Three years ago it seemed like a miracle that you could inject yourself into thin skin. Now everyone from Oprah Winfrey and Elon Musk to your local hairdresser is benefiting. You still have to search online to get it, but that doesn’t seem to be difficult.
At the heart of all the weight loss controversy is a drug called semaglutide. Available under the brand names: Ozempic and Wegovy and the tablet form of the drug, Rybelsus. This drug was initially known only to diabetics because it helps control blood sugar levels, but semaglutide has become extremely popular thanks to its slimming properties. The rise in popularity also led to an increase in myths about its effects.
Dr. Ralph Abraham has been prescribing these medications for more than a decade. He is a consultant in diabetes, lipid disorders and endocrinology at London Medical. He told the Daily Telegraph what is fact and what is fiction.
It improves fertility – fiction
“Because obesity carries other health complications that hinder conceiving, any drug that reduces obesity is likely to increase fertility.”
In men, obesity has also been linked to lower sperm count and lower motility. If pregnancy is the motivation, says Dr. Abraham, then it is much better to lose weight the traditional way, through diet and exercise. “I would not recommend the use of unnecessary medications during pregnancy. The drug has not been studied in pregnancy and we have absolutely no idea what it does to embryos or whether it is safe.”
It causes erection problems – fiction
You will regain the weight if you stop – fact
“Clinical research shows very clearly that this is absolutely happening, despite all efforts of dietitians. So I tell patients that when you take these medications, you are going to take them long term,” says Dr. Abraham.
Whether they are safe for long-term use remains to be seen. “This group of drugs, the GLP-1 agonists, have been used safely since they were first prescribed 14 years ago, but we have no evidence going back further. In another 15 years there will be more information to guide us,” he says.
“There will always be long-term side effects that only become apparent many years after a drug is introduced. It is a matter of weighing the benefits of a drug – which are significant in some patients and trivial in others – against the possible long-term side effects. “
You don’t need to diet – fact
There is some truth in this. When Dr. When Abraham first prescribed GLP-1 medications, he worked with a dietitian, but he realized this wasn’t necessary. “Patients were less hungry and felt full more quickly, so using a dietitian became less relevant and only increased the overall cost of their treatment.”
You don’t have to exercise – fact
There is also some truth in this. “I don’t believe exercise has ever made a huge difference to substantial weight loss,” admits Dr. to Abraham. But he always encourages more exercise because it makes you healthier, prevents disease and promotes mental health. “People always feel better when they exercise.”
You will get an ‘Ozempic face’ – fact
Unfortunately, when it comes to losing weight, we can’t choose where we want to lose fat.
“Obese patients who have gastric surgery lose enormous amounts of weight and end up with an ‘apron’ of skin. The same thing can happen with Ozempic: losing weight in the face causes more wrinkles and sagging, and it can promote aging.” There is no rule for where you lose fat.
That is why the “Ozempic face” has become a phenomenon where people who are not happy with the loss of volume in the face try to correct it with the help of fillers. Whether this is sensible or affordable depends on the individual.
Dr. Abraham says that weight loss – on any part of the body – depends on your age. “The younger you are, the more elastic your skin is and the less likely it is to wrinkle,” he says.
The side effects are annoying – fiction
Not everyone will experience the same side effects and none are inevitable, says Dr. Abraham. “There are too many variables to generalize. “It really depends on the sensitivity of the patient and on the dosage. In general, the medications exhibit something called tachyphylaxis, which means that side effects occur at the beginning of treatment and then decrease – therefore medications must be introduced cautiously.”
It will make you fart… and belch – fact
“The drug acts on the intestine. Flatulence is common and patients often require medications to relieve constipation. “Similarly, the gastric arrest that is part of the action of the medications can lead to an increase in belching or belching.”
Your breath starts to stink – fiction
It probably depends less on the medicine and more on the type of food you eat and your digestion.
It gets you off alcohol – probably fact
Dr. Abraham says this happens “very often”, although it is not yet entirely clear why.
It is safe to buy online – fiction
We should be wary of online advertisements offering the drug at a low price. Not only have counterfeits been discovered, but Dr. Abraham believes that medical supervision is necessary during a course of injections to lose weight. “The people who run online pharmacies are not experienced diabetologists. These drugs are very powerful, there is a right dose for every patient, there is not one universal solution for everyone. People talk about it on social media as if it is one product. That is it just doesn’t.”
As for price, he suggests people will have to pay around £120 a month for the lower doses, rising to £300 for higher doses. He warns: “These medications require management because results vary so widely among individuals. Rapid weight loss is not ideal for anyone. A safe amount for men is 3kg per month and for women 2 to 2.5kg per month.
It only works on the obese – fiction
This is a myth. “GLP-1 agonists work even in thin people,” says Dr. Abraham, he points to the people in the modeling industry who are known to take them even if they are underweight.
Non-diabetics should not use it – fiction
Due to a rise in demand from people buying the drugs to lose weight, it was at one point feared that diabetics who need semaglutide might no longer be able to get it, but Dr. Abraham believes the diet industry has now solved this supply-and-demand problem. And he doesn’t think obese patients should be denied semaglutide.
