What You Need to Know About Ozempic

If you are looking for a weight loss pill that can help you shed some pounds, you may have heard of Ozempic.

But when it comes to Magic Pills to stimulate weight loss, it’s best not to get too excited.

Let’s dive into this much-hyped “new” drug.

What is Ozempic?

• Ozempic is a brand name for semaglutide
• Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist—basically medicine to control high blood sugar
• It is an injectable prescription medicine used along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes
• Ozempic is also used to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in adults with type 2 diabetes with known heart disease

What’s the big news with Ozempic and weight loss?

Along with Wegovy, another brand name diabetes medication, Ozempic seems to have recently undergone what appears to be a PR tour.

Two studies have shown that 50 milligrams of semaglutide taken orally each day is roughly as effective at weight loss as taking a weekly shot.

• A weekly injection of Wegovy injections contains 2.4 milligrams of semaglutide
• That makes the daily pill a roughly 2,000% increase of semaglutide

What about these studies?

• Researchers looked at nearly 700 patients with overweight or obesity for over a year and found that the drug lowered body weight by an average of 15%
• Nearly 70% of those who took the pill achieved a 10% reduction in body weight
• Additionally, over three times the number of people taking the drug achieved a 5% reduction, a generally accepted baseline for clinically meaningful weight loss
• One study focused on those who were overweight or obese; the other study was focused on those with diabetes

(Possibly) Important Note: these studies were funded by the manufacturers of the drugs themselves. That’s not suggesting that the studies themselves are flawed or skewed to be favorable in any way. Perhaps this author is too skeptical for their own good but … it’s just something to keep in mind.

Why is this so exciting?

Those with trypanophobia—fear of needles—are likely to have ignored Ozempic or Wegovy as treatments for their type 2 diabetes. Having this medication available in pill form is potentially life-changing.

Also … c’mon. A pill? That makes you lose weight? Who wouldn’t be excited to take the easy way out and let science do the heavy lifting? (No pun intended.)

So is Ozempic a weight loss drug?

No, Ozempic has not been approved by the FDA as a weight loss drug. It was approved in 2017 to treat type 2 diabetes and to reduce cardiovascular risk.

• Weight loss is considered a secondary effect of the medication
• Wegovy, on the other hand, is FDA-approved as a weight loss drug
• The FDA approved it as such in June of 2021
• In December of 2022, it was approved as a once-weekly injection for the treatment of obesity in teens aged 12 years and older

What are the side effects?

In the trial of people who were overweight or obese:

• 80 percent of those who took the pill reported gastrointestinal issues like
• vomiting
• nausea
• constipation
• diarrhea
• 13 percent said they experienced “altered skin sensation,” such as tingling

In the trial of people with diabetes:

• 80 percent reported similar gastrointestinal issues, just like with the overweight / obese trial
• As expected, these issues were much more common in those who took the 50-milligram dose as opposed to the 14-milligram dose

Is “weight loss in a pill” a new phenomenon?

Orally-injested semaglutide is not new: a drug named Rybelsus—which is less effective than Ozempic and Wegovy—has been kicking around since 2019.

What’s also not new is the craze for pills to trigger weight loss. There is a history of dangerous weight loss pills that have been marketed in the past.

Fen-phen (≈1990s – 1997)

• Fen-phen was a combination of two drugs, fenfluramine and phentermine
• It was found to cause serious heart valve problems and pulmonary hypertension in some users and caused a few fatalities
• It was withdrawn from the market in 1997

Meridia (1997 – 2010)

• Meridia is the brand name of sibutramine, an appetite suppressant
• Sibutramine was also marketed under the brand name Reductil
• It was linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke in some patients, especially those with cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure
• It was banned in several countries and voluntarily withdrawn by its manufacturer in 2010

Ephedra (≈1980s – 2004)

• This was a herbal supplement that contained ephedrine, a stimulant that can boost metabolism and energy
• It was widely used for weight loss and athletic performance enhancement
• However, it was also associated with serious adverse effects such as hypertension, arrhythmia, seizure, stroke, and death
• It was banned by the FDA in 2004 after more than 150 deaths were reported

These examples show that weight loss pills are not always safe or effective, and may have unforeseen consequences for your health. Therefore, you should always consult your doctor before taking any medication or supplement for weight loss, and follow their advice on dosage, duration, and lifestyle changes.

Remember that there is no magic pill that can make you lose weight without any effort or risk. The best way to achieve healthy and sustainable weight loss is to eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and seek professional support if needed.