Is Ozempic a Miracle Drug?

Ozempic, Wegovy, Semaglutide, or GLP-1 agonist are all common names for a new weight loss drug on the market. These have become very popular in the media due to celebrities either promoting or being questioned on using these drugs. Some of these celebrities include Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian.

Ozempic was first brought to the market as a drug to treat Type 2 Diabetes in 2017. The way that Ozempic or semaglutide works is that it slows gastric emptying which decreases the amount of digestion in the body. This makes it so that less glucose goes into the blood at one time, thus decreasing any glucose spikes. This is beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes because it allows their body to produce enough insulin to push the smaller amounts of glucose into the cells.

So why is it so big in the media right now?

Well, Ozempic in higher doses was also seen to cause weight loss. This si why there is so much buzz about it in the media, so let's look at some of the side effects and effectiveness of this GLP-1 agonist.

Patients taking ozempic have been shown to see weight loss within the duration of usage, however, as soon as someone does not continue taking this drug the weight could be regained. This is due to our bodies' natural mechanisms to return to a healthy set point. Ozempic in the high doses that are being promoted for weight loss is not recommended for long term use due to it lowering blood sugar.

This brings me to some of the most harmful side effects. One of which is hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. In an individual who does not have diabetes their body regulates the amount of sugar in their blood. When a drug such as Ozempic is taken in this healthy individual it decreases their blood sugar to fatal levels. Remember, hypoglycemia is more dangerous than hyperglycemia.

Some of the other side effects that are very common (44% or more) include nausea, diarrhea, headaches, dyspepsia, flatulence, tachycardia, fatigue, acute abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, elevated serum lipase, elevated serum amylase, and GERD.

Wow that's a lot of gastrointestinal side effects!

Some of the non-GI side effects include cough, darkened urine, depression, anxiety, blurred vision, chills, pancreatitis, cold sweats, confusion, nightmares, large, hive-like swelling on face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet or sex organs, seizures, yellow eyes or skin, slurred speech, and tightness in the chest.

All in all, there is a lot of misinformation and hype around Ozempic in the media because it is seen as a "quick fix" but as we know, quick-fixes never actually fix any problem. There are many side effects that have been seen in the majority of individuals which can even be life-threatening. The use of this drug has been shown to improve symptoms of type 2 diabetes, this should not be a passed around drug for a quick fix.