Ozempic Butt: What It Is, Why It Happens, and How to Avoid It

It's well known that some people taking Ozempic or similar medications may experience undesirable side effects alongside their weight loss, from facial skin sagging to the persistent stomach issues that Virta member Barbara encountered. 

Yet there's another unexpected change that's gaining attention—a noticeable transformation in the appearance of people's backsides, colloquially termed "Ozempic butt."

So what is Ozempic butt exactly? Here's what you should know about how GLP-1-related weight loss affects your backside, why it happens, and what you can do about it.

What Is Ozempic Butt?

Ozempic butt refers to the change in the buttocks area that some people experience while taking semaglutide medications like Ozempic or Wegovy. 

Unlike targeted weight loss, medication-induced weight reduction takes place throughout the body—including areas where some might wish to maintain fullness. This change can be especially noticeable in the derrière, where fat loss significantly alters the overall shape and appearance that many consider aesthetically desirable. 

Ozempic butt may be visually described as the flattening or sagging of the buttocks. Similarly, a person might notice a general volume loss in their backside, such as pants not filling out the way they used to or underwear material sagging while worn.

What Causes Ozempic Butt?

Ozempic butt occurs because of a few different reasons:

• Non-discriminatory fat loss: Ozempic causes overall body fat reduction, meaning your body decides where fat is lost first, and this often includes areas like the buttocks.
• Rapid weight reduction: Weight loss on Ozempic is often rapid, which may outpace the skin's ability to adapt, leading to looseness or sagging.
• Muscle preservation challenges: Weight loss—without intentional strength training—typically includes some muscle loss alongside fat, reducing firmness and shape.
• Genetic predisposition: Your unique genetic blueprint determines where your body naturally stores and loses fat, playing a major role in how your shape changes during Ozempic-induced weight loss.

Ozempic Butt Before and After: What to Expect

The transition to what some call Ozempic butt varies considerably between individuals, but certain patterns emerge in before-and-after comparisons:

Before: Prior to using Ozempic, patients typically have more volume and roundness in the buttocks area, with varying degrees of firmness depending on muscle tone and natural fat distribution.

After: Following significant weight loss with Ozempic, many notice decreased fullness in the buttocks, skin laxity or sagging, or a flatter posterior appearance from side profiles.

Ozempic butt before-and-after changes tend to be most dramatic in those who lose weight quickly, are older, or had fuller buttocks before treatment. 

How to Avoid Ozempic Butt

While some degree of change may be inevitable during significant weight loss, several strategies can help minimize unwanted buttock changes:

1. Prioritize strength training: Targeted glute exercises help build and maintain muscle mass that gives shape to the area regardless of fat loss.
2. Stay well-hydrated: Proper hydration supports skin elasticity during the weight loss process.
3. Implement regular cardio: While building muscle is key, cardiovascular exercise improves blood flow to tissues, enhances metabolic health, and helps maintain skin elasticity as your weight changes.
4. Take a completely different approach: Consider working with Virta health coaches on sustainable lifestyle changes that can help you achieve weight loss goals without using medication. 

Is Ozempic Butt Permanent?

For most people, the changes that come with Ozempic butt aren't necessarily permanent, but addressing them often requires purposeful intervention in muscle building, weight stabilization and with professional interventions. 

Though, the permanence largely depends on age, genetics, the amount of weight lost, and the steps taken during and after weight loss to maintain muscle mass and skin elasticity.

The Takeaway

If you're concerned about medication side effects—like Ozempic butt—Virta Health offers a different approach. Through personalized nutrition plans and one-on-one virtual coaching, Virta helps our members achieve sustainable results without the unwanted physical changes that GLP-1 medications sometimes cause. Our comprehensive support system focuses on lifestyle modifications that not only improve metabolic health but help you maintain your natural body proportions. See if you’re eligible for Virta Health here.