Wegovy and Alcohol: Drinking Alcohol on Semaglutide

Wegovy is a popular weight loss injection that contains the active ingredient, semaglutide. It is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, meaning it binds to GLP-1 receptors to mimic its effects, reducing appetite and cravings to help you lose weight. Clinical trials have shown that at its maximum dose, Wegovy can help you lose an average 21% of your starting body weight.

Choosing weight loss medication to help you lose weight is a big step, which requires you to make healthy lifestyle choices for it to be effective. So, it’s no surprise that one of the most commonly asked questions is, ‘Can you drink on Wegovy?’

In this guide, we explore whether it is possible and safe to mix Wegovy and alcohol, how it can make side effects worse, when semaglutide and alcohol should be avoided completely, and our top tips for drinking alcohol safely on your weight loss journey.

Yes, you can drink alcohol in moderation while taking Wegovy, as there is no direct Wegovy alcohol interaction, but it is not recommended, as it can slow your weight loss progress. Combining the 2 can also make side effects worse, especially at the start of treatment when your body is still getting used to semaglutide.

How does alcohol affect your weight?

Alcohol can impact your weight in several ways, including:

• adding empty calories to your diet
• slowing down your metabolism
• slowing down fat-burning processes
• increasing fat storage
• changing blood sugar levels
• increasing unhealthy food cravings
• making Wegovy side effects worse

Increased appetite and calorie intake

On average, alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, which is almost twice that of carbohydrates and protein. Increasing your calorie intake can undermine your calorie deficit, slowing your progress or even causing you to gain weight.

Slows down fat-burning processes

When you drink alcohol, your body prioritises removing it because it recognises that it is toxic. In doing so, other processes, such as fat burning, are slowed, which can lead to increased fat storage.

Blood sugar level changes

Alcohol lowers blood sugar levels because when your liver is processing alcohol, it stops releasing glucose (sugar). Your blood sugar levels can drop quickly, increasing the chance of hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels). When you combine Wegovy and alcohol, the chance of hypoglycaemia is greater because lowering your blood sugar levels is one of the ways Wegovy works to help you lose weight.

Poor lifestyle choices

Alongside poor dietary choices, alcohol can also interfere with other aspects of your life. For example, it can impact the muscle recovery process after exercise, which may affect your workout routine. Alcohol also makes you dehydrated and crave unhealthy foods.

Alcohol can cause Wegovy side effects to get worse

Even though there is no direct Wegovy alcohol interaction, drinking alcohol can worsen the following Wegovy side effects:

• nausea (feeling sick)
• diarrhoea
• stomach pains
• headaches
• fatigue

Alcohol can make Wegovy side effects worse by causing gastrointestinal issues like feeling sick, being sick, and stomach cramps. Alcohol can also increase the chance of dehydration, making fatigue worse. Some Wegovy users report that they have a lower tolerance to alcohol on Wegovy, which can also make side effects more intense.

Some of the side effects that alcohol can make worse include:

• gastrointestinal issues – Wegovy and alcohol can cause symptoms like feeling or being sick, stomach pain and diarrhoea, so combining them can make these symptoms worse
• low blood sugar – alcohol can cause a rapid drop in blood sugar, potentially causing hypoglycaemia, especially if you have type 2 diabetes, while sugary alcoholic drinks, like alcopops or spirit mixers, can cause a quick rise in blood sugar followed by a drop
• dizziness and fatigue – because alcohol can cause dehydration, it can make effects like dizziness and fatigue worse for people who get them on Wegovy
• dehydration – drinking alcohol and potential Wegovy side effects, like being sick, can both cause dehydration
• impaired judgement – alcohol can make unhealthy food cravings worse and make it more difficult to stick to a diet plan, which can impact your weight loss progress
• lowered alcohol tolerance – Wegovy can change how your body processes alcohol by slowing down how quickly food travels through your stomach, so alcohol may be absorbed into your blood more slowly and over a longer period of time, so you may feel the effects differently than before

Ideally, you should avoid mixing semaglutide and alcohol where you can, but we know that this is not always possible.

Instead, it’s important to follow safe drinking practices when combining Wegovy and alcohol to help keep your weight loss progress on target and keep you feeling healthy.

Here are some of our top tips to help you drink safely on Wegovy:

There are certain situations where it is important to avoid mixing Wegovy and alcohol completely to keep you safe and maximise the effectiveness of the medication. You should avoid alcohol if you:

• are getting strong side effects from Wegovy because it can make them worse, leaving you feeling uncomfortable and unwell
• are increasing your dose because Wegovy side effects are more likely to happen at the beginning of treatment and after each dose increase
• have ever had pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas) because both Wegovy and alcohol can potentially cause this serious condition
• have a history of alcohol use because it can make side effects worse and increase the chance of conditions like pancreatitis
• are diabetic because a combination of semaglutide and Wegovy can increase the chance of hypoglycaemia

Because there is no direct interaction between Wegovy and alcohol, it can be safe to drink alcohol in moderation while taking the weight loss injection. That said, alcohol does add unnecessary calories to your daily diet and can cause you to make unhealthy food choices, which can slow your weight loss progress.

Because alcohol can make Wegovy side effects worse, you should monitor how you feel if you do decide to drink with it. If you are out socialising and drinking alcohol, you should let someone you trust know that you are taking Wegovy, so they can monitor how your body responds.

In most cases, occasionally drinking a small amount of alcohol will be fine for most Wegovy users. Following safe drinking practices, like drinking in moderation, eating before drinking, choosing low-calorie or low-sugar drinks, and drinking water in between alcoholic beverages, can all help.

Can you drink alcohol while taking Wegovy?

Yes, in most cases, it is safe to drink a small amount of alcohol occasionally while taking Wegovy, as there is no direct interaction between them. However, you should do so with caution, as alcohol can increase the chance of Wegovy side effects.

Can alcohol affect weight loss results on semaglutide?

Yes, alcohol can slow your weight loss progress by adding empty calories to your daily diet, increasing your appetite, and making side effects worse. Although there is no direct link between Wegovy and alcohol, alcohol can impact the calorie deficit you need for successful weight loss and make sticking to a diet plan more difficult.

Is binge drinking dangerous on Wegovy?

Yes, binge drinking on Wegovy could be dangerous because it increases the chance of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) and increases the intensity of Wegovy side effects. On the other hand, some research suggests that semaglutide can lower weekly alcohol cravings and reduce the number of drinks consumed per day

Will Wegovy still work if I drink alcohol?

Yes, Wegovy will still work if you drink alcohol but it can make side effects worse, impact weight loss, and increase the chance of low blood sugar.

Are hangovers worse on Wegovy?

Yes, hangovers may be worse on Wegovy because alcohol can make some common side effects like feeling sick, being sick, dizziness, dehydration, and headaches worse. Because Wegovy slows down stomach emptying, it can slow down alcohol’s absorption, so the effects may last longer and feel more intense.