Ozempic warning for weight loss

If you scour the internet for weight loss solutions, you will be bombarded with countless articles endorsing the popular type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic.

Ozempic belongs to a class of drugs known as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists, which contain the active drug semeglutide. It is a weekly injection that comes in doses of 0.25 milligrams, 0.5 milligrams, 1 milligram and 2 milligrams.

Individuals usually start with 0.25 milligrams for four weeks and gradually increase their dose at four-week intervals.

In 2017 the drug was approved by the US FDA for use in the treatment of diabetes, but about ten years ago, it was discovered that weight loss was one of its side effects.

Ozempic has since attracted attention in Hollywood, with celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Melissa McCarthy, Sharon Osbourne, Rebel Wilson and Amy Schumer admitting to using the drug for weight loss.

Although Ozempic continues to be a weight loss resource in the US, some doctors and experts are reluctant to give their blessings for its use as a weight loss solution.

Locally, Ozempic has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but access to the drug is not difficult. In fact, the drug’s non-approval hasn’t stopped those who want to experience a slimmer version of themselves from shelling out $4,000 to $5,000 for a month’s supply.

The Express spoke to Dr. Andrew Dhanoo, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Diabetic Association, who says drugs like Ozempic offer significant potential for people with diabetes, but warned those considering the drug to lose out weight

By mimicking the natural hormone GLP-1, these drugs increase satiety and reduce appetite, leading to decreased calorie intake and significant weight loss. Its ability to slow gastric emptying and influence satiety has been exploited to treat obesity. However, it is important to note that these medications can have serious side effects, such as gastrointestinal upset and pancreatitis; they carry warnings for rare conditions like thyroid tumors, Dhanoo said.

He added that there is a chance that the extra weight will return once a person stops taking the drug, as the physiological mechanisms that helped control appetite and food intake will no longer be active.

It is important for people who discontinue these medications to have a plan to manage their conditions through other means, such as diet, exercise, or other medications, to maintain health outcomes and prevent regression or worsening of their conditions. conditions

Maintain good health

Dhanoo advised: For people who are severely obese and have failed to see results with lifestyle modification, GLP-1 agonists may offer benefits in weight management; however, I strongly advise that this be done under the close supervision of a physician and not just any physician but a physician specializing in endocrinology; only with the versions of the drug that have been developed for weight loss, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro.

Dhanoo said an unhealthy relationship with food, physical inactivity, environmental factors and genetic susceptibilities are some of the reasons why people are obese. Using Ozempic, as a non-diabetic, will not erase the underlying problems of its obese user.

We need to focus on these underlying issues that lead to weight gain rather than simply treating them with a pill or injection.

Is Ozempic addictive? Dhanoo says no.

GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic are not considered addictive because they do not act on the brain’s reward pathways that are typically associated with substance addiction. These medications are primarily hormone treatments that influence insulin production, blood sugar regulation, and appetite control, rather than inducing any kind of euphoric effect that can lead to dependence.

Given the huge global demand for the drug, manufacturers have limited its supply to new markets.

Ozempic and other versions of this drug class are prescription drugs in territories that have approved distributors and the relevant approvals, Dhanoo said.

I hope we can distribute them through legitimate means in Trinidad and Tobago. Unfortunately, the high cost of the drug is a major obstacle to its availability to those who need it most.

Suitcase trade

Dhanoo referred to the troubling trend of the suitcase trade in drugs like Ozempic, which he noted is a largely unchecked problem.

Trinidad and Tobago has long faced a major problem with the drug suitcase trade, where people travel to places like Miami for as little as TT$3,000, buy drugs in bulk, bring them back in their suitcases, and sell them for make a substantial profit. This practice is not limited to Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonists, but extends to various diabetes medications and other drugs.

Although this trade sometimes offers patients cheaper alternatives in the form of generics, it carries serious risks. For these reasons, we strongly advise against purchasing medications from illegitimate sources. The drug has increasingly become a tool for the rich and famous, often out of vanity, but at the expense of people with type 2 diabetes who need it, leading to rising prices and low supplies. said Dhanoo.

To clarify, Dr. Andrew Dhanoo is not a physician equipped with the authority to comment on Ozempic. He has been the president of the DATT for the past six years and on the board of the DATT for the past ten years. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the UWI, where he is currently a research consultant.