Why Does Semaglutide Make You Burp?

Semaglutide is the active ingredient inside of the popular medications Ozempic and Wegovy. Ozempic is approved for use in treating type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is approved for use as a weight loss agent in certain people.

There has been plenty of chatter about the absolute most common side effects of using these medications like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. But, there may be less talk about the burping that can occur with semaglutide medications.

Below, we will cover the details of the semaglutide and burping connection including why this can happen, how common this side effect is, what a sulfur burp is, and if semaglutide burps go away with time.

Why does semaglutide make you burp?

Semaglutide helps slow down the transit of food through your digestive tract. While this may help make you feel more full for longer and reduce your appetite overall, it may come along with more burping.

The longer foods and drinks stay in your stomach, the longer they have to start breaking down and releasing gas. This gas in turn can now become a source of frequent burping as it finds a way to quickly escape.

How common of a side effect are burps from using semaglutide?

In the clinical trials for semaglutide medications, burping, also known as eructations, was a pretty commonly reported side effect. 8.58% of people using the semaglutide medication reported experiencing burping. This is up from only 0.46% of people using the placebo medication.

What is a sulfur burp and why can this happen?

Sometimes, the gas that is released in a burp is much smellier than usual, and people report that they smell like “rotten eggs”. This scent may mean that you are experiencing a type of belching called a sulfur burp. Sulfur burps contain a specific type of gas to give them this enhanced bad smell. Specifically, it is likely to contain some amount of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas.

Hydrogen sulfide gas is created during the breakdown of certain types of food, or when certain bacteria is present. Some foods may be more likely to produce hydrogen sulfide gas than others. Beans, legumes, cruciferous vegetables, alcohol, dairy products, animal proteins, onions, garlic, and nuts may tend to create more H2S than other foods when they are not moved through the digestive tract quickly.

Do semaglutide burps go away with time?

Some people using semaglutide who are dealing with excess burping may find that they go away with time, even though they continue using the medication. Your body may just still be adjusting to the change in digestion, and improvements may be seen. You may also find ways to adjust your eating pattern, foods, or timing of your meals to reduce the burping.

However, if you’ve tried to make adjustments, but you are still dealing with embarrassing or uncomfortable belching weeks to months later, it is time to bring this up with your doctor. They may find that changing your medication dosing may help the situation, or try to find a different option for you.

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.