Ozempic opens the US obesity debate.What you need to know

Over the past few months, the diabetes drug Ozempic and its weight-loss drug Wegovy have been in the spotlight. celebrity diet hacks and online discussion. It is now the medical community’s responsibility to sift through the facts while navigating the culture’s complex and often dangerous relationship with diet pills.

Do these new drugs really work? are they safe? While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to report shortfalls in both drugs’ active ingredients, is it even ethical for them to seek them out as weight loss tools? semaglutide?

The answer may vary depending on why you are taking them and whether you can continue to take them. Dr. Buttner said Ozempic and Wegobee appear to be safer than previous drugs marketed for weight loss, despite common side effects such as vomiting and nausea. Profiles make both drugs stand out.

“At the moment, nothing seems to match this,” Buetner said. Currently Approved for Diabetes However, the weight reduction is expected to be approved soon.

Like many medications, Wegovy and Ozempic are chronic medications intended to be taken over a long period of time. This has both benefits and risks. “There’s no free lunch, so to speak,” Buettner said.

What are Ozempic and Wegovy and how do they work?

Ozempic and Wegovy are similar drugs containing the same active ingredient, semaglutide, but Wegovy contains more semaglutide and is FDA-approved specifically for weight loss. Ozempic was first approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, but has been used off-label as a weight loss drug in some cases. Both are weekly injections that are administered in a similar way to using an epipen, and both are manufactured by the same pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk.

Semaglutide is Insulin production and blood sugar stabilizationThis slows the movement of food as it leaves the stomach and reduces appetite, altering the body’s response to feelings of hunger and satiety.

The body of people with type 2 diabetes cannot process insulin properly. Ozempic’s main goal is to control blood sugar levels while reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and other health problems in people with diabetes. likely to experienceRegarding glycemic control, the goal of type 2 diabetes treatment, semaglutide has Proven to be very effective Under examination.

Wegovy is one of them. Approved use As a weight-loss drug for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or greater and with at least one medical condition such as high blood pressure, and adults with a BMI of 30 or greater. states that people without diabetes who took Wegovy lost an average of 12.4% of their body weight.

But the growing popularity of Ozempic and Wegovy has sparked decades of concern about weight-loss drugs and weight-loss stigma, with other unintended consequences, such as drug shortages.

Prescriptions are popular and in short supply

High demand for Wegovy turned into demand for Ozempic. That’s because some people who didn’t get Wegovy turned to its lower-dose sister drug for treating diabetes. Off label prescription by a doctor.

It makes sense that many people have access to these prescriptions. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About 73% of US adults As of 2017-18, BMI was in the overweight or obese range. BMI is incomplete and often inaccuratean indicator of health, is used to define obesity, which the CDC considers a chronic disease.

Like other drug shortages, its high demand is causing problems for some diabetics. When trying to get prescribed OzempicMunjaro, another popular drug containing the active ingredient tirzepatide, is also approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, although it is also used off label Sometimes for weight loss.

Buettner said there are other treatments available for people with diabetes, such as insulin. Comparing insulin to semaglutide is a bit of a “heavy question,” he added, but semaglutide may be less risky. hypoglycemia, or hypoglycemia, some patients really need insulin. As always, when looking for a substitute, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.

There is another drug for treating diabetes with the same active ingredient called Rybelsus, but it is taken orally. Other drugs include Vicoza, Trulicity and Bydureon.These are recommended for diabetics have trouble submitting a prescription for medicineas Daily Health reports.

The Diet Pill’s Dangerous History and Its Uncertain Future

Semaglutide’s popularity is very well known to Tigress Osborn, president of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. Osborne, like many fat rights and body neutrality activists and some health care providers, rejects the idea that obesity is a disease—the same that is now used for Ozempic and Wegovy. Some of the medical framing also worked for previous waves of weight-loss drugs, said Osborn, and Fen-Phen was a nickname for the appetite suppressant that was eventually pulled from the market. because it’s the 1990s damaged the heart In many people who took it.

“I’ve heard from you before,” Osborne said of the current wave of weight-loss drugs’ widespread support. .

In addition to causing heart problems, some early pills caused psychiatric side effects such as depression, Buettner said.Rimonabant Approved in Europe and also taken off the marketwas found to induce adverse mental health side effects.

“Effects on depression and suicidal ideation are common when you administer drugs that act in the brain,” Buetner said. “The signaling is very different,” he says, as GLP-1 receptor agonists in specific regions of the body.

common side effects of Ozempic and Wegs Includes stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other stomach symptoms.Rare but serious side effects including pancreatitis has also been reported. Some people report that weight loss also causes the fat stored in the face to be lost.”Ozempic’s faceor lose some of the facial fat associated with a younger, more youthful appearance.

Weight stigma and its lasting health benefits is also a real factor. research The question arises as to whether prescribing weight loss for health based on BMI alone is effective at all.of deep-seated prejudice According to Osborne, the constant pressure to get bigger and thinner puts people in the difficult position of either trying to lose weight with new tools or choosing to stay the same.

“Anti-obesity breaks our hearts — your drugs actually change our minds,” she said. “How do you choose between them?”

Those who choose to use these drugs face another problem: continued access.Beyond current shortages, the future of these drugs will depend in part on what insurance companies are willing to cover. have trouble obtaining prescribed medicine Insurance will cover you if you are labeled obese. This is an example of how big body health care is complicated by cultural biases, even if weight loss is the goal. That may change in the future as the catalog of weight loss drugs grows. Putting More Pressure on Medicare and Insurance Companies to change their policy.

Access is an issue for those who aren’t famous or wealthy or need semaglutide for their health. Wegovy costs about $1,400 a month. Cut yourself off, According to NPR. Patients who are unable to refill their semaglutide prescriptions may face health problems, such as not being treated for diabetes or gaining weight too quickly.

Most patients will regain the weight they lost This means that it must be taken continuously to maintain its effect. Weight cycling, which involves losing and regaining weight through dieting and other methods, is associated with a variety of health risks, including: increased mortalityOn the other hand, if you stop cold turkey after taking medications to stabilize your blood sugar, returning to high blood sugar may increase your risk of: other health problemsstrokes, etc.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified physician if you have questions about your medical condition or health objectives. Talk to your health care provider.