Can Ozempic Cause Hair Loss?

Like all drugs, Ozempic can cause some minor side effects. But some people on social media channels and online forums are sharing that they’re experiencing hair loss during weight loss treatment. 

So, is there a connection between weight loss medications and excessive shedding? And if so, can you prevent it? Let’s see what the science says.

How does Ozempic work?

Ozempic was developed as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, but it's now prescribed off-label for weight management. It contains the active ingredient semaglutide, which belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Semaglutide works by mimicking a natural hormone in your gut called glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, which is responsible for appetite and blood sugar control. It targets hunger receptors in your brain, slows gastric emptying (the rate food leaves your stomach) and regulates blood sugar levels after you eat. This leads to increased feelings of fullness, which helps you consume less food and, in turn, fewer calories. [1]

A clinical trial observing the effects of Ozempic in people with type 2 diabetes found that it can help achieve mean weight loss of 5% in 30 weeks. [2]

Weight and hair loss: what's the connection?

Significant weight loss can help improve many aspects of your overall health, from lowering your blood pressure to increasing your joint mobility. But, it can also affect your hair health, leading to a common type of hair loss known as telogen effluvium.

Telogen effluvium can be caused by stress, nutritional deficiencies or rapid weight loss, and it typically occurs 2–3 months after you experience one of these triggers. [3] This hair loss happens by interrupting your natural hair growth cycle, which involves four stages: [4]

1. Anagen (growth phase): Your hair follicle produces a hair shaft and grows around 1 cm per month, often for several years.
2. Catagen (transition phase): A two to three week period where the hair stops growing and starts to detach from the follicle.
3. Telogen (rest phase): The follicle rests for three to four months before shedding.
4. Exogen (shedding phase): The hair falls out and your follicle begins growing a new hair shaft.

When you lose weight, you’re in a calorie deficit. That means you’re eating fewer calories than you’re burning. In some cases, especially if you’re following a highly restrictive diet, your body diverts energy and essential nutrients from your hair to other essential processes. [5] This causes more hair follicles than usual to enter the telogen phase at the same time, leading to thinning and excessive shedding of hair. [6]

Can Ozempic cause hair loss?

Taking Ozempic can help you achieve weight loss results, but is it directly linked to hair loss? 

There's currently no clinical evidence to suggest Ozempic causes hair loss. However, that doesn’t mean that rapid weight loss while taking Ozempic won’t affect your hair health at all. So, it’s important you follow your dosage schedule and any diet advice your healthcare provider gives you to ensure you achieve steady, sustainable weight loss to minimise this risk.

How to prevent hair loss on your weight loss journey

If you’re thinking of starting a weight loss treatment, there are some steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of hair loss caused by rapidly losing weight.

The most important one is following a balanced diet plan. Temporary hair loss is often linked to nutritional deficiencies, particularly iron, zinc and protein. [6, 7] A reduced-calorie diet is important for weight loss, but you should avoid crash dieting, which has long been associated with vital nutrient deficiencies and excessive hair loss. [8] 

Instead, you should ensure the foods you do eat are nutrient-dense and contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Prioritise fruits, vegetables, legumes and low-fat dairy products. Make sure your meals contain a lean protein source because amino acids, the molecules that make up protein, are essential for the production of keratin, which is the protein your hair is made of. 

We recommend aiming for slow, steady weight loss of 1–2 lbs per week, in line with CDC guidelines. [9]

Following general hair health tips can also minimise shedding. Be gentle when you're washing or brushing your hair, and avoid tight hairstyles that could encourage hair to shed.

Remember, this form of hair loss is associated with nutrient deficiencies and rapid weight loss, rather than the medication itself. At ZipHealth, we follow a dosing schedule that encourages healthy, long-term weight loss to reduce any potential risks of side effects. Our clinicians are available any time to support you with any concerns you have about hair loss, or any other effects of weight loss treatment.

Alternatives to Ozempic

Our Compounded Liraglutide* with B12 contains the same active ingredient as the branded drug Saxenda, but it's formulated with B12 to help minimize side effects on your weight loss journey.

See if you're eligible here.

References

1. Blundell J, Finlayson G, Axelsen M, Flint A, Gibbons C, Kvist T, et al. Effects of once‐weekly semaglutide on appetite, energy intake, control of eating, food preference and body weight in subjects with obesity. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism [Internet]. 2017 May 5;19(9):1242–51. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573908/ 
2. Sorli C, Harashima S, Tsoukas GM, Unger J, Karsbøl JD, Hansen T, et al. Efficacy and safety of once-weekly semaglutide monotherapy versus placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN 1): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multinational, multicentre phase 3a trial. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology [Internet]. 2017 Apr;5(4):251–60. Available from: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(17)30013-X/abstract 
3. Asghar F, Shamim N, Farooque U, Sheikh H, Aqeel R. Telogen Effluvium: A Review of the Literature. Cureus. 2020 May 27;12(5):e8320. doi: 10.7759/cureus.8320. PMID: 32607303; PMCID: PMC7320655.
4. Hoover E, Alhajj M, Flores JL. Physiology, Hair [Internet]. PubMed. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499948/
5. Muscogiuri G, Barrea L, Laudisio D, Pugliese G, Salzano C, Savastano S, et al. The management of very low-calorie ketogenic diet in obesity outpatient clinic: a practical guide. Journal of Translational Medicine. 2019 Oct 29;17(1).
6. Guo EL, Katta R. Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use. Dermatology practical & conceptual. 2017;7(1):1–10. ‌
7. Malkud S. A Hospital-based Study to Determine Causes of Diffuse Hair Loss in Women. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH. 2015;
8. Goette DK, Odom RB. Alopecia in crash dieters. JAMA [Internet]. 1976 Jun 14 [cited 2024 Jul 2];235(24):2622–3. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/946869/  
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Steps for Losing Weight [Internet]. Healthy Weight and Growth. 2024. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/losing-weight/index.html