Breaking the rule could stop the treatment from working properly, users have been warned
Britons taking the Wegovy tablet are being urged to follow a strict morning routine to prevent undermining the treatment entirely, according to a weight loss doctor.
Unlike the injectable version of the weight loss drug, Wegovy tablets should be taken after a fast of at least eight hours.
This means first thing in the morning, followed by a 30-minute wait before eating, drinking or taking oral medication.
Weight loss clinical lead at Boots Online Doctor, Dr Anju Verma, said it all comes down to how the tablet is absorbed.
The injection delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream, but the pill, in contrast, passes through the stomach where naturally occurring acids break down proteins.
Oral semaglutide is absorbed directly through the stomach, and as stomach acid naturally breaks down proteins, the tablet must be taken under very specific daily conditions to ensure the active ingredient can enter the bloodstream.
Eating or drinking too soon significantly reduces the absorption of the medication, making the treatment much less effective.
Patients are advised to swallow the tablet with no more than 120 ml of water, and to avoid tea, coffee, food or other oral medications, including levothyroxine or the contraceptive pill, for at least half an hour afterwards.
It comes as new data from Boots Online Doctor reveals that 80 per cent of Wegovy tablet orders have come through from customers who are completely new to weight loss treatments, suggesting many patients are unfamiliar with the demands of the new dosing routine.
Since becoming available in the UK, the tablet has proven hugely popular among those who want to avoid needles.
But Dr Verma cautioned that switching between the two forms of semaglutide should be clinically monitored.
Patients who move from the 2.4 injection may be able to transition directly to the highest-strength 25mg tablet on their next scheduled injection day, while those switching from Mounjaro should wait at least seven days after their last dose.
Despite strict timing rules, Dr Verma noted that most side effects, such as nausea, constipation and diarrhoea, are mild to moderate and similar to those experienced with the injection.
Treatment also typically starts on a lower dose and increases gradually over several months.
The Wegovy tablet is currently available through Boots Online Doctor following an online consultation, for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 and above with a related health condition.
