Human fascination with various pills and potions for weight loss has peaked, with a new wave of interest centered around injectable medications dubbed Ozempic and Wegovy. In 2017, Ozempic obtained approval from The Food and Drug Administration for use amongst Type 2 diabetes patients. According to Susan Yanovski, a physician and nutrition specialist, there has been an unprecedented excitement around these drugs. The reason behind this excitement is the weight-loss results, which are comparable to those from bariatric surgery. Yet, several questions about the drugs’ operations, the ideal users, duration of use, and potential side effects remain unanswered.
Ozempic and Wegovy are different brand names for the drug semaglutide, but Wegovy holds a higher maximum dose and is approved specifically for weight loss, opposite to Ozempic whose target is Type 2 diabetes. Semaglutide mimics GLP-1, a gut hormone released after eating, resulting in insulin secretion and promoting glucose movement into body cells. Therefore, the drug creates a feeling of satisfaction and fullness. In a trial, it was reported that diabetic patients lost around 15% of their body weight after 16 months of high weekly doses. Moreover, semaglutide shows promising potential to alleviate other health issues it was initially not intended to tackle with. A 40-month drug trial with 17,000 participants led to a reduction in the risk of heart attack, strokes, and deaths from cardiovascular diseases by up to 20%.
The drug could curtail addictive practices like smoking, vaping, and drinking. Research by Dr. Lorenzo Leggio illustrates that semaglutide could minimize alcohol consumption, suggesting that semaglutide and other analogues play a significant role in modifying addictive behaviours by influencing not just the gut but the brain as well. Nonetheless, pharmaceutical companies haven’t thoroughly studied the effects of GLP-1 drugs on addiction despite anecdotal evidence suggesting their potential in this regard.
Tirzepatide, a relative of semaglutide that mimics both GLP-1 and another gut hormone, GIP, was approved in 2022 to treat Type 2 diabetes and assist in weight loss. Moreover, retatrutide, another drug in the pipeline, stimulates GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon is seen as promising after helping participants lose up to 24% of their body weight after 48 weeks of treatment.
Despite the benefits, Ozempic and similar drugs are not without risks. They can cause stomach aches, constipation, nausea, vomiting and other negative side effects. Rapid weight loss can lead to gallbladder disease, and semaglutide along with GLP-1 analogues could melt muscle mass along with body fat. Furthermore, stopping the medication could mean a return of the weight lost, making it unsustainable for weight management.
Celebrity endorsement has catapulted Ozempic into the limelight, with big names like Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, and Amy Schumer confirming their usage for weight-loss purposes. This has led to a 300% increase in prescriptions for these drugs from 2020–22, making the drugs hard to obtain for their original target audience, Type 2 diabetes or severely obese patients.
Public fascination with semaglutide drugs has triggered the need for broader conversations about their unexpected benefits, healthcare access, and class disparity in the United States. More research is necessary to understand better how we can use GLP-1 analogues to benefit us and ensure their availability to those in need rather than just the wealthy and famous looking to lose weight.
