The diabetes-turned weight-loss drug Ozempic has helped tens of thousands of Americans slim down, yet some people report their prescription isn’t delivering the results it should.
Now, experts have suggested one reason why the blockbuster drug may not be performing as expected.
Simply, you might not be storing the medication properly, dampening its potency and efficacy.
While it’s common to keep prescriptions in the bathroom medicine cabinet, providers say Ozempic should be stored in the refrigerator instead, kept at a cool 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
Doctors also warned that the medication should never be frozen or stored somewhere in direct sunlight, because this can cause the medication to breakdown.
Dr. Mir Ali, a bariatric surgeon, said: ‘If Ozempic is not refrigerated, it will likely lose its efficacy over time. In some cases, it may cause more side effects.’
Doctors say some Ozempic patients may not be rapidly losing weight on the drug because they are not storing it correctly (stock)
Instructions say to keep all new and unopened Ozempic pens in the refrigerator. Once Ozempic is used for the first time, you can keep it either in or out of the fridge, but it should still not be exposed extremely cold or hot temperatures.
Dr HaVy Ngo-Hamilton, a pharmacist, said opened Ozempic should be kept between 59 degrees and 86 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 56 days or until its expiration date – whichever comes first.
After that point, any leftover medication should be discarded.
Dr Jennifer Bourgeois — a health expert based in Fort Worth — told Parade: ‘Proper storage of medication ensures its effectiveness and safety.
‘Even the slightest deviations in storage conditions can affect the medication’s stability.’
Doctors tell patients to keep Ozempic in the refrigerator in order to ensure it does not begin to degrade.
It is sensitive to temperature changes because the drug it uses, semaglutide, is made of a protein — which can start to break down in warmer temperatures.
This means that when patients inject themselves the medication may no longer mimic hunger-suppressing hormones in the body — and will not work.
Dr Mir Ali, a bariatric surgeon in California, added: ‘If Ozempic is not refrigerated, it will likely lose its efficacy over time.’
Other similar weight loss drugs should also be kept in the refrigerator including Wegovy — which can only be stored at room temperature for 28 days — as well as Mounjaro — which must be used within 21 days of being opened.
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Experts prescribing the medications say patients can expect to lose as much as 1lb per week while using drugs like Ozempic, WeGovy and Mounjaro.
Marlee Bruno, who owns the medical spa Mind Body & Soul Medical in Florida, told DailyMail.com previously: ‘After three months, patients may have lost at least 12lbs of fat — which is a significant loss and makes patients feel much better.’
But if users aren’t seeing a difference, they should check how they’re keeping their shots.
Many doctors advise those taking Ozempic to use the drug alongside a high protein diet and exercise in order to avoid muscle loss and to help maintain weight loss when they come off the drug.
The warning comes after some patients said the drugs were not working for them — with some saying they ‘out-ate’ the drug.
They include comedian Tracy Morgan, 55, who revealed in March that he ‘gained 40lbs’ while taking the popular weight-loss drug Ozempic.
He said: ‘I’ve learned to out-eat Ozempic. I out-ate Ozempic. I’ve gained 40 pounds.’
Prescriptions for Ozempic and similar weight loss medications have exploded in the US, with 39million people — or 12 percent of the population — now thought to have used them.
