Ozempic - Once weekly injection to cure obesity

Finally a cure or adding to a long list of weight lost medications that fail to deliver?

The hype train has arrived - again?

Every couple years new products arrive that promise effortless weight loss that are often promoted by celebrities and social media influencers. Ozempic and Wegovy are popular request from my patients nowadays. The once weekly injection that makes you look great (better) so why not? This is a great panel discussion regarding Ozempic from Bari Weiss’ podcast.

Here is a list of drugs approved for obesity treatment in America

• Fenfluramine/Phentermine (Fen-Phen) Pull from market in 1997

• Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia)

• Bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave)

• Liraglutide (Saxenda)

• Semaglutide (Wegovy)

• Setmelanotide (Imcivree)

• Orlistat (Xenical, Alli)

What does this list have in common? 5-15 lbs of weight loss at the most and are often not sustainable. These medications are not cheap and can cost more than $1000 per month. Here is an sample price list pulled from EPIC electronic prescription system:

• Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia)

  

• Bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave)

  

• Liraglutide (Saxenda)

  

• Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic)

  

• Orlistat (Xenical, Alli)

  

Is Ozempic safe and effective?

Most drug safety studies are sponsored by - you guessed it, the drug company itself. According to the seller it is very effective with very few side effects like the study found on New England Journal of Medicine as shown below.

What if I designed the placebo group in this study by taking the the yearly cost of Ozempic ($15K) and payed for daily meal prep, nutrition counseling and a personal trainer? Do you think Ozempic will compare favorably to my Placebo group?

Here is a list of potential side effects from the drug manufacture.

Ozempic^® may cause serious side effects, including:

• inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using Ozempic^® and call your health care provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without vomiting. You may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back.

• changes in vision. Tell your health care provider if you have changes in vision during treatment with Ozempic^®.

• low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Your risk for getting low blood sugar may be higher if you use Ozempic^® with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include: dizziness or Iightheadedness, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability or mood changes, sweating, slurred speech, hunger, confusion or drowsiness, shakiness, weakness, headache, fast heartbeat, and feeling jittery.

• kidney problems (kidney failure). In people who have kidney problems, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration), which may cause kidney problems to get worse. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration.

• serious allergic reactions. Stop using Ozempic^® and get medical help right away if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat; problems breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting or feeling dizzy; or very rapid heartbeat.

• gallbladder problems. Gallbladder problems have happened in some people who take Ozempic^®. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get symptoms which may include: pain in your upper stomach (abdomen), fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or clay-colored stools.

The most common side effects of Ozempic^® may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach (abdominal) pain, and constipation.

What is the goal of weight loss?

I hope most of you by now realize that losing 5-15 lbs for short period of time will not significantly impact your health or longevity. Athletes need to be aware that Ozempic may reduce muscle mass and decrease sports performance. There are no weight loss drugs that can improve your cardiovascular health by it self and help you live a long and disease free life in a meaningful way. There are a couple pockets in the world where people do live a long and happy life without the burden of obesity and we call these places “blue zone”. Here is a great presentation from Dan Buettner’s blue zone TED talk.

Yes, there are few of my patients that may benefit from Ozempic but most of us need to get off our couch and move, find meaningful relationships to help reduce social anxiety and depression and eat delicious healthy whole food. You will then be in the best shape inside and out :)