### Semaglutide Pills for Weight Loss: What You Need to Know Semaglutide, the active ingredient in the weight loss drug Wegovy and the diabetes drug Ozempic, has shown promising results in pill form for adults with overweight or obesity. A recent phase 3 study by Novo Nordisk involved 667 adults who were given either a placebo or a 50 mg semaglutide tablet daily for 68 weeks. The results were impressive: those on the semaglutide pill lost an average of 15.1% of their body weight, compared to just 2.4% for those on the placebo. This is comparable to the weight loss achieved with the weekly Wegovy injections. Novo Nordisk plans to seek regulatory approval for the pill form by the end of 2023, which could offer patients a choice between a daily pill or a weekly injection. The study also found that patients who consistently took their medication lost even more weight, averaging a 17.4% reduction. The most common side effects were mild to moderate gastrointestinal issues. Semaglutide belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which help with weight loss by making you feel full and reducing hunger. These drugs also assist in managing diabetes by improving insulin production and usage. Novo Nordisk already offers a lower-dose semaglutide pill called Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes, but the new study's higher dose is more effective for weight loss. Other companies, like Pfizer, are also developing similar drugs, such as danuglipron, which has shown promising weight loss results in early studies.###