One month after release, concerns about misuse grow
Weight confirmation is not possible during non-face-to-face treatment… Easily prescribed even with false information
Obese patients and normal weight people… The amount of body components such as water and blood varies
If the drug concentration in the blood rises suddenly… Risk of side effects such as nausea and acute pancreatitis
As more and more people use the obesity treatment drug ‘We Gobi’, which was officially launched in Korea on the 15th of last month, for beauty diet purposes, concerns are growing about the side effects of drug abuse. Experts warn that if underweight or normal weight people take Wegobi, the risk of side effects is much greater than that of obese people. It is also emphasized that mid- to long-term clinical trials have not been conducted on non-obese people. The possibility of side effects that have not yet been confirmed should not be overlooked.
According to related organizations such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korean Medical Association on the 17th, there are quite a few cases where Wigobi is secretly prescribed to non-obese patients through non-face-to-face treatment. In fact, there are reviews posted on online communities saying that they randomly filled out their health information and easily received prescriptions through non-face-to-face treatment. Recently, the Ministry of Health and Welfare requested each medical institution to confirm whether patients are eligible for prescriptions through sufficient treatment.
Wegobi, developed by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, is an obesity treatment. The main ingredient is semaglutide, a drug that mimics a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 plays a role in regulating hormones involved in hunger in
Semaglutide, which mimics GLP-1, only strengthens the function of tricking the brain into causing satiety and reducing food intake. Because it mimics hormones naturally secreted in the body, it is evaluated to be safer than existing drugs.
The problem is that it can be ‘poisonous’ if taken by a non-obese person. Those eligible for prescription of Wigobi are obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 and patients with a BMI of 27 or higher with cardiovascular diseases such as angina or myocardial infarction. BMI is weight (kg) divided by height (m) squared.
Kim Gyeong-gon, Vice President of the Korean Society of Obesity (Professor of Family Medicine, Gachon University Gil Hospital), said, “If the body of an obese person is like a 2L beaker, then the body of an underweight person is like a 1L beaker.” He added, “When administered the same amount of medication, the body of an underweight person is “As the blood concentration of the drug increases, the effect may be excessive and the side effects may be significant,” he warned.
Obese patients and normal weight people have different amounts of body components such as body water and blood. There are also differences in the degree to which the drug effect appears. The process by which Wigobi’s medicinal effects work is that the main ingredient, semaglutide, binds to albumin, a protein that maintains osmotic pressure between blood vessels and tissues, then slowly separates and binds to the drug’s receptor.
Wegobee’s core technological prowess is that it took enough time to allow semaglutide to bind to the receptor. Because the drug ingredients are effective while maintaining safe blood levels, administration can be continued at short intervals for weight loss. However, normal weight people have less albumin than obese people. There is a risk that the blood concentration of the drug will rise immediately as albumin is unable to retain semaglutide that has entered the body.
If the blood concentration of the drug continues to remain high, the risk of side effects increases. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, nausea, vomiting, cholelithiasis, and acute pancreatitis were reported as major side effects of Wigobi. According to academics, as hormonal balance becomes irregular, there is a possibility that menstrual irregularities and early menopause may occur in women.
Lim Soo, academic director of the Korean Obesity Society (Professor of Endocrinology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital), said, “In addition to the side effects of the drug itself, if a person who is already underweight loses excessive weight, the functions of important organs may not function properly, which can cause various side effects.” He warned.
Side effects that are not yet known are also risk factors. Wegobee’s clinical trials were conducted on obese patients. As for safety in normal and underweight patients, only basic toxicity tests were conducted in phase 1 clinical trials. Research is being actively conducted to examine the various effects of stomach bugs on the body.
A research team at West University in the UK published research results in May in the international academic journal ‘QJM: An International Journal of Medicine’ showing that GLP-1 series agonists such as Hugobee can affect cognitive ability. Recently, positive effects on various diseases such as cardiovascular disease have been confirmed one after another, but it is pointed out that there are many unconfirmed side effects.
Vice Chairman Kim said, “No mid- to long-term clinical trials have yet been conducted on the use of this drug for simple cosmetic purposes and weight loss.” He added, “A safe and effective drug must be properly administered under expert management to prevent unnecessary side effects from misuse by healthy people.” “Administration must take place,” he said.
Donga Science Reporter Park Jeong-yeon [email protected]
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- How does Semaglutide’s mechanism of action affect appetite regulation and weight loss?
It appears that you shared an article discussing the effects and potential risks of Semaglutide, a medication used for weight management that mimics the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone. The key points highlighted in the article include:
- Mechanism of Action: Semaglutide works by binding to receptors in the brain to promote feelings of satiety and reduce food intake. This drug is considered safer than other weight-loss medications as it mimics natural hormones.
- Prescription Requirements: It is generally prescribed for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of over 30 (obese) or over 27 (overweight) in conjunction with cardiovascular conditions. The calculations for BMI involve weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.
- Risks for Non-Obese Individuals: The article warns that the drug can be particularly harmful to non-obese or underweight individuals. This is likened to the idea that administering a fixed dose to a smaller “beaker” (underweight person) could lead to dangerously high levels of the drug in the bloodstream.
- Differences in Body Composition: There are physiological differences between obese and normal-weight individuals that affect how the body processes drugs, such as the amount of albumin, a protein that helps regulate drug levels in the blood.
- Potential Side Effects: Notable side effects include nausea, vomiting, and the risk of cholelithiasis (gallstones) and acute pancreatitis. There are also concerns about hormonal balance for women, potentially leading to menstrual irregularities or menopause.
- Long-term Safety Concerns: The article indicates a lack of mid- to long-term clinical trials specifically assessing the safety of Semaglutide in non-obese patients, as existing studies primarily involve obese individuals. There is ongoing research into the broader effects of GLP-1 agonists on body functions.
- Need for Expert Management: Experts emphasize the importance of professional guidance when using this medication, especially to avoid misuse among healthy individuals looking for cosmetic weight loss.
while Semaglutide may provide benefits for individuals with obesity, caution is necessary regarding its use in non-obese populations due to the increased risk of side effects and the lack of comprehensive safety data.