I had no idea what Ozempic was until it was a trending topic in the last couple of weeks. Recently I had seen many headlines talking about celebrities using the drug Ozempic to help them lose weight and at a dramatic pace. When taking a deep dive into this topic I realized that this drug is originally used to treat diabetes and the regulation of blood sugar. My question is, why did doctors think it was okay to prescribe this to celebrities? I understand the need for medications, but for the wrong purpose, why?
In a recent NY Times article they stated that Ozempic is a common drug that is helped to treat diabetes. This drug is designed to be injected once a week in the stomach, thigh or arm. The drug is used to lower blood sugar levels and regulate insulin for type two diabetics. For those who don’t know, type two diabetes creates insulin resistance in the body, so this drug helps to regulate it as best as possible. Ozempic also imitates a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 that is naturally produced in our intestines. This drug influences limiting appetite signaling to our body that we feel full and prompting our stomachs to empty at a slower rate. People that are suffering from obesity and other health concerns have reported losing weight while taking it. They get that “fuller faster” feeling. For people that are on the medication, some patients found that also many of the foods that they once enjoyed are no longer exciting for them. This drug can also help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease for people suffering from diabetes reported Dr. Robert Gabhay, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of the American Diabetes Association.
Ozempic was approved by the FDA in 2017. The agency further approved a drug with a higher dose of the active ingredient in Ozempic called semaglutide to treat obesity in 2021 under the brand name Wegovy. Elon Musk was asked how he looked so fit, and he responded via tweet that he was taking Wegovy. Variety reported that actors and producers “are quietly singing the drug’s praises.” On Tik Tok, the hashtag #Ozempic has been viewed over 273 million times. People are responding with shock over their supposed medication-induced weight loss and swapping stories about the side effects of the drug. Because of the rise of Ozempic, the FDA has listed both Ozempic and Wegovy as two of dozens of medications in short supply. A representative for Novo Nordick, which manufactures the drugs said, “intermittent supply disruptions on various doses of Ozempic due to the combination of incredible demand coupled with overall global supply constraints.” It’s become painfully clear that Ozempic is being abused and people that truly need it are in a dilemma.
Dr. Dish Narang, an Endocrinologist at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital said, “It’s not unusual for doctors to prescribe medications for “off-label” use, or for a different purpose from what the medication is intended for. Some doctors even believed that more people have sought ways to take the drug for weight loss. Patients would either find a physician who will prescribe it to them off-label or by seeking the drug online. Dr, Narang herself has seen patients who have gotten their hands on the off-label drug. She worries that as the drug becomes increasingly popular, people will associate it with “vanity” and not as a crucial medication for diabetes patients.
What you should know is that the FDA has not approved Ozempic for weight loss purposes. Dr. Hwang says, “these drugs were not designed for normal-weight people who want to get down to be super thin.” When taking this for not its intended use you should know that it comes with many side effects. Side effects like nausea, dehydration, fatigue, malaise, diarrhea, constipation, and in rare cases a risk for pancreatitis and gallstones. The bottom line is, weight loss should be done through a balance of diet, exercise, and positive changes in lifestyle choices. Never use a drug that is intended for something that it is not. It will come with consequences, and it could make it even more difficult in the long run for you to keep up when it comes to maintaining weight loss. Make choices that will help, not hinder your life.