They call it “the Hollywood drug” because it promises significant weight loss and is being used “massively” by artists and influencers. However, it is not a product created for this purpose. It is a medicine to treat diabetes. And that is precisely the danger.
GLP-1 analogue injections, such as Semaglutide or Ozempic, designed to control type 2 diabetes, additionally cause an effect on weight. This reason has generated uncontrolled use and, sometimes, availability problems in pharmacies.
Overweight and obesity are chronic diseases for which we are constantly looking for a “miracle”. While it is true that the mentioned drugs help to lose between 5% and 10% of the weight, they also have an important “rebound effect”. It has been shown that, after its use, people regain 50% of the lost weight.
Its use must be indicated by a physician trained in the dynamics of said drugs. An initial physical examination and laboratory tests are essential to see the initial state of the pancreas, since inflammation of this organ is a serious side effect.
In addition, it causes other unwanted effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypoglycemia, thyroid diseases, abdominal distension or gastroesophageal reflux.
My recommendation is not to get carried away by the fashions of the celebrities on duty, who recommend a drug that in itself is not created to lose weight, but to solve problems for diabetics. Therefore, it is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat obesity.
Fighting obesity and overweight requires safer and more proven actions. First of all, a healthy lifestyle and the practice of physical exercises on a daily basis. If this were not enough, there are non-surgical bariatric endoscopy options, such as the endoscopic sleeve. It is possible to perform it when there is an overweight of 25 pounds or more. It is an outpatient process and very little invasive.
For the rest, always be wary of “miraculous ways”. Science advances every day, but only your doctor can safely prescribe medication. The consequences of self-medicating for advice seen on social networks could be devastating for health.
* Dr. Acosta Then is a bariatric endoscopist, director of the Salutte Clinic Obesity and Specialties Clinic, in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. She belongs to the US Bariatric Endoscopy Society and directs the “Happy Weight Without Surgery” program. https://www.instagram.com/dra.acostathen