Ozempic: A Solution To Obesity?

If you’ve been within earshot of the media in the past year, you’ve probably heard the word "Ozempic" whispered as if it were a miracle from the heavens—talked about on TV, debated by pop stars, and even on those ancient paper stacks that have the news printed on them. However, as we well know, all that glitters is not gold. So in this weekly newsletter we are going to be investigating ozempic and other similar drugs, their shocking prevalence in the United States, and determining if, indeed obesity will soon be a thing of the past.

We have all thought that before summer, “I wish I could take a magic pill instead of eating this disgusting diet”. Well, that day may have already come, making diet and exercise a relic of the past. But before you start shopping for next summer’s beachwear, maybe we should pump the brakes and ask—what’s the catch?

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic and Wegovy are commercial names for a medication that is called semaglutide. This compound is very interesting because it mimics a hormone called Glucagon Like Peptide 1 or GLP1. In layman’s terms, it’s the fullness hormone that stops you from eating the last bit of chicken, but somehow also allows you to eat that fudge brownie too. This hormone, much like artificial sugars that we covered in last week's edition, is great at tricking your body’s receptors, only in this case it tricks you into thinking that you are full when you’re really not.

Ironically, Ozempic was never intended to be used as a weight loss drug. Its was originally meant to treat diabetes by accomplishing a few things:

Improving Insulin Production: Type 2 diabetes is characterized by an insufficient insulin production, this causes blood sugar to accumulate, causing the diabetes. So a drug like Ozempic that is able to help stimulate the “lazy” pancreas to make more insulin, which can in fact help reduce symptoms and reduce the need for external insulin administration.
Reducing Endogenous Liver Production: There is a process in the body called gluconeogenesis, (Keto-Lovers close your eyes). Our liver can and does make sugars from noncarbohydrate compounds. So by slowing down this mechanism we can accomplish a lower and more stable blood sugar, helping to manage the disorder.
Promoting Weight Loss: Recall our inflammation edition where we highlighted the close link between obesity and insulin resistance leading to type 2 diabetes. What semaglutide does is make someone feel full constantly, which means they will eat less and quickly cut down to a healthy body weight. This is especially relevant in people with Type 2 diabetes, because by accomplishing this we are able to, in some cases, become free of any medications and return to a normal and healthy life. Sounds pretty good right?
Slowing digestion: Our body is pretty smart. If you are starving, food gets absorbed pretty quickly. The opposite is also true. If we are full and satiated, our body doesn’t need to rush through the digestion process, so it takes its time. This helps minimize the release of sugars into the bloodstream, helping to stabilize blood sugar.

This said, we can firmly say that Ozempic is a pretty amazing drug for people with type 2 diabetes. But what started as a drug for diabetes soon turned into the golden ticket for weight loss. When people realized semaglutide could help them drop pounds without putting down the donut, demand skyrocketed. So much so that diabetes patients found themselves unable to access their medication.

Ah, the great equalizer: money.

So, how effective is Ozempic and Wegovy?

As with anything pertaining to weight loss, there is great variability in the results. A study that compared the weight loss of people taking a maximum dose of Wegovy and another set of people taking placebo found there was a staggering 12.5% difference in total weight loss. People who took Wegovy lost 15% of their total weight in 68 weeks. For a 250lb person that would be like losing over 37 pounds in a year, pretty satisfactory results if you ask us. If you happen to add regular exercise and a great diet to the mix and you are in for some serious weight loss and a hopeful recovery back into a healthy body weight.

However, the devil is in the details they say, and it’s especually true for here. Now for all the good that Ozempic can do, the reality is that the truth is stretched to obscene lengths. While 37 lb of weight loss sounds pretty good, admit it, you weren’t shocked. The general narrative is that Ozempic and other commercial semaglutide can make you lose all your excess weight in a matter of months. Sorry, but that’s just not happening.

Is SemaGlutide Safe?

We've established that the hype around semaglutides is justified… They work. Not as much as some claim but definitely enough to understand why in a country where ⅔ of the population is either overweight or obese, this would garner substantial popularity. But how sure are we that it is safe when it is approved for kids as young as 12 years old? Let's explore some of the main eyebrow raisers that are associated with these medications:

Gastrointestinal Problems: These are the most known common issues that may arise when taking these medications. The prevalence of nauseas can be up to 20%, vomiting in up to 11.5% and diarrhea in up to 11% of the people taking semaglutide for 30 weeks. There is a positive correlation with dose, in other words, the higher the dosage the more side effects you are susceptible to have.

Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer: There’s a murky relationship here. Overweight people and those with diabetes are already at risk for these conditions, so it’s hard to pinpoint whether the drug itself increases the likelihood. A question mark to keep in mind nonetheless.

Thyroid Cancer: Did you know that semaglutide has a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors, based on rodent studies where it stimulated C-cells to overproduce calcitonin, leading to hyperplasia and increased tumor risk?

You can also find kidney, cardiovascular and gallbladder issues associated with the use of these medications. So it would be safe to say that although semaglutide does offer satisfactory results, they come at a price.

The Problem We’re Avoiding

Of course semaglutide can be justified in the adult patient who is very overweight or obese, after trying conventional methods of weight loss to no avail. Nevertheless things get a bit more complicated when they are being considered for a 12 year old child.

We believe that giving weight loss drugs to children glosses over a much bigger issue, lifestyle. Taking exercise away or even reducing it and introducing a processed diet into the mix is a bad habit waiting to form. Bad habits are hard to break, and mental health, family dynamics, and socioeconomic factors play a role—but medication can’t fix those. Teaching healthy habits early should be the main focus. It’s a heck of a lot harder, but it sticks, and doesn’t have side effects.

Final Thoughts

In the end, Ozempic and Wegovy are not just buzzwords, they're game-changers in the weight loss and diabetes world. But like most things that seem too good to be true, there's more beneath the surface than meets the eye. Yes, they can help people shed significant weight and manage diabetes, but they come with a set of risks that cannot be ignored—especially when we’re handing them out to younger generations.

Have a productive week and stay safe!