Alcohol & Wegovy®: What you need to know

Medical Review by Jennie Stanford, MD, FAAFP

Summary

• Alcohol may interfere with Wegovy®’s appetite-suppressing effects and could impact your weight loss progress.
• Drinking while taking Wegovy® might increase your likelihood of side effects or make side effects more severe. That’s because Wegovy® and alcohol can both cause things like nausea, dehydration, and pancreatitis.
• The safest choice is to avoid alcohol while taking Wegovy®, but if you choose to drink, limit consumption to 1 drink per day for women and 2 for men.
• People with diabetes should take extra precautions when drinking, including avoiding alcohol on an empty stomach and monitoring blood sugar levels.
• Some research suggests semaglutide may help reduce alcohol consumption, but more studies are needed to confirm this effect.

Alcohol may interfere with Wegovy®’s effects—but semaglutide might also help reduce alcohol intake

Wegovy® is a branded form of the medication semaglutide. It’s prescribed for chronic weight management in people with obesity or overweight individuals with weight-related health conditions.

But taking any new medication can create changes in your life. If you’re curious about whether Wegovy® could help you lose weight, it’s normal to have other questions too—like whether you can still enjoy alcoholic drinks.

Lemonaid Health is here to help. Below, we explore the relationship between alcohol and Wegovy®, including how they can interact and what risks this might carry. Use what you learn here to have an informed conversation with your healthcare provider and decide together whether Wegovy® is worth exploring further as part of your weight loss plan.

Learn more:

• The ultimate guide to Wegovy®: uses, benefits, side effects & more
• Ozempic® vs. Wegovy®: what’s the difference?

How alcohol can interact with Wegovy®

Alcohol affects many organs in the body, including your brain, heart, pancreas, and liver. Some of these effects can interfere or overlap with the changes Wegovy® causes, which may impact your weight loss outcomes or increase the risk of certain side effects. Here’s how:

Increased cravings & overeating

Alcohol is known to reduce inhibitions and impair decision-making, which could change the choices you make about healthy eating. Since a reduced-calorie diet is recommended for people taking Wegovy®, this could potentially slow down your weight loss progress.

Changes to your metabolism

Consuming alcohol can disrupt normal metabolic processes. That’s because when you drink, your body focuses on processing the alcohol instead of other macronutrients. As a result, you burn less fat for energy.

Reduced fullness signals

Alcohol has been shown to interfere with your appetite by stimulating further eating—it makes restraint more difficult and lowers your ability to resist temptation. The semaglutide in Wegovy® works in part by helping you feel full for longer, but this might not happen as effectively if you’ve been drinking.

Could alcohol increase your risk of side effects on Wegovy®?

Some of the side effects of Wegovy® are also potential side effects of ethanol toxicity, which is what it’s called when you drink too much alcohol. That means drinking alcohol while you’re taking Wegovy® might make some or all of these effects more severe or more likely:

• Nausea and vomiting: The most common Wegovy® side effects are gastrointestinal ones, like nausea and vomiting. Consuming alcohol can also cause nausea and vomiting.
• Dehydration: Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases urine output and can lead to dehydration. Since dehydration is also a possible side effect of Wegovy®, drinking alcohol may make this condition more likely.
• Potential pancreatitis risk: GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, have been associated with an increased risk of pancreatitis. Since heavy alcohol consumption can also increase your risk of pancreatitis, drinking while on Wegovy® may make pancreatitis more likely.

Safety guidelines for alcohol consumption

Due to the risks outlined above, the safest option is to avoid alcohol entirely while taking Wegovy®. However, if you choose to drink while taking Wegovy® and assume the risks that come with it, it is strongly recommended to take the following precautions:

Limit your alcohol intake

Drinking less alcohol is healthier than drinking more—so to minimize potential negative effects while drinking, make sure you keep the amounts in moderation. Drinking in moderation still has risks, but they may be lower than the risks of heavy drinking. Here’s what moderation looks like for typical women and men:

• Women: No more than one standard drink per day
• Men: No more than two standard drinks per day

Below is a reference chart for standard drink sizes:

Be extra cautious if you have diabetes

Since both Wegovy® and alcohol can affect blood sugar, people with diabetes should take additional precautions:

• Don’t drink alcohol without food or when fasting
• Drink only in moderation (or not at all)
• Drink no more than once or twice per week
• Let 1.5-2 hours pass between individual drinks
• Do not consume sugary alcoholic drinks—instead, opt for light beer, dry wine, or drinks mixed with diet sodas
• Get your blood sugar levels checked, especially if you feel lightheaded or notice other signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Check prescription or over-the-counter medications for any alcohol that may be in them

You should also watch for symptoms of hypoglycemia, including:

• Tremors
• Palpitations
• Anxiety
• Excessive sweating
• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Seizures (in severe cases)

Hypoglycemia can cause coma or even be fatal in severe cases, so don’t wait to get help if you notice symptoms—call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room right away.

Potential alternatives to alcohol

If you’re looking to cut back on drinking, consider these options:

• Non-alcoholic beverages: Enjoy mocktails, non-alcoholic beer, or flavored sparkling water as substitutes. Non-alcoholic beverages have been shown to help people drink less alcohol.
• Engage in social activities: Instead of alcohol-centered events, try activities like hiking, game nights, or fitness classes. Research suggests that exercise can help you curb the amount of alcohol you consume.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about semaglutide medications: Some animal studies suggest that GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide may also help reduce alcohol consumption, although more research is needed to confirm these findings.

Learn more about how Wegovy® may fit into your life with Lemonaid Health

Drinking alcohol while taking Wegovy® can interfere with appetite control, increase side effects, and raise the risk of serious health complications. While some people may tolerate moderate drinking while using this medication, abstaining is the safest choice.

Always consult with your healthcare provider to discuss how alcohol may affect your treatment with Wegovy®. They can help you determine what’s safest based on your individual health needs and provide personalized guidance to support your goals.

Lemonaid Health can connect you with US-based healthcare professionals who can provide more information about managing your health while taking semaglutide medications. Get started today and find the support you need to make informed choices about your well-being.

Wegovy® and Ozempic® are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S.