Weight Loss Drugs and Low Blood Sugar

Doctors may prescribe weight loss drugs to help people with chronic weight management. Typically, doctors prescribe these medications to individuals who struggle to lose weight and have one of the following: 

• A body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher
• A BMI of 27 or higher and at least one weight-related health issue

Prescription weight-loss medications are intended to be used long-term, meaning for more than 12 weeks. They should be taken in conjunction with eating healthy foods and getting sufficient exercise. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several long-term medications to help people lose weight, including:

• Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs): These medications work by imitating the GLP-1 hormone, which appears naturally in the body. GLP-1 drugs can help patients manage blood sugar levels and lose weight. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 drug that prompts the body to produce insulin and reduce blood sugar.
• Dual GLP-1 RA/gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP): Similar to GLP-1 RA drugs, these medications can lead to significant weight loss in obese patients with or without type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide is a dual-acting GLP-1/GIP agonist. Research shows that overweight adults can lose more weight with tirzepatide than with semaglutide.

GLP-1 RA drugs and dual-acting GLP-1/GIP agonists treat type 2 diabetes by helping manage blood sugar levels. They also help with weight management because they slow stomach emptying. This causes people to feel full for longer, so they eat less and lose weight.

What are some current weight loss drugs?

Doctors prescribe certain medications, both on and off label, to aid weight loss. Semaglutide drugs currently used for weight loss include:

• Ozempic: In 2017, the FDA approved Ozempic to treat adults with type 2 diabetes. The medication is also approved to treat serious cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke. Doctors may also prescribe Ozempic off label for weight management.
• Rybelsus: The FDA approved Rybelsus, in combination with diet and exercise, to treat adults with type 2 diabetes. The medication is also prescribed off label to control weight in obese adults.
• Wegovy: The FDA approved Wegovy for weight loss in obese adults. Wegovy is also approved for weight loss in children 12 and older with a BMI at or exceeding the 95th percentile for their age and gender. In 2024, Wegovy had its approval extended to help lower the risk of heart attack, stroke or death in obese, non-diabetic people with cardiovascular disease. Some doctors had previously prescribed the medication off label for this purpose.

Current tirzepatide medications being prescribed for weight loss include:

• Mounjaro: Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in Mounjaro, a medication approved to maintain blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. The FDA approved Mounjaro in 2023 for weight management in obese adults.
• Zepbound: Tirzepatide, approved under the brand name Zepbound, helps overweight individuals with hypertension or high cholesterol lose weight. Zepbound is approved for people with a BMI of 30 or more, or a BMI of 27 or more that runs in tandem with a weight-related health condition. It’s intended for use in combination with exercise and a reduced-calorie diet.

When a person eats food, their blood sugar levels naturally increase. Weight loss drugs prompt the body to make more insulin, reducing blood sugar levels. 

However, if blood sugar levels drop too low, a person may develop a severe medical condition called hypoglycemia.

What is hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar levels drop below an acceptable level. Symptoms of hypoglycemia may include:

• Anxiety or irritability
• Cheek, lip or tongue numbness or tingling
• Dizziness or a feeling of lightheadedness
• Excessive sweating
• Hunger
• Inability to concentrate
• Irregular or rapid heartbeat
• Lack of energy
• Nausea
• Pale appearance
• Shakiness

Can semaglutide cause hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia has been linked to the use of GLP-1 RAs, which are the class of medications to which semaglutide belongs. Your risk of hypoglycemia can increase if you’re simultaneously taking a GLP-1 medication and another drug (like a sulfonylureas medication or insulin) to lower your blood sugar.

Weight loss drugs — including Ozempic and Wegovy — may cause other serious side effects. These side effects may include adverse events not explained on the drugs’ warning labels. Some of these unlisted side effects and conditions associated with GLP-1 medications include:

• Deep vein thrombosis: A blood clot forms in a deep vein in the arm, leg or pelvis on one side of the body.
• Gastroparesis: The nerves and muscles in the stomach become paralyzed and unable to digest and move food to the intestines.
• Ileus: The muscles of the intestines fail to contract, which prevents them from transporting food and waste through the body.
• Kidney failure: The kidneys can’t filter waste from the body independently due to diabetes, high blood pressure or injury.
• Pancreatitis: The pancreas experiences sudden or chronic swelling.
• Vision loss: People taking semaglutide may be at increased risk of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which can lead to blindness.

Because of these severe side effects, some patients have filed lawsuits against semaglutide and tirzepatide manufacturers.

Our medical drug attorneys have represented thousands of patients seriously hurt by dangerous prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs. If you believe a medication made you sick or harmed you, our diabetes attorneys have the resources to investigate thoroughly and:

• Identify potentially harmful medications
• Determine whether the use of the medicine is linked to your injury
• Review the manufacturer’s compliance with FDA regulations
• Assess the adequacy of the manufacturer’s warning to you about potential side effects
• Recognize other issues that could affect your potential claim

Learn more about our medical drug litigation experience.

Don’t stop taking a prescribed medication without first consulting your doctor. Discontinuing a prescribed medication without your doctor’s advice can result in injury or death. Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy and Zepbound remain approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.