“Oh Oh, oh, Ozempic,” croon the voices in a popular commercial for the Type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic made by Novo Nordisk. The jingle is set to the melody of “Magic” performed by band Pilot from the 1970s. Which is appropriate considering its ability to cause rapid weight loss as an adverse effect of controlling blood sugar levels, the drug is hailed as a”miracle treatment” by people who are aware. “Patients believe it’s a miracle medication,” says New York dermatologic surgeon Paul Jarrod Frank, MD who, along with many other doctors, is being repeatedly asked about it high frequency. “Other to Viagra and Botox I’ve not seen any other medicine that’s so rapidly become part of modern culture’s social common language.”
It’s not an exaggeration. The term “post-Ozempic figure” is trending and often discussed on social media as well as IRL as speculation swirls in the wake of any prominent and highly visible weight loss. The month before, Elon Musk claimed Wegovy which is a drug similar to Wegovy, as one of the main reasons behind his slimmer appearance (fasting was the other); Andy Cohen tweeted about #Ozempic in September. an hashtag that has earned over 274 million views via TikTok in the last month; and it’s widely suggested there’s a possibility Kim Kardashian relied on the drug for dramatic weight loss in pursuit of fitting into Marilyn Monroe’s famous dance-wearing dress for last year’s Met Gala. If celebrities are willing to admit taking it (or or not), Google searches for Ozempic are rising, indicating an unending desire to know more about its sudden slimming effects.
With thinness currently dominating the fashion scene again (some may argue that it has never truly gone away) It’s a reminder of how easily weight is affected by trends. But the fact that so many individuals are willing to put themselves to frequent injections as well as potentially unpleasant side effects in the name of fitting into a strict definition of beauty is disturbing, to put it mildly. “I worry about the disfigurement of the body, dysmorphia as well as the example we’re setting for girls who are at risk of being influenced by falsely filtered images of beauty,” is LA’s cosmetic dermatologist Ava Shamban, MD. Nancy Rahnama, MD, an internist with a board-certified certification and expert in the field of obesity-medicine in Private practice located in Beverly Hills, agrees: celebrities who use, or more likely abusing, these weight-loss drugs–not for health reasons but simply to look their best–is highly problematic due to its propagation of the culture of weight loss, according to doctor. Rahnama. As diminutive waistlines become conflated with health, what, precisely, is this constantly renamed class of drugs? And who should, and most importantly, who shouldn’t be taking these drugs?
How do you define Ozempic?
A semaglutide, which is an active component in Ozempic, belongs to the class of drugs known as GLP-1 antagonists. They mimic the hormone that we all produce in our intestines that is released after we start eating. “Semaglutide enhances the release of insulin in response to glucose intake and causes a minor delay in gastric emptying,” says Ariana Chao, MD, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and medical director of the School’s Center for Weight Management and Eating Disorders. “It also acts in areas of the brain involved in managing appetite and food intake. The medication makes your body more sensitive to the insulin that produces by itself and adds Holly Lofton, MD, a clinical associate professor in the department of medicine and surgery, and coordinator of NYU Langone Health’s Medical Weight Management Program at NYU Langone Health. “By doing that,” explains Dr. Lofton, “it helps your body’s fat cells to shrink as time passes.” Novo Nordisk produces semaglutide Ozempic as well as Wegovy, whichare approved for two different purposes, are in fact similar. “Semaglutide 1 mg (Ozempic) is a weekly injection FDA approved to treat diabetes since the year 2017. A higher dose of 2 mg was approved in the early 2022 timeframe,” says W. Scott Butsch, MD, MSc Director of the obesity department at the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at Cleveland Clinic. “Wegovy is higher dose of weekly semaglutide (2.4 mg) that was approved for the treatment of obesity in the month of July 2021.”
Does Ozempic certified by FDA for weight loss?
Not exactly. Wegovy is approved for weight loss in people of 18 and older who have the body mass index (BMI) that is 30 or greater, or a BMI of 27 or more with a comorbidity like high cholesterol or high blood pressure. (A recent study demonstrates its efficacy and safety for adolescents as well.) “Wegovy is the start of an entirely new class of anti-obesity drugs that were extremely efficient,” says Dr. Butsch. “Its 12.4 percent body weight loss over its 68-week-long randomized controlled study of more than 1,900 patients and an estimated BMI 37 was higher than any of the current anti-obesity medications. In addition, more than half of the participants (55%) have lost over 15% of their bodyweight, and 35 percent lost over 20%.” However, since Ozempic is typically easier to get than Wegovy so many people use this semaglutide to treat losing weight “leading to off-label use,” says the doctor. Rahnama. Its ability to be administered at home with injections, once a week into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm — has contributed to the popularity of it, particularly during the pandemic.
Howexactly does Ozempic operate?
In the simplest terms, it curbs the appetite and tricks the body into feeling full. “When naturally produced, the hormone [that Ozempic is akin to] keeps us full for a couple of hours, but in medication form, the feeling of fullness is felt for the entire day,” says Dr. Rahnama. Each time you take it, you get the feeling of being full over a period of 6 or 7 days. This will compound over time. “I have patients telling me they can eat about a third of what they normally ate and be satiated, go longer without eating and don’t snack anymore,” says Dr. Lofton. Studies on Wegovy have demonstrated it to be a safe method for weight loss even for adolescents as per a study published within The New England Journal of Medicine just a few weeks ago. If semaglutides are utilized correctly in accordance with the doctor. Rahnama, appetite is not fully controlled, but it is managed. However, when they are used improperly they can make it so that appetite is totally suppressed. This may lead to or worsen eating disorders.
