Are you taking Ozempic (semaglutide) to help with type 2 diabetes and weight loss and have heard that it might affect your bones? You may wonder if you’re improving your health in some ways but increasing your risk in other ways.
It’s important to know how this medication could affect your bone health. Rachel Patel, NP, a bone health specialist with Banner Health, helped break it down for us.
How Ozempic works
Ozempic is a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medication. These types of drugs help increase the release of insulin and slow down your digestion, which may help control blood sugar if you have type 2 diabetes. They may also support weight loss by making you feel less hungry.
Can weight loss affect your bones?
- Weight loss and fracture risk may be linked for a few reasons:
- When you lose weight, you typically lose fat. Fat tissue helps protect bones and it stores hormones that help keep your bones strong.
- When you lose weight you may also lose muscle, which can put you at higher risk for falls that could break bones.
- If you’re eating less to lose weight, you might not be getting enough of the nutrients your bones need to stay strong.
- Your bones are always breaking down and building back up. When you lose weight, especially if you lose weight quickly, your bones can become less dense.
"In general, weight loss can provide a myriad of health benefits. However, if weight loss occurs rapidly, or if you lose a lot of weight, it can negatively impact bone health and increase your risk of fracture," Patel said.
Does Ozempic affect your bones?
Scientists are still learning about how Ozempic affects bones. Some studies say it doesn't cause problems, while others say there might be a connection. "At this time, additional research is needed to understand the full impact GLP-1 medications have on bone density," Patel said.
"There have been a few animal studies that have suggested that long-term use of these types of medications may interfere with normal bone turnover and may increase fracture risk, especially in older people. One of the limitations in the current research is that most of the studies were performed on younger adults, not older people who are more likely to have osteoporosis," Patel said.
What about broken bones?
Some studies have found a link between GLP-1 medications and broken bones, but the connection isn’t clear.
"We know that rapid weight loss can lead to fractures. Losing even 10 pounds over a three-month period can lead to a decline in bone mineral density and increase your risk of fracture,” Patel said. That’s because you don’t have as much weight stressing your bones to help keep them strong.
The risk is highest when you’re losing weight. But even after your weight stabilizes, it could take a while for your bones to rebuild.
A few factors can affect your risk for broken bones when you’re losing weight:
- Your age: Older adults naturally lose bone mass.
- Existing bone problems: If you take a GLP-1 and have osteoporosis or osteopenia, you might be at higher risk.
- Your muscle strength: If you don’t have much muscle and you lose muscle when you’re losing weight, you could be at risk of falling. Falls can lead to broken bones.
- Dizziness: This rare side effect of Ozempic could also lead to falls.
How to keep your bones strong
When it comes to Ozempic and bone health, you can take steps to keep your bones healthy:
- Exercise: Weight-bearing exercises like walking, jogging, yoga, Pilates and lifting weights are great for your bones.
- Eat healthy: Make sure you get enough calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and protein. These nutrients are important for strong bones. You can get them from food. If you don’t think your intake is high enough, talk to your provider to see if they recommend supplements.
- Consult your health care provider: if you're worried about GLP-1 medications and bone density, ask your health care provider about bone density screenings. "If you are a post-menopausal woman, have a family history of osteoporosis or have unexplained fractures, you should get a DXA scan before starting a GLP-1 agonist like Ozempic," Patel said.
Who should be careful?
Ozempic might not be the right choice for everyone. Talk to your health care provider about your options for diabetes control and weight loss if:
- You have osteoporosis or low bone density.
- You've broken bones before.
- You're older and might fall easily.
- You have a condition that makes it hard to absorb nutrients.
The bottom line
Ozempic may help with weight loss, but when you’re losing weight it’s important to take care of your bones. Losing weight too quickly or not getting enough nutrients can put you at risk of falls and fractures.
Talk to your health care provider or a bone care specialist at Banner Health to learn how to keep your bones stronger and safer when you’re losing weight, whether you’re taking a medication like Ozempic or using other methods.
