Since Ozempic was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017, the medication (and other GLP-1 agonists like it) has become famous for helping people lose a significant amount of weight in a short period of time.
However, it’s also known for a slew of serious side effects, including an upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and more. With that, it’s understandable to wonder if Ozempic can have fatal outcomes—meaning, if you can die from it.
It’s important to stress this upfront: If you’re interested in going on Ozempic, it’s crucial to have an honest conversation with your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of using this medication (or any drug, really).
But could you die from taking Ozempic? Here’s what to know, according to a doctor.
Meet the expert: Alexandra Sowa, MD, is an internal medicine doctor specializing in preventative health, nutrition, and obesity medicine and the author of the forthcoming book The Ozempic Revolution.
Can you die from Ozempic?
To date, no one has died from taking Ozempic.
However, there have been extreme side effects recorded: One study linked Ozempic and similar drugs to severe stomach problems and hospitalization. Weight-loss medications have also been linked to some mental health complications. Novo Nordisk (the maker of Ozempic) has even been sued over a woman’s stomach paralysis.
But “it’s highly unlikely” that you’ll die from Ozempic, says Alexandra Sowa, MD, an internal medicine doctor specializing in preventative health, nutrition, and obesity medicine and the author of the forthcoming book The Ozempic Revolution.
“These medications have been studied extensively and used by millions of people at this point,” she says. “But two truths can be true in medicine—you can take Ozempic and you can die. That doesn’t mean Ozempic caused you to die.”
Sowa says that reports of gastroparesis—a medical term for stomach paralysis—are very rare. “We tend to see it as a complication of unmitigated diabetes,” she says. Given that Ozempic is technically a medication for people with type 2 diabetes, there is a higher risk of developing the complication in these patients, she says.
What happens if you take too much Ozempic?
It’s possible to take too much Ozempic, although this is more likely if you use a compounded version of the drug. (In fact, the FDA recently warned Americans about this risk.)
Sowa has also seen patients take a dose of regular Ozempic and then take another one because they didn’t think it was working—which isn’t recommended. If you take too much Ozempic, you’ll likely deal with gastrointestinal issues like nausea and vomiting, Sowa says.
“Call your doctor if that happens,” she says. There’s no antidote for this, but your doctor may recommend a medication to help tamp down on the nausea and vomiting if you’re struggling.
How can I prevent a fatal outcome while taking Ozempic?
Again, the odds of dying from Ozempic are very low. But Sowa says you can make them even lower by asking your doctor any questions you have.
“Don’t go rogue,” Sowa says. ”Follow the instructions. There is a method to how these medications are dosed.”
But if you have any unusual symptoms or you’re in pain, contact your doctor about next steps.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
