Fact Checked

Can using Wegovy improve your gut health?

Wegovy is a weight loss treatment with the potential to improve gut health.
By slowing down gastric emptying, your gut has longer to absorb nutrients.
Wegovy might influence the gut microbiome, making it more diverse.
In the long-term, healthy weight loss can help improve gut health.

Medically reviewed by

Daniel Atkinson, Clinical Reviewer

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Medically reviewed by

Dr Daniel Atkinson

Clinical Reviewer

on Mar 13, 2025.

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Last updated on Mar 12, 2025.

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Wegovy is an injectable weight loss treatment that works by regulating your appetite and helping to balance your blood sugar. It contains semaglutide, which belongs to a class of medicines called GLP-1 agonists. These are used for managing both weight loss and diabetes.

Although Wegovy isn’t prescribed for improving gut health, eating a varied diet while using weight loss treatments can encourage a wider range of microbes and healthy bacteria to live in your gut. More and more, research has shown a direct link between gut health and disease prevention, and growing evidence supports the importance of gut microbiota in maintaining all- round good health.

If you’re using Wegovy as part of your weight loss journey, you’ll be encouraged to make other important lifestyle changes to help you on your way. Combining better food choices and increased activity alongside your treatment can contribute to a more diverse gut microbiome, providing lasting health benefits that go beyond weight loss.

How does Wegovy help your gut?

Studies have shown that, as well as lifestyle adjustments, semaglutide can significantly reduce body weight, improve diabetes, and reduce the risk of stroke in patients with a high risk of cardiovascular disease.

So where does using Wegovy fit into improving your gut health? While the injections aren’t used specifically for this purpose, eating a varied diet as part of a weight loss plan can positively influence your gut microbiome. In a study that compared groups of lean and obese sets of twins, the obese twins were shown to have less diverse bacteria in their gut microbiome compared to the lean twins.

If it seems like a chicken-and-egg situation in terms of whether losing weight improves your gut health or improved gut health helps you lose weight, the simple answer is they both complement each other. While Wegovy might not have been designed with your gut health in mind, the habits and practices you adopt with using the injections will benefit your gut in the long-term.

In the same way that exercise can aid weight loss while having numerous other health benefits, such as improved sleep and brighter moods, so too can better gut health. Having diverse gut bacteria (meaning a wide variety of bacteria species) has been shown to protect against microorganisms that cause disease, so being mindful of your gut microbiome isn’t just about weight loss — it plays a crucial part in your bigger health picture.

Improve nutrient absorption

One of the ways Wegovy works is by slowing down the rate your stomach empties. This is an effect of GLP-1, the hormone that the injections mimic. By slowing gastric emptying down, you’ll feel fuller for longer, making you more likely to eat less as a result.

When food sits in your stomach for longer, it gives your body longer to absorb nutrients from it. Gut microbes rely on what we choose to feed them, so your gut will thank you for eating a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

The more varied your diet is, the more diverse the bacteria in your gut will likely be. As Wegovy slows down the rate your stomach empties, you’ll be given longer to absorb the vital nutrients your body needs.

Influence your gut microbiome

Although it’s not fully understood how, Wegovy might change gut bacteria directly. In one study, semaglutide was found to reduce lipid (fatty compounds) deposition in the liver of obese mice on a high fat diet. In the same study, the bacteria strains Akkermansia, Faecalibaculum, and Allobaculum, which are all involved in gut health, were all also influenced. It also repaired damage to the intestinal barrier function. These changes were seen alongside significant weight loss during the study.

More research is needed to determine if these same gut effects occur in humans who take semaglutide, but if it does, it could mean Wegovy has the potential to improve gut health at the same time as helping you lose weight.

Other ways Wegovy can help gut health

Wegovy works primarily in two ways — it regulates appetite and helps to control blood sugar. But emerging evidence suggests it can also help with inflammation. This is good news for anyone looking to control inflammation brought on by pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, while using a weight loss treatment.

Reduced digestive discomfort and inflammation

When you start using Wegovy, you might experience some gastric side effects like stomach pain, heartburn, and bloating. If inflammation is something you already struggle with, these common side effects might feel off-putting. Given time to settle and work properly, though, Wegovy could help you manage inflammation in the long-term. Early research suggests that GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can help manage Irritable bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

In a study of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), 63% of patients said their symptoms were related to diet, with fatty food, alcohol and hot spices being the most frequently reported causes. Even though IBS isn’t always brought on by being overweight, for those who are, treatments like Wegovy can help reduce the urges to eat foods that can exacerbate symptoms of the condition.

How to optimise gut health alongside Wegovy

Wegovy is an effective treatment that can help you gradually reach your target weight safely. While it’s not a medicine prescribed for gut healing, it’s used as part of a wider weight loss plan that can ultimately improve your gut health.

When you’ve reached a weight you’re happy with and feel ready to stop using Wegovy, you’ll want the changes you made on your weight loss journey to last. Aim to eat a wide variety of whole foods, such as fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts, especially those that are high in fibre. Sticking to a varied diet, getting regular exercise, staying hydrated and keeping on top of your stress levels will help you continue to maintain your weight and feel in control of your gut microbiome.

If you need some inspiration, our Weight Loss HQ site contains a range of recipes that can benefit your gut health and promote healthy weight loss.

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Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please talk to a doctor.