A whole bunch of 1000’s of individuals worldwide are taking medicine like Ozempic to drop extra pounds. However what will we truly find out about them? This month, The Dialog’s specialists discover their rise, impression and potential penalties.
After weight-loss medicine like Ozempic exploded onto the market, celebrities and social media influencers have been fast to spruik their advantages, resulting in their fast rise in use. Within the final three months of 2022, clinicians in the US alone wrote greater than 9 million prescriptions for these medicine.
As they’ve grown in reputation, we’ve additionally heard extra in regards to the potential negative effects – from frequent gastrointestinal discomforts, to extra critical psychological well being considerations.
However what does the science say about how effectively Ozempic and Wegovy (that are each model names of the drug semaglutide) work for weight reduction? And what are the potential negative effects? Right here’s what to think about if you happen to or a cherished one are pondering of taking the drug.
Learn extra:
The rise of Ozempic: how shock discoveries and lizard venom led to a brand new class of weight-loss medicine
Potential advantages
1) It’s doubtless that can assist you drop extra pounds
The most important, well-conducted analysis examine of semaglutide was from United Kingdom in 2021. Some 1,961 individuals who have been labeled as “chubby” or “overweight” have been randomly assigned to have both semaglutide or a placebo and adopted for 68 weeks (about 1.3 years). All members additionally had free entry to recommendation about wholesome consuming and bodily exercise.
The examine discovered these taking semaglutide misplaced weight – considerably greater than individuals who had the placebo (-14.9% of their physique weight in contrast with -2.4% of physique weight).
In one other examine in the US, one health-care clinic gave 408 individuals weekly injections of semaglutide. Over the primary three months, these included within the ultimate evaluation (175 individuals) misplaced a mean of 6.7kg. Over the primary six months, they misplaced a mean of 12.3kg.
Giant weight losses have been present in a newer trial of semaglutide, suggesting weight reduction is a really doubtless consequence of ongoing use of the medicine.
Individuals taking semaglutide within the trial misplaced just below 15% of their physique weight, on common, in contrast with 2.4% for these taking a placebo.
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2) It might cut back your power illness threat components
When individuals within the chubby or overweight weight classes lose not less than 5% of their physique weight, physiological modifications typically happen past a change in weight or form. This may embrace lowered levels of cholesterol, lowered blood stress and lowered blood glucose ranges, which all cut back the chance of power ailments.
In one of many semaglutide trials, most individuals (87.3%) misplaced not less than 5% of their physique weight. Though a lot of the giant research of semaglutide excluded individuals with metabolic well being situations akin to kind 2 diabetes, metabolic well being positive factors have been noticed, together with lowered blood stress, blood glucose ranges and fasting blood lipid (fats) ranges.
Within the UK examine from 2021, individuals taking semaglutide had higher enhancements in bodily capabilities and threat components for coronary heart illness and diabetes, together with reductions in waist circumference, markers of irritation, blood stress and blood glucose ranges.
3) It would enhance your high quality of life, emotional wellbeing or sense of feat
The unique trial of semaglutide didn’t deal with this bundle of advantages, however additional follow-ups present further advantages related to the medicine. In comparison with the placebo, individuals taking semaglutide noticed important enhancements of their bodily functioning and perceptions of their basic well being, social functioning and psychological well being.
Anecdotally (not based mostly on scientific analysis), individuals utilizing semaglutide, akin to Oprah Winfrey, report a reclaiming or turning level of their life, social state of affairs and physique picture.
Oprah says Ozempic has quietened her ‘meals noise’.
Chris Pizzello/AAP
What in regards to the dangers?
1) You could expertise gastrointestinal signs
Within the US medical trial, almost half (48.6%) of individuals taking semaglutide reported experiencing hostile results. Nausea and vomiting have been essentially the most incessantly skilled (36.6%) adopted by diarrhea (8.6%), fatigue (6.3%) and constipation (5.7%).
Within the UK examine, nausea and diarrhoea have been additionally generally reported.
In one other trial, many members (74.2%) utilizing semaglutide reported gastrointestinal signs. Nevertheless, almost half (47.9%) utilizing the placebo additionally reported gastrointestinal signs, indicating that signs could also be just like these skilled throughout regular each day residing.
Most gastrointestinal signs have been gentle to average in severity, and resolved for most individuals with out the necessity to cease taking part within the examine.
2) You may really feel fatigued
Fatigue was the second most typical aspect impact for members within the US medical trial, affecting 6.3% of members.
The commonest signs are gastrointestinal, adopted by fatigue.
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3) You may be among the many minority who don’t tolerate the drug
Australia’s Therapeutic Items Administration (TGA) has authorised Ozempic as protected to make use of, for the therapy of kind 2 diabetes nevertheless it has not but been authorised for weight reduction. The TGA has additionally authorised Wegovy (the next dose of semagtlutide) for weight reduction, nevertheless it’s not but out there in Australia.
Within the US medical trial, no surprising questions of safety have been reported. Nevertheless, 5 sufferers (2.9%) needed to cease taking the medicine as a result of they might not tolerate the hostile results. Fifteen (8.6%) needed to both cut back the dose or stay on the identical dose to keep away from the hostile results.
In different research, some sufferers stopped the trial because of gastrointestinal signs being so extreme they might not tolerate persevering with.
Extra extreme security considerations reported in research embrace gallbladder-related issues (principally cholelithiasis, also called gallstones) in 34 sufferers (2.6%) and gentle acute pancreatitis in three sufferers (0.2%). All individuals recovered through the trial interval.
A 2024 European examine analysed psychiatric hostile occasions related to semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide (which work in the same method to semaglutide). Between January 2021 and Could 2023, the drug database recorded 481 psychiatric occasions (about 1.2% of the entire reported) related to these medicine. About half of those occasions have been reported as despair, adopted by anxiousness (39%) and suicidal ideation (19.6%). 9 deaths and 11 life-threatening outcomes have been reported through the examine interval.
Because of the severity and deadly outcomes of a few of these stories, the US Meals and Drug Administration investigated additional however didn’t discover proof that use of those medicines induced suicidal ideas or actions.
4) It may be tough to entry
Regardless of being thought of protected, the TGA has warned important Ozempic entry boundaries are more likely to proceed all through 2024.
To handle the scarcity, pharmacists are instructed to provide choice to individuals with kind 2 diabetes who’re searching for the medicine.
5) You won’t at all times get clear info from vested pursuits
Given the recognition of Ozempic and Wegovy, well being organisations such because the World Weight problems Federation have expressed concern in regards to the medicine’s advertising and marketing, PR and powerful social media presence.
Some journalists have raised battle of curiosity considerations in regards to the relationship between some weight problems researchers and Novo Nordrisk, Ozempic and Wegovy’s producer. The concern is that researchers may be influenced by their relationship with Novo Nordrisk to supply examine outcomes which can be extra beneficial to the medicines.
Backside line
Ozempic is a drugs that ought to be used along with your well being care supplier. However bear in mind, weight is just one side of your well being and wellbeing. It’s vital to take a holistic view of your well being and prioritise consuming effectively, shifting extra and getting sufficient sleep.
Learn the opposite articles in The Dialog’s Ozempic collection right here.