Ozempic: Controversial diet drug takes over the internet despite health warnings | US News

Proponents say it’s a “miracle” diet drug – making users lose their appetite. But what is the truth about Ozympic?

Ozympic is Hollywood’s controversial “best secret” weight loss drug, and its seemingly quick side effects have set the Internet ablaze.

“There’s definitely talk of celebrities doing it,” says Los Angeles-based art dealer Samantha Glasser, who has been taking Ozympic since April.

“I completely changed my lifestyle. I didn’t know I could lose 50-odd pounds,” she says.

But the drug is prescribed to treat things like diabetes, and there are concerns that demand is making it difficult for doctors to get the drug to patients who need it.

Elon Musk’s slim figure is down to the needle — “under 30 pounds,” he tweeted in November.

The Olympic rumor mill swirled around Kim Kardashian after she made a drastic weight change ahead of this year’s MET Gala, although she didn’t confirm she was using it.

Available only by prescription in the UK for type 2 diabetics, the drug was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year for weight loss.

The main controversy of Ozympic comes from the immediate effect – from mild to severe nausea when thinking about food.

“The biggest complaint I hear is patients going to their favorite restaurant and saying, ‘I can’t eat two bites of steak, I’m sick,'” says Dr. Daniel Giam, a clinic in Simi Valley, California. Flooded with requests for Ozempic and WeGovy – same injection.

There are other side effects – pancreatitis, gallstones and increased risk of thyroid cancer.

‘Resetting your main clock’

After initial skepticism, LA-based nutritionist Kim Shapira has now made an Olympic change after working with a variety of clients.

“You hear that someone willingly takes a drug that makes them sick, but you realize it’s all relative. How sick are you? It’s mild nausea … and there’s medicine to offset that,” she said.

“You’re basically resetting your prime time. And if you can actually do the work and understand your emotional needs while you’re at it, I think there’s going to be a lot of benefits.”

Lack of people who rely on it

Shortages are widespread, and there are fears that drugs like Ozempic are becoming available to diabetics who rely on them for treatment.

Dr. Robert Gabey, chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Association, told Sky News that patients “go from pharmacy to pharmacy where they can get it.”

“I definitely have patients who struggle to get the medication and miss the dose, which can lead to weight gain and high blood glucose,” he said.

Popularity is expected in the “obesity epidemic”.

Many say the commotion surrounding the Olympics is to be expected.

The US diet industry is worth nearly $58 billion and more than a third of its population is obese.

But the traditional dangers of offering people a “quick fix” for weight loss don’t go away with expert advice.

Ms. Shapira added: “We are in an obesity epidemic, with the average American gaining 29 pounds (13.15 kg) during Covid.

“Their size can contribute to high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, high blood sugar… This is going to change things.

“I think doctors have a real responsibility here, to make sure it’s prescribed to the right person at the right time for the right reasons.”