigh the risks and benefits. And they can also talk through other alternative treatments that don’t increase your risk for more gallstones.
The bottom line
For many people with diabetes, the benefits of Ozempic outweigh the risks. It decreases the risk of a heart attack, stroke, and even death from heart problems by up to 20%. In comparison, the increased risk for gallbladder problems is small. But it’s still important to be aware of how Ozempic increases the risk for gallstones, which can lead to infections of the gallbladder. This way you know when to get emergency care for symptoms of these conditions.
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References
Aroda, V. R., et al. (2023). Safety and tolerability of semaglutide across the SUSTAIN and PIONEER phase IIIa clinical trial programmes. Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism.
Erlinger, S. (2000). Gallstones in obesity and weight loss. European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
He, L., et al. (2022). Association of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist use with risk of gallbladder and biliary diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. JAMA Internal Medicine.
Katella, K. (2024). Why your cardiologist may prescribe semaglutide (Wegovy). Yale Medicine.
Maljaars, P. W. J., et al. (2008). Ileal brake: A sensible food target for appetite control. A review. Physiology & Behavior.
Marzioni, M., et al. (2007). Glucagon-like peptide-1 and its receptor agonist exendin-4 modulate cholangiocyte adaptive response to cholestasis. Gastroenterology.
MedwireNews. (2021). A quick guide to the SUSTAIN trials.
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