2024-07-18 21:42:16
Side effects, costs & Co.
Hype about slimming injection “Wegovy”: Experts clarify
Updated on 18.07.2024 – 16:45Reading time: 4 min.
The trend surrounding the weight loss injection “Wegovy” continues – side effects and supply bottlenecks are causing concern. Experts explain and draw a conclusion.
It is rare for a drug to become a real hype. But it has happened with the drug “Wegovy”: people are showing on social media how they are losing weight with it – and reporting side effects. What has happened since it was introduced a year ago? An overview:
“Wegovy” is a prescription drug that is intended to help people lose and maintain weight by curbing appetite and increasing the feeling of satiety. Doctors have been able to prescribe the drug from the Danish company Novo Nordisk for this use in Germany since mid-July 2023. Patients inject it under the skin once a week using a prefilled pen that resembles a pen.
The “Wegovy” active ingredient semaglutide has been used for a long time to treat type 2 diabetes – under the trade name “Ozempic”. “Wegovy” contains the active ingredient in a higher dosage and has been approved for people with obesity, i.e. a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. The therapy should be combined with diet and exercise.
The “Wegovy” active ingredient semaglutide imitates the effect of the intestinal hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1). This is released from the small intestine after eating, explains Matthias Laudes, Vice President of the German Obesity Society (DAG) and Director of the Institute for Diabetology and Clinical Metabolism Research at the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein.
The hormone signals the pancreas to produce insulin. “That is the antidiabetic effect,” says Laudes. The second effect is that the brain is informed that something has been eaten and can develop a feeling of satiety. “That is the weight-regulating effect.”
The third effect is that it signals to the stomach that there is still enough food in the small intestine, so that gastric emptying is delayed. Patients notice this effect in particular as a side effect – namely nausea. But this usually subsides when people get used to eating smaller portions, says Laudes.
In addition to nausea, other gastrointestinal complaints such as vomiting, diarrhea and constipation often occur at the beginning of therapy, says Karsten Müssig of the German Society for Endocrinology (DGE), chief physician of the Clinic for Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Diabetology at the Franziskus Hospital Harderberg.
Therefore, treatment begins with a low dose and is gradually increased. Rare side effects include inflammation of the pancreas and intestinal obstruction. “This is why treatment should only be carried out under medical supervision,” warns Müssig.
A study recently published in the journal Jama Ophthalmology suggests that semaglutide may, in very rare cases, be associated with a serious eye disease called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).
Although this has not been proven, it must be taken seriously, says Horst Helbig of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG) and the University Hospital of Regensburg. Clarification of this question requires further studies and careful observation of patients.
Reports point to another phenomenon known as the “Ozempic Face”: In general, rapid weight loss can cause the face to appear sunken and very aged.
Like diabetes, obesity is a chronic disease, says Laudes, so the medication must be taken for life. “With a diabetes medication, no one would say that you can stop taking it after six months,” says Laudes. “Every obese person has the problem of gaining weight again and again throughout their life.” This can also be seen after gastric reduction surgery.
Obesity therapy should always include a change in lifestyle, such as a balanced diet and regular physical exercise, says DGE expert Müssig. The diet should be low in calories and high in fiber, and also contain fewer saturated and more unsaturated fatty acids – similar to the Mediterranean diet.
According to Müssig, the price of obesity therapy is around 300 euros per month. Patients have to cover the costs themselves because the medication is not covered by statutory health insurance.