Compounded semaglutide

GLP-1, semaglutide, injection

Compounded semaglutide mimics the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) gut hormone. When you eat, GLP-1 slows digestion and helps you feel full. It also:

Balances blood sugar

Regulates insulin

Reduces appetite

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Everything you need to know about
Compounded semaglutide

What is

Compounded semaglutide

Benefits How it works How to use it

What is
Compounded semaglutide
?

Semaglutide mimics the gut hormone GLP-1. When blood sugar levels increase after a meal, GLP-1 helps the pancreas release the right amount of insulin and slows how quickly the food moves through the digestive system.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in popular medications like Ozempic®, Wegovy®, and Rybelsus®, manufactured by Novo Nordisk. Rybelsus is a pill while Ozempic and Wegovy come in prefilled injector pens.

These name brands of semaglutide are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic type 2 diabetes, weight management, and/or reducing major heart events in adults with cardiovascular disease.

Compounded semaglutide has the same active ingredient as brand name semaglutide, but it is manufactured in compounding pharmacies. It is not FDA approved for safety or efficacy. Compounded semaglutide is typically an injectable medicine that comes in a vial with syringes for the patient to fill.

Compounded semaglutide:

is dosed differently than brand name semaglutide;
may include other ingredients such as vitamins;
is not subject to FDA approval. (Ideally, compounded semaglutide is produced in state-licensed compounding pharmacies that comply with federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act regulations.)

Currently, there is no generic version of semaglutide approved by the FDA.

Benefits of
Compounded semaglutide

Expected weight loss for brand name semaglutide depends on the dosage. In one study, people who took 2.4 mg of semaglutide every week for 68 weeks lost an average of 14.9% of their total weight. (Safe weight loss is one to two pounds per week.)

Semaglutide improves heart health by lowering blood sugar and helping people lose excess weight. Multiple clinical trials funded by Novo Nordisk show semaglutide can reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease..

Another study showed semaglutide has similar benefits in adults with obesity who do not have type 2 diabetes.

It’s significant to note that some patients have reported reduced cravings and “food noise” while using semaglutide for weight loss.

These studies are of the brand name (not compounded) drugs and there are no published studies demonstrating the efficacy of compounded formulations.

How does
Compounded semaglutide
work?

When you eat, food stimulates the release of GLP-1 in your gut. GLP-1 helps lower blood glucose (blood sugar) by triggering insulin release. Insulin helps blood glucose enter your body’s cells for later energy use.

In some people, the gut doesn't make enough natural GLP-1, or the brain isn't sensitive to it.

Semaglutide is a synthetic GLP-1 RA (receptor agonist). A drug that works as a receptor agonist activates the same cells as the body’s natural hormones. So, semaglutide works in the gut like the body’s natural GLP-1. Because semaglutide slows digestion, it helps curb hunger and signal fullness to the brain. As a result, some people with obesity have lost weight while taking it.

Because semaglutide supports a process the body can’t do well on its own, it may require long-term use.

It’s important to note that semaglutide doesn’t work for everyone. There are many biological reasons why people struggle to lose weight. Found-affiliated clinicians, trained in obesity medicine, can help patients identify the root cause of their weight gain and personalize a prescription to target it. All prescriptions are written at a medical provider’s discretion.

MORE ON PERSONALIZED TREATMENT WITH FOUND

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How to use it

Compounded semaglutide should be taken as prescribed by your health care provider. It is typically taken weekly as an injection under the skin of your stomach, thigh, or upper arm. Rotate where the shot is given each week.

Compounded semaglutide typically comes in a vial with syringes. Each vial contains multiple doses. Follow your clinician’s instructions for filling the syringe correctly to the prescribed dose.

Dosing for compounded semaglutide is different from brand-name semaglutide. Follow your provider’s instructions for dosage.

Store compounded semaglutide in the refrigerator, and consider using a medicine cooler when you travel.

Dosing

Dosing depends on your specific prescribed medication and your care provider’s instructions. Please read the pharmaceutical packaging.

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Side effects

Commonly reported side effects of compounded semaglutide include:

Nausea and/or vomiting
Stomach pain
Diarrhea or constipation
Decreased appetite

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Black Box Warning

The FDA warns not to take Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus if you have a personal or family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 or medullary thyroid cancer.

Although rare, semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors in animal studies. All brand-name GLP-1s with semaglutide as the active ingredient have a “black box” warning of the risk of these tumors. If you have trouble swallowing, develop hoarseness, or feel swelling or a lump in your neck, contact your health care provider immediately.

Compounded semaglutide has similar warnings and side effects as brand name products that list semaglutide as the active ingredient.

Precautions

Rapid or significant weight loss can lead to excessive muscle loss. It’s important to start a strength training program and exercise regularly to protect your muscles while taking compounded semaglutide.

Tell your health care provider if you have severe stomach problems that won’t go away, including abdominal bloating or pain, acid reflux, a feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites of food, nausea, and vomiting, including vomiting undigested food eaten a few hours earlier. These may be symptoms of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis).

Use effective birth control while taking this medication. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant, do not take compounded semaglutide.

Compounded semaglutide isn’t appropriate for those with insulin-dependent diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. So, if that’s you, compounded semaglutide isn’t the right fit.

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Interactions

Some drugs can also interact with semaglutide, including:

Insulin
Sulfonylureas (when combined, these can cause blood sugar levels to drop dangerously low)
Some birth control pills
Other GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist medications such as liraglutide, dulaglutide, or tirzepatide
Levothyroxine

Talk to your health care provider for more details about how this medicine might interact with other products and if you're taking any of these products.

Before taking this medication, talk to your health care provider if you have:

A history of pancreatitis
A history of kidney or liver problems

You should not drink alcohol while taking this drug because it can lower blood sugar. Combining alcohol with semaglutide may cause blood sugars to fall too fast, leading to fainting and dizziness.

Do not use this medication if you are or suspect you may be allergic to any of the ingredients in this compounded product.

about
found

Found is an online weight loss program offering personalized care for every member. Some of the nation’s top obesity medicine specialists helped design our program. Our approach is based on science, and we’re committed to clinical excellence.

Members get access to: Clinicians trained in obesity medicine 1:1 health coaching Self-paced lifestyle change program designed by doctors, psychologists, and behavioral scientists Exclusive in-app community.

Found’s comprehensive program is designed to work with your body—so you can achieve lasting results and enjoy better health.

Alternative medications

Depending on your health history, weight history, and MetabolicPrint^TM assessment, your Found health care provider may consider other alternatives to help you lose weight. Some are FDA-approved for weight loss. Others are used off-label and have strong clinical evidence supporting their use for weight loss.

Unfortunately, there are no generic versions of Ozempic currently on the market.
However, your health care provider might consider alternatives such as Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Saxenda, all of which are GLP-1 medications but not all are FDA-approved for weight loss specifically.

Compounded semaglutide