Ozempic for weight loss: Is it safe to use this anti-diabetes drug?

Ozempic, a prescription drug usually used to handle kind 2 diabetes, is quick turning into a solution for fast weight reduction options the world over. As weight problems circumstances improve globally, Ozempic and different weight reduction medicine have change into the speak of the city, inviting curiosity amongst individuals who want to shed extra pounds shortly. However is it protected? What’s all of it about? Who ought to use it? Who ought to keep away from it? There are many issues surrounding the usage of Ozempic for weight reduction and its unwanted effects.

Ozempic is already a rage within the US. It’s an injectable drugs used weekly beneath the pores and skin of the thigh, abdomen or higher arm, to handle blood sugar ranges and scale back weight.

What’s Ozempic?

It’s the model title for semaglutide, a prescription medicine developed by the Danish pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk. It was initially accredited by the US Meals and Drug Administration in 2017 for the therapy of kind 2 diabetes. “It belongs to a category of medication often called GLP-1 receptor agonists (glucagon-like peptide-1), which copy the motion of the pure hormone GLP-1 within the physique,” says bariatric surgeon Dr Atul Sardana. The hormone helps regulate blood sugar ranges by stimulating insulin secretion, decreasing glucagon secretion and slowing down digestion.

“It additionally has further advantages for cardiovascular well being, notably in individuals who have diabetes and a historical past of coronary heart illness. On this context, it could possibly scale back the danger of main cardiovascular occasions comparable to coronary heart assaults and strokes,” says the knowledgeable. It’s administered by way of a once-weekly injection beneath the pores and skin, normally within the stomach, thigh or higher arm.

Ozempic for weight reduction: How does it work?

Though initially designed to deal with diabetes, it has gained widespread consideration for its off-label use for weight problems administration. “Utilizing Ozempic for weight reduction has change into extra frequent as a consequence of promising outcomes from medical research displaying its potential to considerably scale back physique weight,” says the knowledgeable. Throughout a research of 175 folks with chubby or weight problems, they got semaglutide. The research, revealed in JAMA Community Open, confirmed that the overall physique weight reduction percentages achieved have been 5.9 % at 3 months and 10.9 % at 6 months.

Right here’s how Ozempic for weight reduction works:

• Urge for food suppression: GLP-1 receptors within the mind, particularly within the hypothalamus, assist management urge for food. “By activating these receptors, the medication reduces starvation alerts, resulting in decreased meals consumption,” shares the knowledgeable.
• Slowed gastric emptying: Ozempic for weight reduction works, because it delays the time it takes for meals to go away the abdomen. This in flip promotes a sense of fullness and reduces the urge to eat steadily.
• Stabilised blood sugar ranges: By enhancing insulin launch and lowering glucagon secretion, Ozempic for weight reduction works by decreasing blood sugar fluctuations, which might in any other case set off cravings and overeating.

Ozempic for weight reduction: Dose and security

“You may strive Ozempic for weight reduction, as it’s typically thought of protected when used beneath the supervision of a health care provider,” says Dr Sardana. Do not forget that Ozempic for weight reduction just isn’t formally accredited, however many physicians prescribe it off-label for weight problems as a consequence of its effectiveness.

To make sure security, make certain to stay to the dosing schedule that begins with a low dose:

• Week 1–4: 0.25 mg as soon as weekly (beginning dose)
• Week 5–8: 0.5 mg as soon as weekly
• After 8 weeks: Dose could also be elevated to 1 mg or as much as 2 mg weekly relying in your response and tolerance to the weekly drugs.

“The choice to extend dosage needs to be made by your physician,” says the knowledgeable, asserting that these medicines can’t be used with out due supervision.

What are the unwanted effects of Ozempic for weight reduction?

Gastrointestinal signs like nausea, constipation and diarrhea are the most typical unwanted effects of Ozempic, in accordance with Harvard Well being Publishing.

“Nausea usually happens throughout the first few weeks and will subside over time. Diarrhea or constipation are typical as the burden loss drug slows down gastrointestinal motility,” says the knowledgeable.

Different unwanted effects of Ozempic for weight reduction embody:

• Abdomen ache and bloating, which can be associated to delayed gastric emptying (the method by which meals contents depart the abdomen and enter the primary a part of the small gut for additional digestion and absorption).
• Fatigue can happen, notably within the early levels of taking Ozempic for weight reduction, probably as a consequence of lowered meals consumption.

Much less frequent unwanted effects of Ozempic for weight reduction embody:

• Pancreatitis, which is the irritation of the pancreas, characterised by extreme stomach ache and vomiting.
• Fast weight loss could improve the danger of gallstones.
• Kidney issues could also be worsened by dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea.

Ozempic for weight reduction works, and so helps in struggle in opposition to weight problems. Initially developed for kind 2 diabetes, it has proven advantages in serving to folks shed extra pounds by suppressing urge for food. It comes with unwanted effects, together with constipation and nausea. So, use it beneath the steerage of a medical skilled. Additionally, don’t overlook to eat wholesome and usually sweat it out for greatest outcomes.