Wegovy and Metformin: Is It Safe? Label, Studies
Commonly used together; Wegovy was tested alongside metformin in its trials.
- Verdict
- Generally fine to take together
- Label names it
- No
- General caution
- Pills absorbed more slowly
Check a GLP-1 interaction
Wegovy in brief
Its half-life is about 1 week. After 7 d, half is gone, and after five half-lives (35 d), about 3% remains.
STEP 1 at 68 weeks showed 14.9% of body weight compared with 2.4% on placebo.
Monthly costs in US dollars include the list price and self-pay offers. Each price comes from the maker's price page.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), healthsystemtracker.org, prnewswire.com 1 2.
Wegovy and metformin: the verdict
Generally fine to take together
This drug interactions section appears word for word in the Wegovy label:
“WEGOVY causes a delay of gastric emptying and thereby has the potential to impact the absorption of concomitantly administered oral medications. In clinical pharmacology trials”
Taken from the FDA label on DailyMed:
Details in the Wegovy label
The Wegovy label does not name metformin. These statements still apply to it.
| Named in the label | The risk | What the label tells doctors |
|---|---|---|
| Insulin or sulfonylureas | Low blood sugar | Combining it with insulin or a sulfonylurea medicine, such as glipizide or glimepiride, makes low blood sugar more likely. The doctor may lower those doses. |
| Oral medicines | Pills absorbed differently | It makes the stomach empty more slowly, which can change how other pills are absorbed. |
Source: Wegovy label (DailyMed).
What the studies show
- clinical trials on use with metformin
- metformin levels stayed the same
Taken from the FDA label on DailyMed:
The rule to follow in practice
- Tell your doctor if stomach upset does not settle.
- Tell the person prescribing your GLP-1 about every pill you take, including this one.
- Ask your pharmacist if any pills you take need a constant blood level. Checking them may be needed when you start or increase the dose.
- Check your blood sugar more often during the first weeks and after each dose increase.
Taken from the FDA label on DailyMed:
Metformin with other GLP-1s
None of the 10 GLP-1 labels name Metformin in their drug interaction section. Every one has the same general caution for pills you swallow, so the answer across this class does not change.
The same question applies to Ozempic, Rybelsus, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Trulicity.
Taken from the FDA label on DailyMed: