6 Ways the New Wegovy Pill Compares to the Shot for Weight Loss

Offering a painless alternative to weekly GLP-1 shotsthe new Wegovy pill is poised to shake up the weight-loss landscape by delivering results—needle-free. Made by Novo Nordiskthe once-daily oral medication won FDA approval in December 2025 and isas of this weeknow rolling out to consumers nationwide.

Clinical trials suggest the pill produces results on par with those of injections: Participants with obesity or overweight who took it for the full study period lost an average of about 17 percent of their body weight. Stillmany people are wondering how the pill really stacks up against the shot—and what those differences might mean for day-to-day use. These are the six things you need to know about how the new Wegovy pill compares to the Wegovy shot.

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The pill and injection are absorbed by the body differently.

Oral Wegovy and injectable Wegovy both contain semaglutidebut they enter the body in very different ways. The injection delivers the drug straight under the skinwhere it’s absorbed relatively efficiently into the bloodstream and can act steadily over many days.

The pillon the other handhas to survive digestion and be absorbed through the gastrointestinal tractwhich results in much lower and more variable bioavailability.

The pill has timing requirementswhile the injection does not.

Because of this difference in deliverythe Wegovy pill must be taken under specific timing conditions in order for the body to absorb enough of the medication.

According to GoodRxthose prescribed the medication in pill form should take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with a small amount of waterthen wait at least 30 minutes before eatingdrinkingor taking other medicines.

These strict instructions help maximize absorption because the pill’s active ingredientsemaglutideis poorly absorbed through the gut without these measures.

In contrastthe weekly injection form of Wegovy doesn’t have these timing requirements—you can inject it at any time of day and eat and drink normally before or afterbecause the medication goes directly into the bloodstream.

The pill is taken dailywhile the injection is typically performed weekly.

Another clear distinction between the two formulations is dosing frequency: The Wegovy pill is taken once a day in order to maintain steady levels of the drug in the bloodstream.

Meanwhilethe injectable Wegovy is administered once a weekthanks to its longer-lasting presence in the body after subcutaneous injection and more reliable absorption into circulation.

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The pill and injection have different storage requirements.

The two forms of Wegovy also differ in how they must be stored before use. Because the injectable semaglutide is a biologic medication sensitive to temperatureit’s typically kept in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use itthough it can remain at room temperature for a limited time once in use.

The pill formlike most tabletsgenerally does not require refrigeration and can be stored at room temperature in a dry place. Some users find this more convenientespecially for travel.

The pill may come with more side effects than the injection. 

Consumers may also experience differences in side effectsdepending on how their medication is administered. Seth KipnisMDmedical director of bariatric and robotic surgery at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Centerwrites that the Wegovy pill may come with a greater frequency of side effectsincluding  “more frequent gastrointestinal events” such as higher rates of nausea and vomiting.

The pill may be unsuitable for those who are breastfeeding. 

No form of Wegovy is safe to use if you are pregnant or planning on soon becoming pregnant. “Wegovy may harm your unborn baby. You should stop using Wegovy two months before you plan to become pregnant,” the drugmakers write.

Howeveradvice on taking the medication while breastfeeding appears a little more nuanced. Those who are breastfeeding may be able to take the Wegovy shotthough Novo Nordisk acknowledges that “it is not known if Wegovywhen received through an injectionpasses into your breast milk.”

Breastfeeding individuals should not take Wegovy tabletssince the pill contains an absorption enhancerwhich is known to affect breastmilk.