In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat is Ozempic?Is Using Ozempic Safe for Weight Loss?Are There Side Effects Linked to Ozempic?
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What is Ozempic?
Is Using Ozempic Safe for Weight Loss?
Are There Side Effects Linked to Ozempic?
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Photo: Getty Images and Novo Medlink
Every year, we seem to be presented withnew solutions for weight lossthat promise to help people shed pounds rapidly. From the old-school grapefruit diet to the ever-popularketo diet, there’s no shortage of trendy diets to lose weight—especially in Hollywood.
9 Outdated Dieting Trends That Need to Be Retired ASAP
37.3 million people have diabetes in the U.S., and having the disease puts this population at an increased risk ofheart disease and stroke. Even with dietary interventions, insulin injections and other medications that help manage this condition, some data suggests that theprevalence of uncontrolled diabetes is almost 50%, increasing with age—highlighting how our past treatment plans haven’t been cutting it for every person diagnosed with diabetes.
But this medication doesn’t only affect the body’s secretion rate of insulin and glucagon—two hormones that impact blood sugars. GLP-1 agonists, like Ozempic, can also cause areduced appetite and delayed glucose absorptiondue to slower gastric emptying. And because slower digestion keeps people fuller for a longer time, that effect is where the weight-loss buzz comes into play.
This class of medication is meant to be recommended in combination with metformin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones or basal insulin to enhance glucose control, while offsetting theweight gain associated with using supplemental insulinand some of these other medication options. Many health conditions tend to co-occur, and having obesity and diabetes are two risk factors for cardiovascular disease, tackling these two factors with one medication is a goal many people have to help keep their health in check.
According to theOzempic website, “in adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease, Ozempic reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, or death.”
So, Ozempic was designed to help people manage their blood sugars while helping them avoid excessive weight gain when taking other medications. But, what if you don’t have diabetes and you need to lose weight? Can taking this medication be a solution for this population too?
While people are leaning on Ozempic for weight loss and are seeing results, the Ozempic website clearly states that while it may help you lose some weight, it is not for weight loss. It also contains the statement that “Ozempic is not a weight loss drug.” Clearly, the makers of this drug are not promoting the off-label use of this medication that has been the weight-loss solution many people are loving.
There is a lot of chatter in the wellness world regarding theissues with and inaccuracies of the BMI scale, so its use in the above study, and as a measure in which healthcare providers prescribe medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy is concerning.
While the FDA has not approved Ozempic for weight loss specifically, it hasauthorized Wegovy, a medication made with a higher dose of the same chemical, for weight-loss support in people who are in the having overweight BMI category and have one weight-related aliment (like high blood pressure) and people who are in the having obesity BMI category. “Both use pens to inject semagulatide, and gradually increase to a higher sustained dose based on the individual and tolerance,” Crowley explained.
Until the FDA authorizes Ozempic as a safe medication for people who do not have diabetes and there are more clinical trials conducted to demonstrate this effect, health care providers can not definitively say that this medication is safe for this population.
Every medication we put in our body comes with potential side effects, some being more concerning than others.
Per the Ozempic website, using this medication may cause serious side effects, including possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Other serious side effects include pancreatitis, vision changes, low blood sugar, kidney failure and gallbladder problems.
The most common side effects of Ozempic may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach (abdominal) pain and constipation.
“Health care providers can lead discussions on risk benefit analysis of medications versus living with untreated diabetes or obesity or both,” Crowley added.
The Bottom Line
High-profile celebs may be fun to watch on our screens and in the tabloids, but leaning on non-medical professionals isn’t the way to manage your own healthcare decisions. If your healthcare provider recommends taking Ozempic for weight-loss support, while managing a diabetes diagnosis and you are in favor of following suit, it is important to be crystal clear of the potential side effects of doing so and weighting the risks versus the benefits before you take your first shot.
Whether you have diabetes or not and are trying to lose weight or improve you health in any way, know that there are research-backed (and delicious) methods to help you be healthy for life, that don’t require medication.Focusing on certain nutrients,eating anti-inflammatory foodsandincluding exercisein your daily habits can help people manage their weight in a healthy way, although it may take a longer time to see results than leaning on the powerful and popular medication.
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