The use of these drugs as a weight loss “quick fix” is grim news for diabetics.
Ozempic, a drug used to keep blood sugar levels in check, is vital for millions of people with diabetes. Now, thanks largely to its use by celebrities and influencers, it’s gained popularity as a weight loss drug — a trick that comes with grim side effects for those after a quick fix, and enormous dangers for people with diabetes whose meds are now in short supply. Here’s what’s going on.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic, the brand name for the drug semaglutide, is a medication primarily used by people with type 2 diabetes and people with obesity. The drug is crucial for diabetics, who take it as a weekly injection, as it increases insulin secretion and blood sugar disposal, which improves glycemic control. Tl;dr — it helps them to manage their blood glucose levels. Some patients lose weight as a side effect of the drug, which reduces appetite and slows the passage of food through the digestive system, making those who take it feel fuller for longer.
In 2021, the FDA approved semaglutide to be used in higher dosages under the brand name Wegovy for chronic weight management in obese adults. People who are prescribed Wegovy must increase their dose gradually over 16-20 weeks to minimize gastrointestinal side effects, which can include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, dizziness, abdominal distension, and gastroenteritis.
Ozempic, it’s important to note, has not been approved for weight loss. But the demand for Wegovy has become so high that increasingly, providers are turning to Ozempic as a substitute.
So what’s the recent fuss about?
Influencers and celebrities including Elon Musk have sung Wegovy’s praises as a weight loss aid, leading to more and more people seeking off-label prescriptions, or hunting it down online. Many of these enthusiasts are not obese, and physicians fear that the association between Wegovy and weight loss is leading many to view it as a super-effective diet aid, rather than a critical medication for people with life-threatening conditions.
Wegovy and Ozempic’s apparent popularity in Hollywood — and the rising demand for them among the rich and famous in general — is driving up their price in pharmacies. They’ve also taken off on social media, with #Ozempic boasting over 450 million views on TikTok as people share their weight loss results, and swap side effects war stories. As a result of the rush, the FDA has listed both Ozempic and Wegovy as medications in short supply.
The new scarcity of these drugs has dire implications for those with type 2 diabetes. Without proper treatment, they risk blood sugar spikes that can prove incredibly dangerous, even in the short term. These can lead to potentially fatal conditions including heart disease, kidney disease, hearing loss and stroke.
Some have been forced to travel to multiple pharmacies to get their meds — if they’re able to get them at all — or lower their dosage to eke out supplies, which is far less effective for managing their symptoms.
“It really makes me mad; it infuriates me,” Shane Anthony, 57, of Seattle, told NBC. “We need it to stay alive and keep functioning on an everyday basis.”
Even when temporary alternatives to Ozempic are available, switching between medications is a complicated prospect. As NBC notes, even if patients are able to go back onto Ozempic after a period of taking something else, they must potentially endure weeks of the bleak initial side effects as their bodies adjust to the drug all over again. These can include nausea, vomiting, constipation, and more.
Is it even safe to use Wegovy or Ozempic as an unofficial “diet drug”?
Short answer? Probably not. For a start, no matter the reason they took the medication in the first place, as soon as people stop taking Wegovy or Ozempic, they tend to gain any weight they’ve lost back — and then some.
“Data from our clinical trials for Wegovy showed that, not unexpectedly, patients experience weight regain once they stop taking the medication,” Novo Nordisk, the company that makes the drug, told NBC News in a statement.
Weight fluctuations — even if the weight regained doesn’t exceed the weight lost — have a far more damaging effect on health than remaining the same weight. Swings back and forth are associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality, and there’s evidence that weight fluctuation can harm peoples’ metabolic health.
Even if people continue taking Wegovy, it can have unpleasant and sometimes debilitating side effects. According to clinical trials, 73% of adults on the highest dose report gastrointestinal issues like vomiting, constipation, and stomach pain. Rarer, more serious effects include pancreatitis and kidney failure, and it’s been suggested that the drugs can lead to pancreatic cancer.
For those who are overweight to begin with, it can be far more beneficial to health to focus on positive lifestyle changes, such as improved nutrition, better sleep, and gentle exercise, than weight loss as a primary objective. Those who aren’t even overweight, but are using Wegovy or Ozempic to get lean, risk devastating repercussions that could last for years.
