DEEP DIVE
Though side effects from Ozempic are rare, as usage rises some side effects are becoming more apparent
Published October 8, 2023 3:59PM (EDT)
Woman with stomach pain (Getty Images/martin-dm)
Although Ozempic is currently fashionable as a cosmetic weight loss drug, especially among the rich and famous, its intended use is to help individuals with diabetes or who struggle with severe obesity. Yet coverage of this drug is often filled with stories about dangerous long-term side effects like constant nausea and abdominal pain. The overwhelming majority of patients who use the drug do not report those symptoms, but their menacing nature is such that the risk is never far from a patient’s mind.
These fears were recently reinforced by a study published in the scientific journal JAMA. It found that non-diabetic patients who use drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss are at a higher risk of three rare, but severe, stomach conditions. One of those disorders, stomach paralysis, is not listed on the warning label for the drug. The drugs also put patients at an increased risk of inflammatory diseases like pancreatitis and certain types of bowel obstruction.
For people with diabetes, Ozempic (generically known as semaglutide) increases the levels of a hormone called incretin so that a diabetic person’s pancreas produces more insulin. The drug also reduces the amount of glucose produced by the liver. For people with serious weight problems, Ozempic activates GLP-1 receptors in the brain because another important hormone, known as glucagon-like peptide-1, is released when your body is full.
By mimicking GLP-1, Ozempic makes the brain feel full faster, and as a bonus slows digestion by forcing food to take longer to leave the body. This is what makes Ozempic such a popular cosmetic weight loss drug, along with other related drugs, such as Trulicity and Victoza. The key is that the dosages must be titrated carefully and with careful medical supervision, as each patient’s individual bodily makeup will heavily influence how they react to the drug.
“What matters most is how a person uses their semaglutide, not just the drug itself,” says Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an associate professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Dr. Bubu A. Banini, a digestive diseases physician and assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, acknowledges that while Ozempic does not cause adverse side effects for a majority of patients, there is going to be a smaller group whom the odds dictate are going to react badly to it. He also mentions that the FDA updated the side effect profile of Ozempic to include ileus, a temporary paralysis of the intestinal muscles.
The underlying problem is that, because Ozempic is a relatively new drug, there needs to be more ongoing research on it so doctors can accurately assess its safety. “These drugs are still relatively new in clinical use, hence additional data needs to be accrued,” says Banini.
Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic, emphasizes that patient safety is a top priority and they work closely with the FDA to continuously monitor the safety profile of their medicines. They urge patients to report any adverse side effects experienced while using the drug to help better determine the side effect profiles.
Dr. Dan Azagury, the section chief for bariatric and minimally invasive surgery and the medical director for the lifestyle and weight management clinic at Stanford University, acknowledges that rare side effects may occur with any drug, especially when millions of people are taking it. However, he notes that severe reactions have been reported by some patients and urges caution.
At the end of the day, the key to successfully using Ozempic is to only take it when prescribed by a reputable doctor and to make other necessary lifestyle changes to improve one’s health.
“Generally, I recommend combining Ozempic with lifestyle changes including avoiding high sugar foods, limiting calories and unhealthy fats, and engaging in moderate intensity exercise,” advises Dr. Banini.
It is important for patients to consult with their physician if they do not have diabetes mellitus 2 but are interested in taking anti-obesity medications.
Source: Salon
Matthew Rozsa is a staff writer at Salon. He received a Master’s Degree in History from Rutgers-Newark in 2012 and was awarded a science journalism fellowship from the Metcalf Institute in 2022.