Originally approved to help with excess weight and obesity, Wegovy and Ozempic, have become synonymous with weight loss fads. Here's what you need to know.

Semaglutide, the underlying drug marketed as Ozempic and Wegovy, works by mimicking a hormone that triggers the body to feel full. When the drug interacts with a receptor in the stomach, patients feel full sooner and for a longer period of time after eating. The drug does not cause weight loss directly – instead, it makes you want to eat less.

In 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Ozempic for treatment of Type 2 diabetes, which is what it was designed for. It’s a weekly injection that helps lower blood sugar by spurring the pancreas to make more insulin.

New research suggests GLP-1 medications like Ozempic may help reduce several health risks in addition to treating type 2 diabetes and obesity.