Are there any side effects, or risks involved with Ozempic?
Yes. The most common negative effects of Ozempic described in the ads’ fine print, digestive. Constipation, nausea and vomiting as well as loose stools are frequently reported and, for some, may lead to the end of the drug. “Rare but serious adverse effects that have been reported with a semaglutide include irritation of pancreas, diabetes retinopathy, kidney issues, gallbladder issues, and reaction to an allergic nature,” states the doctor Dr. Chao. For certain, Ozempic is not recommended. not recommended for those who are pregnant or lactating or with an individual or family background of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine tumors.
How long do you have to remain on Ozempic?
Because Ozempic is a drug that is used to treat a chronic disease and is not that is designed to be put off. “Ozempic is used to treat patients with diabetes, which is why it’s designed to be taken for an indefinite period of time,” says Dr. Rahnama. “If the medication is stopped and patients are reverted to their previous eating habits because of their appetites increasing then they’ll recover any weight loss and go back to their blood sugar levels.” Medications that treat obesity are similar to those used to treat high blood cholesterol or pressure as per the Dr. Butsch: Long-term control of the disease depends on the medications. “A short-term strategy is a continued result of the disbelief that obesity is a condition, and therefore medications are only needed for short-term effect,” Dr. Butsch clarifies. Obesity, says doctor. Butsch, is often seen as a lifestyle decision, with medication acting as”management tools. “This is a false notion, though. We have enough knowledge about the regulation of energy levels and body weight as well as the heritability of obesity to recognize that it’s not that simple,” continues Dr. Butsch. “While I am concerned about the possibility that this drug (as in Wegovy as well as Mounjaro) will be used for people who don’t have any indications, I believe that the approval of these medicines and related drugs over the coming years will bring awareness to the complicated nature of weight management and obesity, which will help diminish previously held beliefs that have led to this diet-related culture.”
What happens if you leave off Ozempic?
Numerous studies have been conducted on Ozempic’s effectiveness, but because it is a fairly new drug there’s no research as of yet on the long-term effects of using it. After you stop taking it you could have a return to your weight and blood-sugar levels. This is the reason why nutritionists such as Charles Passler, DC, stress the necessity of lifestyle choices and nutrition while taking the drug. It is Dr. Passler, who approaches weight loss holistically and holistically, can help his Ozempic clients change their diet so they can benefit from the fat loss this injection provides while maintaining their muscle. He also stresses breathwork biofeedback, stress reduction and rest, all of which he believes are helpful for bolstering and maintaining an energizing diet. A close monitoring of every patient when they are taking Ozempic is essential for Dr. Lofton, which is the reason why taking your friend’s medicine or picking it up at Medi-spas is worrying. prescribing by unexperienced doctors is a serious issue she adds. “It must be administered under medical supervision as there’s still a risk of adverse reactions that could send you to the hospital” adds Dr. Lofton noting that reports that are being reported in the media about people who have experienced intense vomiting could be an indication of the drug’s gross usage. “It should not cause you to feel like that,” adds Dr. Lofton saying that anyone who is in that situation should have stopped using and/or had their dose significantly decreased, or received an evaluation sonogram. “Doctors who know the mechanism of action and have the time to keep track of patients regularly and with the appropriate frequency are the only doctors that prescribe the drug,” says Dr. Rahmana.
Who should use Ozempic (and who shouldn’t)?
Although the FDA guidelines about Ozempic’s use for Type 2 diabetes are there however, many doctors are prescribing Ozempic off-label. This should be obvious, is a common practice in the field of medicine. It’s still an issue for the Dr. Chao: “I do am concerned about prescribing Semaglutide off-label because the medication isn’t well-studied for people who do not have Type 2 diabetes or in overweight people.” A number of medical professionals are concerned that it’s being excessively or incorrectly prescribed. “If somebody is just looking to drop the weight that’s all I’m saying, it’s true that this medication is not the right medication for the person,” says Dr. Passler. Utilizing BMI as a determining factor for who qualifies raises problems of its own. “BMI isn’t perfect however, and it doesn’t directly correlate to morbidity and mortality,” says Dr. Lofton who frequently is relying on other health indicators such as waist circumference to determine if someone has obesity and if they’re at risk of developing heart disease.
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Could Ozempic’s overprescription cause a shortage for those who require it the most?
Yes. In The first few months following Wegovy becoming a treatment for obesity in July 2021 there was a shortage of supply due to demand as well as manufacturing capacity, says doctor. Butsch, which led people to opt for Ozempic its place. “Many new doctors were using the lower doses of semaglutide to treat obesity which obviously led to the occurrence of supply shortages for patients using Ozempic to treat diabetes despite the approval of the 2 mg dose in the early part of 2022,” Dr. Butsch continues. “There is now a risk for those patients who have been using this drug for years for blood-sugar control, but aren’t able to receive the medication due to its inappropriate use,” adds Dr. Rahmana. At this moment, there’s a shortage of both Ozempic along with Wegovy for those with diabetes who depend on them to keep their blood sugar levels under control. This is also true for patients hoping for an off-label prescription.