Ozempic and insulin are two injectable medications used to lower blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes. Although these two antidiabetic drugs have the same purpose, they work in different ways .
So what is the difference between Ozempic and insulin? Is one better than the other? Can you take both at the same time?
Is Ozempic insulin?
Although Ozempic and insulin are both subcutaneous injections used to treat high blood sugar in diabetics, they are not the same thing.
What is insulin?
Insulin is a natural hormone produced by the pancreas to help the body use blood sugar for energy. When the body cannot produce insulin (type 1 diabetes) or becomes resistant to insulin (type 2 diabetes), insulin therapy is sometimes necessary.
Insulin injections are a common treatment for people with diabetes. Like naturally produced insulin, they help the body move sugar from the blood into cells. The cells then use the sugar as an energy source or store it.
There are more than 20 different types of insulin . While basal, long-acting insulins such as Lantus, Trebisa, Basaglar, Levemir, Humulin-N and Novolin-N NPH insulins act on fasting blood sugar between meals and overnight, bolus insulins, short-acting insulins such as Novolin-R, Humulin-R, Fiasp, Humalog, Admelog, Novolog and Apidra act on blood sugar levels after meals.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is the brand name of semaglutide. It is an antidiabetic drug approved in Germany that is used to treat diabetes in adults with type 2 diabetes .
Like insulin, Ozempic helps lower blood sugar levels , but the mechanisms of action are different. Ozempic works in a similar way to Mounjaro, Trulicity, Victoza, and Byetta. They all belong to the class of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonists, which lower blood sugar levels after meals by stimulating the body's natural release of insulin .
Semaglutide is also sometimes prescribed as an anti-obesity medication for long-term weight control under the brand names Wegovy and Rybelsus.
Ozempic is usually given as a subcutaneous injection once a week . It is manufactured by Novo Nordisk and is available in the form of auto-injector pens.
What is the difference between Ozempic and insulin?
Ozempic and insulin lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. The two drugs differ in many ways , such as the active ingredients, the mechanisms of action, the patients, the frequency of use, the side effects, and more.
Only your diabetes care team can tell you if you should take insulin, Ozempic or both at the same time , as it depends on various things such as your diabetes type, weight, BMI, lifestyle, HbA1c and others.
Different modes of action
The most important difference between insulin and Ozempic is their mechanism of action. While insulin transports sugar from the blood into the cells, Ozempic increases the natural release of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes, whose bodies cannot produce insulin at all, can only be treated with insulin. Ozempic cannot treat type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis (insulin deficiency, a serious complication of diabetes).
On the other hand, Ozempic can be very helpful in treating type 2 diabetes, where the body is still able to produce its own insulin but has developed resistance to it. It is often used together with metformin (an oral antidiabetic drug that improves the body's response to insulin) or with insulin itself.
As mentioned above, Ozempic belongs to the class of GPL-1 agonists like Trulicity, Victoza and other diabetes injections. It mimics the action of a naturally occurring hormone called Glucagon-like Peptide-1 , which is produced in the small intestine.
These medications stimulate the body's release of insulin after eating carbohydrates, causing blood sugar levels to rise, and inhibit the release of glucagon , preventing more glucose from entering the bloodstream.) GLP-1 medications also increase satiety and may aid in weight loss.
Differences in the frequency of intake
Ozempic is taken weekly, while insulin must be injected daily and sometimes several times a day.
Ozempic is administered on the same day each week, with or without meals, at any time of the day.
Basal insulin is usually given once a day (sometimes twice) at the same time. Bolus insulin, on the other hand, must be given every time a patient consumes carbohydrates or sugar. It targets blood sugar after a meal (postprandial glycemia) and is mainly used by type 1 diabetics.
Different side effects
Ozempic and insulin have different side effects, which you should also consider when deciding with your doctor which diabetes treatment is best for you. Ozempic and insulin have some common side effects , but also specific ones.
Both Ozempic and insulin can cause hypoglycemia, which can be manifested by weakness, lack of energy, tremors, rapid breathing, hunger, irritability, sweating, etc.
Severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) occurs mainly with insulin and less frequently with Ozempic.
Ozempic may also cause side effects that are not common with insulin therapy. These include: Possible side effects include nausea, diarrhea, stomach or abdominal pain, constipation, and vomiting.
As with all medicines, you should talk to your doctor about any side effects that bother you and do not go away after a few days of taking Ozempic or insulin.
Does Ozempic help with insulin resistance?
Many people wonder if Ozempic helps with insulin resistance. We will now explain what insulin resistance is.
What is insulin resistance?
Insulin resistance or impaired insulin sensitivity is said to occur when people "have built up a tolerance to insulin, making the hormone less effective." As a result , more insulin is needed to lower the same amount of blood sugar.
A common misconception about insulin resistance is that it only affects people with prediabetes. However, it is now clear that people with type 2 diabetes and even type 1 diabetes can also suffer from insulin resistance.
There are no specific medications for insulin resistance. But you can do things yourself to reduce your body's insulin resistance . For example, you can lose weight, exercise more, or take medications that lower blood sugar levels.
Ozempic for insulin resistance
There are no specific medications for treating insulin resistance. Although Ozempic is not approved to treat insulin resistance, it may help, which is a welcome and positive side effect of using this diabetes medication.
There have also been reports confirming that Ozempic reduces insulin resistance in type 2 diabetics.
Can you take Ozempic and insulin together?
Yes, you can take Ozempic and insulin together. Ozempic can be taken with other diabetes medicines, including metformin and insulin.
Taking insulin at the same time can lead to hypoglycemia. Never change or replace your diabetes treatment without first consulting a doctor.
Do you take Ozempic, insulin or both? Please share your experiences with diabetes medications in the comments section!
