A pharmacist has cautioned that a common habit could render the newly available Wegovy pill ineffective. Nasir Ali, a drug expert and co-founder of SwiftDoctor, warned that taking the oral semaglutide medication with food or caffeine may prevent it from being properly absorbed into the bloodstream.
Unlike the injectable form of Wegovy, the tablet requires specific conditions for absorption through the digestive system. "The medicine has to be absorbed through the digestive system, which means the way it is taken matters much more than it does with a jab," Ali explained. He advised patients to take the tablet immediately upon waking and wait at least 30 minutes before consuming anything other than plain water. A small amount of water, around 120ml, should be used to swallow the pill whole, and it should be taken at the same time each morning.
Ali also recommended waiting 30 minutes before taking other medications after the Wegovy pill. He cautioned against purchasing the drug from unofficial online sources, citing warnings from the UK drugs watchdog about counterfeit slimming jabs potentially containing dangerous substances like rat poison and cement. "A lower price should not be the main factor when choosing where to get treatment," Ali stated, emphasizing the importance of using registered pharmacies with qualified prescribers and adequate follow-up support.
The Wegovy pill, approved by regulators in June, began shipping to UK pharmacies on July 7. Initially, only the two lowest doses, 1.5mg and 4mg, are available from manufacturer Novo Nordisk. The medication is not expected to be available on the NHS for several months while a value-for-money analysis is conducted. The pills are taken daily, in contrast to the weekly injections.
Side effects associated with the Wegovy pill are expected to be similar to those of the injections, as both contain semaglutide. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach discomfort, and a reduced appetite. These effects may be more pronounced when starting treatment or increasing the dosage, but often become more manageable over time. The pill functions by mimicking a gut hormone that signals fullness to the brain, thereby reducing appetite. Clinical trials indicate that participants taking the pill lost approximately 17% of their body weight, slightly less than the up to 20.7% reduction seen with the highest dose of the injectable form.