Doctors say Ozempic is overrated as first long-term trial shows patients maintain just 10% of their body weight after four YEARS of drugs

They have been billed as “miracle” drugs and are credited with spurring incredible weight loss transformations in Hollywood.

But the first long-term study of Wegovy, which is the same type of drug as Ozempic, suggests the drugs may not be as effective as the hype makes them out to be.

After four years on the drug, which costs about $1,500 a month, patients lose only 10 percent of their original body weight.

For someone with severe obesity, it may not be enough. For example, someone who weighs 250 pounds would only lose 25 pounds while taking the drug for four years.

Dr. Shauna Levy, an obesity medicine specialist and bariatric surgeon at Tulane University who was not involved in the study, told DailyMail.com that it probably won’t be enough to protect someone from the health problems associated with ‘severe obesity.

“Obesity drugs are not a magic bullet … They are drugs, they have risks, they have benefits, it’s not one-size-fits-all,” he said.

He explained that for people who need serious weight loss, these data suggest that weight loss drugs can only take you so far.

Older treatments, such as surgery, in combination with diet and exercise changes, may be better ways to approach weight loss.

With bariatric surgery, which involves surgically restricting the size of the stomach or intestines, people can lose 20 to 50 percent of their original body weight, Dr. Levy added.

If your BMI is above 40, he said, you may need to consider these other weight loss options.

Dr. Shebani Sethi, clinical associate professor and founding director of Metabolic Psychiatry, admitted that it may not be a panacea for obesity, but losing 10% of body weight could help improve heart and brain health in women. people

The new study was from Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk and looked at 17,604 adults in 40 countries who were taking Wegovy, which is the same type of drug, newly marketed for weight loss rather than treating diabetes.

Wegovy, and similar drugs like Mounjaro and Zepbound, work by mimicking the hormones in your body that tell you when you’re full.

When you feel full for longer, you tend to eat less and lose weight.

They found that people lost an average of 10 percent of their initial body weight after taking Wegovy for one year and three months. Those who stayed on the drug for the next four years were able to maintain this weight loss.

Crucially, they didn’t continue to lose weight, they hit a plateau.

This happened to comedian Tracy Morgan, who started gaining weight in Ozempicas as a result.

Sometimes, as in the case of TikTok user Shelly, drugs don’t work at all. He shared in a video in October that the drugs did nothing but give him acid reflux.

The study also found that people who took Wegovy reduced their risk of heart attack and stroke by nearly 20 percent.

This was to be expected, Dr Shebani Sethi, clinical associate professor and founding director of metabolic psychiatry, told DailyMail.com.

“Even a 10% weight loss can be very beneficial for health.” said Dr. Sethi.

In her personal research, Dr. Sethi has found that small Ozempic weight loss changes can lead to improvements in mood and quality of life.

It’s also well established, he noted, that any weight loss will reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

However, the cost of these drugs makes Dr. Sethi think that “the drugs will not be a cure for everyone.”

The average price of Wegovy in the US without insurance is $1,350 per month according to Novo Nordisk.

Other options, like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, are similarly steep, priced at $935, $1,069, and $1,059 per month, respectively.

Wegovy and Zepbound are not currently covered by many insurers in the US. Ozempic and Mounjaro could have more insurance options because they were originally approved to treat diabetes, not just weight loss.

These new findings could be used to argue to insurance companies to cover the drug because it helps prevent heart disease.

So, for example, if you weigh 400 pounds and use Wegovy for four years, you’d lose 40 pounds and roughly $64,800.

For some people, that amount of money might be worth those results.

But for others, that financial toll and the limited benefits you’d get from losing 10 percent of your body weight may mean you need to explore other avenues, Dr. Levy told this website.

“I think it’s important to discuss with your doctor whether lasting 10% weight loss is sufficient for the particular patient, or whether it needs to be combined with other treatment modalities, such as bariatric surgery,” he said.