Semaglutide Side Effects: What We Learned from Our Study
Semaglutide and other GLP-1 weight loss medications can help you eat less because they slow digestion. This slowing of digestion, however, causes common side effects such as nausea and other digestive issues. These side effects are often temporary and can be prevented or at least limited.
Common Side Effects Associated with GLP-1 Drugs
If you’ve read our blog article, “Common Side Effects of GLP-1 Weight Loss Medications,” you know the most common GLP-1 side effects people encounter are:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
Most of these digestive side effects occur in your first weeks as your body gets used to the new medication.
When nausea is a side effect of a medication, many people first turn to more traditional, non-medicated remedies for nausea rather than taking an additional medication. The good news is there are plenty to try and these remedies can be used alone or in combination with each other.
How to Minimize Nausea while on Weight Loss Medication
Everyone’s experience is a little different, so it’s good to know a range of ways you can potentially stop or limit nausea as a GLP-1 side effect. Try methods that you feel comfortable with and see how you feel.
- Eat slowly and in smaller portions
- Hydrate more by drinking water and healthy fluids throughout the day
- Avoid spicy, fatty, or high-sugar foods
- Eat food that’s easy to digest
- Stay active
You can find more tips and information in “Foods to Avoid While on GLP-1 Medications” and “How to Stop Nausea from GLP-1 Medications: Tips for Managing Side Effects.”
Can Ginger Decrease Nausea from GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs?
Ginger is widely recommended as a natural nausea relief option, often used in ginger teas, ginger candies, or ginger-based drinks.1 Because Advanced Herbals® Ginger Chews contain a clinical dose of ginger, the makers of Dramamine® and Advanced Herbals® commissioned a study2to explore whether ginger chews could help reduce GLP-1-related nausea.
Ginger vs. placebo: a randomized study
Nausea occurs in 15%-50% of patients treated with GLP-1s for diabetes or obesity, which causes some to discontinue therapy. This study evaluated Advanced Herbals® Ginger Chews vs. a placebo to see how effective a ginger dietary supplement could be in decreasing GLP-1-related nausea.
The patients in the study were randomly assigned to eat a ginger chew or placebo to help manage nausea from GLP-1 medications. Participants recorded the severity of their nausea before and after consuming each dose.
Ginger as nausea relief: Study results
While study results concluded that the ginger chew and placebo both numerically reduced nausea severity in GLP-1 treated participants, mild to moderate nausea reduction was reported more often with the ginger chew than the placebo.
- 95.8% of nausea episodes in the group taking the ginger chew demonstrated reduced nausea.
- Only 83% of the episodes of nausea were reduced in the placebo-taking group.
- Mild to moderate nausea reduction was reported more often in those who used the ginger chew (92%) vs. those who took the placebo (77.6%).
For people who already find ginger soothing—or who prefer non-medicated remedies for nausea—Advanced Herbals® Ginger Chews may be one option to try, alongside hydration and dietary adjustments.
Always speak with your doctor before adding supplements while taking GLP-1 medications and contact your healthcare provider if you experience moderate to severe discomfort.
Final thoughts on ginger as a nausea remedy
Ginger has been used by families for generations to help settle digestive issues. Other studies have shown that ginger can potentially accelerate muscle contractions of the stomach leading to improved gastric emptying.3
Because GLP-1 drugs slow gastric emptying, ginger may be beneficial to patients who experience nausea as a side effect. This is something we will continue to explore and we encourage you to explore as well. You can read more about this in “Easing GLP-1 Side Effects: Informed Relief for Nausea and Constipation.”
Whether you choose ginger chews, lifestyle adjustments, or a combination of methods, we wish you success and comfort as you continue your GLP-1 treatment.
1 Gorgojo-Martinez, JJ, et al. Clinical Recommendations to Manage Gastrointestinal Adverse Events in Patients Treated with Glp-1 Receptor Agonists: A Multidisciplinary Expert Consensus. J Clin Med. 2022 Dec 24;12(1):145. Accessed online: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9821052/ 2 Balaban MD, David H. et al. Investigation of Ginger vs. Placebo to Decrease Nausea Associated with Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (Glp-1) Therapy [Abstract]. 3 Giacosa A, Morazzoni P, E. Bombardelli E, et al. Can nausea and vomiting be treated with ginger extract? Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2015:19; 1291-6.