Semaglutide
GLP-1 medicine | Weight • Metabolic Health • Cardiovascular Outcomes
Common names: Wegovy · Ozempic · GLP-1 receptor agonist · GLP-1RA · semaglutide 2.4 mg
- Evidence searched through
- August 28, 2026
- Last reviewed
- August 28, 2026
- Current version
- 1.0
4V Take
What the research shows.
Semaglutide has strong human trial evidence for chronic weight management, and it also reduced major cardiovascular events in a specific higher-risk population with established cardiovascular disease. Those results are meaningful, but the details matter: the trials studied prescription products, defined populations and ongoing treatment. Side effects and longer-term management still deserve real attention.
Explore the evidenceResearch Interest
Why are people interested?
Researchers are studying Semaglutide across Weight • Metabolic Health • Cardiovascular Outcomes. These are areas of research interest, not guaranteed outcomes.
Evidence Context
What have researchers looked at?
This approved record brings together the research settings represented in its selected public sources. Evidence settings answer different questions, so human, animal, laboratory, and research-review findings stay distinct.
Current research context
Research stage describes the maturity of the current topic record. Source context describes the evidence settings represented in the selected public sources below; they are not interchangeable.
- Research stage
- Established
- Selected source context
- Human
At a Glance
Research snapshot.
- 01Human Research
Extensive - 02Research Stage
Established - 03Most Studied Areas
Weight • Metabolic Health • Cardiovascular Outcomes - 04Key Context
Prescription formulations and defined populations
Research Pathway
Follow the questions.
Choose a pathway to read its approved 4V Take. Each view stays focused on one question at a time.
4V Take
Researchers have studied semaglutide for weight management, blood sugar, and cardiovascular outcomes. The strongest evidence comes from large human trials of prescription semaglutide in clearly defined populations, usually alongside lifestyle support. That is much more specific than a general claim that every GLP-1 product works the same way for everyone.
- Evidence bucket
- human clinical
- Research stage
- established
- Route / format
- prescription semaglutide formulations in randomized human trials
Explore the evidence
human RCT
Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1).
human RCT
Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes (SELECT).
human RCT
Two-year effects of semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 5).
4V Take
In STEP 1, researchers measured change in body weight over 68 weeks in adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes. Dose used in the study: semaglutide 2.4 mg by subcutaneous injection once weekly, alongside lifestyle intervention. On average, the semaglutide group lost more weight than the placebo group. This is study context, not a recommendation or a personal protocol.
- Evidence bucket
- human clinical
- Research stage
- established
- Route / format
- 2.4 mg once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide plus lifestyle intervention
Explore the evidence
human RCT
Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1).
human RCT
Two-year effects of semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 5).
human extension study
Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: STEP 1 extension.
4V Take
Yes. In SELECT, semaglutide reduced major cardiovascular events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity who did not have diabetes. Dose used in the study: semaglutide 2.4 mg by subcutaneous injection once weekly. This was a high-risk secondary-prevention population, so it should not be read as proof of the same benefit for people without cardiovascular disease.
- Evidence bucket
- human clinical
- Research stage
- established
- Route / format
- 2.4 mg once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide in established cardiovascular disease
Explore the evidence
human RCT
Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes (SELECT).
human RCT
Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1).
human RCT
Two-year effects of semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 5).
4V Take
Longer-term management is still an active research question. In a STEP 1 extension, participants regained a substantial share of their prior weight loss after treatment withdrawal on average. That finding does not answer every maintenance question, but it shows why researchers distinguish trial results during treatment from what happens after treatment changes or stops.
- Evidence bucket
- human clinical
- Research stage
- developing clinical
- Route / format
- post-withdrawal extension follow-up
Explore the evidence
human RCT
Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1).
human RCT
Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes (SELECT).
human RCT
Two-year effects of semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 5).
4V Take
FDA labeling for the approved prescription product documents contraindications, warnings, and common adverse reactions. Gastrointestinal side effects are common in trials, and the labeled product has important safety limitations. Regulatory labeling describes the product’s approved context; it is not a shortcut for judging every scientific question or every non-labeled formulation.
- Evidence bucket
- regulatory context
- Research stage
- established
- Route / format
- FDA-labeled prescription semaglutide
Explore the evidence
regulatory and safety context
WEGOVY (semaglutide) prescribing information.
human RCT
Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1).
human RCT
Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes (SELECT).
Selected Sources
Explore the evidence.
Open an approved public source to inspect its study context, limitations, and original record where available.
human RCT
Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1).
2021 · PMID: 33567185 · peer reviewed
human RCT
Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes (SELECT).
2023 · PMID: 37952131 · peer reviewed
human RCT
Two-year effects of semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 5).
2022 · PMID: 36216945 · peer reviewed
human extension study
Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: STEP 1 extension.
2022 · PMID: 35441470 · peer reviewed
regulatory and safety context
WEGOVY (semaglutide) prescribing information.
2025 · URL: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2025/215256s020lbl.pdf · official regulatory
Research Status
Living research, deliberately tracked.
- Evidence searched globally through:
- August 28, 2026
- Last reviewed
- August 28, 2026
- Version
- 1.0
What Changed
Current record.
No later approved public release is available beyond the current topic record.
Evidence Boundaries
What are researchers still working out?
Study settings, measures, and limitations matter. A mechanism does not establish an outcome, animal or laboratory findings do not establish a human benefit, and a small study does not create consensus. Open each selected source for the approved record behind its finding.
Regulatory Context
Context, not a shortcut.
This topic’s selected public record includes regulatory or other context sources. They can help explain the setting in which research is discussed, but regulatory status does not by itself prove or disprove scientific value. Open the original source for its exact context.
Related Research
Continue with context.
Connections are limited to approved topic context. Each linked topic keeps its own evidence boundaries and Research Stage.
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GLP-1 Biology
Foundational biologyGLP-1 Biology provides native-pathway context for semaglutide without treating natural hormone signaling and prescription-drug exposure as the same evidence question.
Research Stage: Foundational / Established
Native physiology and therapeutic evidence remain separate.
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