Semaglutide half-life & how long it lasts
Semaglutide (oral) has a half-life of about 7 days (168 hours), reaches peak concentration around 1.5 hours after a dose, and is practically cleared from the body about 35 days (840 hours) after the last dose. Same molecule as Ozempic with the same ~1 week half-life, but absorption is fast and poor, which is why it is dosed daily and on an empty stomach.
The numbers
| Half-life | 7 days (168 hours) |
|---|---|
| Time to peak | 1.5 hours |
| Route | oral tablet |
| Typical cadence | once daily |
| Practically cleared | 35 days (840 hours) after the last dose (five half-lives, ~97% eliminated) |
| Steady state | after roughly 35 days (840 hours) of continuous once daily dosing |
| Evidence | FDA label or published human PK |
What that means day to day
- Levels are never zero between doses. On a once daily schedule with a 7 days (168 hours) half-life, each dose stacks on what is left of the last one until steady state.
- Peak is not injection day. Concentration keeps climbing for about 1.5 hours after the shot, so effects and side effects lag the dose.
- Stopping is gradual. After the last dose it takes about 35 days (840 hours) for the compound to be practically gone.
Sources
Track it instead of estimating it
Bo models this curve from your own logged doses, so you can see what is still in your system right now instead of doing the arithmetic. It also handles reconstitution math, dose reminders and injection-site rotation.
Compare every compound in one table →
Educational information only. Bo is a tracking app, not a medical device, and nothing here is medical advice, a dosing recommendation, or a substitute for your prescriber. Half-lives are population averages from the sources cited on each row; individual clearance varies with body weight, kidney and liver function, and other medication.