Ozempic: Here’s what you need to know about the weight loss jab
Medical experts are warning that fat-loss shots like Wegovy (also sold as Ozempic) may cause a potentially deadly side effect that was overlooked in trials.
Wegovy, also known as semaglutide, is a newly approved drug that can be administered weekly as a subcutaneous injection to help people lose weight. The drug is designed to mimic the effects of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which regulates appetite and metabolism.
The hormone slows the movement of food through the intestines to make a person feel full for longer. Researchers in China have found that GLP-1 drugs may cause a person's small intestine to become enlarged, putting them at high risk of a potentially deadly obstruction in their digestive system. The report was highlighted by the U.K. Daily Mail.
The enlargement of the intestine occurred at around 20 months of taking GLP-1 drugs, which is beyond the time limit of clinical trials for drugs like Wegovy, which only went up to 16 months.
The researchers also reviewed previous research on humans, suggesting users of these types of drugs are up to four times more likely to suffer intestinal obstruction. If left untreated, intestinal obstruction can cause serious, life-threatening complications, including tissue death and peritonitis. In the U.S., roughly 30,000 people are killed by intestinal obstruction each year.
Another study also highlighted a risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events.
Researchers, however, also found Wegovy to be extremely effective in causing weight loss, with patients losing an average of 15% of their body weight over a year. Wegovy is prescribed to treat diabetes.
The makers of Wegovy, Novo Nordisk, responded to the study by stating that they are committed to patient safety and are working closely with regulatory agencies to monitor the safety of the drug. They also noted that the drug is approved for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or in those with a BMI of 27 or higher who have at least one weight-related condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
More about the Chinese study and potential risks are available here.