Semaglutide and Insulin: Is It Safe? Label, Studies
Low blood sugar is more likely with insulin; your doctor may lower the insulin dose.
- Verdict
- It is fine with care
- Label says
- Listed interaction
Check a GLP-1 interaction
Wegovy key facts
Its half-life is about 1 week. Half disappears after 7 d, while about 3% remains after five half-lives (35 d).
In STEP 1 over 68 weeks, the figure was 14.9% of body weight, compared with 2.4% on placebo.
In US dollars, monthly prices include list prices and self-pay offers. Each comes from the maker's price page.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), healthsystemtracker.org, prnewswire.com 1 2.
Semaglutide and insulin: the verdict
It is fine with care
The Ozempic label's drug interactions section states the following directly:
“When initiating OZEMPIC, consider reducing the dose of concomitantly administered insulin secretagogue (such as sulfonylureas) or insulin to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia [see Warnings”
Source: FDA label (DailyMed).
What the semaglutide label says
Insulin is covered by these parts of the Ozempic label.
| Named in the label | The risk | What the label tells doctors |
|---|---|---|
| Insulin or sulfonylureas | Low blood sugar | Taking it with insulin, or with a sulfonylurea such as glipizide or glimepiride, increases the chance of low blood sugar. Your doctor may reduce those doses. |
Source: Ozempic label (DailyMed).
What the studies show
- Insulin or sulfonylureas label interaction
- Insulin or sulfonylureas label interaction
Source: FDA label (DailyMed).
The practical rule
- Learn the signs of low blood sugar and test your blood sugar more often when you start or change doses.
- During the first weeks and after each dose increase, check your blood sugar more often.
Source: FDA label (DailyMed).
Insulin with other GLP-1s
Each label’s drug interaction section was checked for that point.
| Medicine | Insulin in the label | Verdict | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
 Ozempic | Named in the label | It is fine with care | Read the answer |
 Wegovy | Named in the label | It is fine with care | Read the answer |
 Rybelsus | Named in the label | Not listed | Not listed |
 Mounjaro | Named in the label | It is fine with care | Read the answer |
 Zepbound | Named in the label | It is fine with care | Read the answer |
 Foundayo | Named in the label | Not listed | Not listed |
 Trulicity | Named in the label | It is fine with care | Read the answer |
 Saxenda | Named in the label | Not listed | Not listed |
 Victoza | Named in the label | It is fine with care | Read the answer |
| Byetta | Named in the label | Not listed | Not listed |
Source: FDA label (DailyMed).