Yes, 'Ozempic Butt' Is a Thing—Here's Everything You Need to Know About It
Almost 2 million people in the U.S. have taken prescription weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy. People taking weight loss medication expect their bodies to change, but many do not expect to be left with “Ozempic butt,” as it’s been dubbed on social media.
On TikTok, there are countless videos of people saying a side effect of the medication is a butt that’s loose and jiggly. What causes “Ozempic butt” and how can you get rid of it if you have it? Keep reading to find out what doctors specializing in obesity medicine have to say.
What Is 'Ozempic Butt' and What Causes It?
Dr. Jorge Moreno, MD, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Yale Medical School of Medicine who specializes in obesity treatment and management, is not surprised many people taking Ozempic (or similar medications) are experiencing this specific side effect. “With weight loss—whether it’s with Ozempic or Wegovy or without—patients lose fat mass. Many people store fat in the area around the abdomen and around the buttocks. As you lose fat, the skin around the buttock area can become looser,” he explains.
Dr. Moreno says it’s common for people taking a prescription weight loss medication to lose between 15 to 20% of their body mass, which is no small change. When this happens quickly, it can lead to skin sagging in areas that used to hold on to fat, like the stomach or buttocks.
“People who have a saggy butt may have a lot of loose skin from all the fat they lost,” says triple-board certified weight loss doctor Dr. Sue Decotiis, MD. “Think about what women's stomachs look like after they're pregnant. Their skin stretches. This is a very normal occurrence. Fat stretches skin so when people lose a lot of weight, sometimes there is excess skin around areas in the body that hold a lot of fat.”
Related: The #1 Mistake People Make While on Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic, According to an Obesity Doctor
Who Is Most Likely to Experience 'Ozempic Butt' and Can It Be Avoided?
Both Dr. Moreno and Dr. Decotiis say that anyone losing a lot of weight in a short period of time can experience skin sagging, including in the buttock area. This includes people who have lost a lot of weight and who are not taking a prescription weight loss drug.
Dr. Decotiis adds that the older someone is, the more likely they are to experience “Ozempic butt” after losing weight. “As you age, you have less elasticity in your skin and you cannot produce as much collagen. Your skin bounces back better when you’re younger,” she says.
Dr. Moreno agrees, saying, “As we get older, muscle loss typically occurs. Adding weight loss to the aging process can result in more changes like looser skin.”
Here’s the good news: Both doctors say that “Ozempic butt” can be both avoided and treated. If you recently started taking a weight loss drug and want to prevent this side effect from happening to you, Dr. Decotiis says to focus on building muscle as you lose weight. “When used properly, these drugs actually build muscle because they enhance the way insulin works; it works as a growth hormone. When this drug is working properly, you should be able to gain muscle when you exercise,” she explains.
Proper nutrition is important too. Dr. Decotiis says that many people who are losing muscle as they shed fat are not drinking enough water.
And according to Dr. Moreno, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough protein, which is important for maintaining muscle. “When losing weight, you should aim to consume about one gram of protein per kilogram of weight, or, take your current weight and divide by two to get a close estimate of your protein intake,” he says. He adds that it’s important to talk to your doctor if you have kidney problems or other conditions where you would need to limit your protein intake.
Related: Thinking of Trying Ozempic? Here's What You Can Expect Week by Week
What to Do if You Already Have 'Ozempic Butt' and Want to Get Rid of It
Both doctors say that the same advice applies if you already are experiencing sagging skin in the buttocks region and want to firm it up: exercise regularly, make sure you’re getting enough protein and stay well-hydrated. “Physical activity of all types can help, including walking, jogging and biking. Resistance training and bodyweight exercises—like lunges, squats and weight training—are also important. Yoga and Pilates can be very helpful in preventing this side effect,” Dr. Moreno explains.
According to Dr. Decotiis, regularly doing exercises that target the buttocks—like lunges and squats—can help if you already have “Ozempic butt.” However, she doesn’t recommend doing a ton of high-intensity interval training if you just started taking a weight loss drug because the body is working very hard to lose weight and the combination can cause extreme fatigue.
Dr. Moreno says that what’s most important to remember is that prescription drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are not a substitute for eating healthy and exercising regularly. “To be most successful, you should include these components to your medication plan as well,” he says. That’s the key to not only preventing this unwanted side effect but for taking care of your body as best as you can.
Next up, find out what happens when you stop taking Ozempic.
Sources
Dr. Jorge Moreno, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Yale Medical School of Medicine specializing in obesity treatment and management
Dr. Sue Decotiis, MD, triple-board certified weight loss doctor
