By: Michelle Lau, RD
Ozempic. Why is every influencer and their friend using Ozempic? Will it help to lose weight? What’s the catch? Read on to find out.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is the brand name for a medication called semaglutide, which belongs to the family of GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Ozempic is an injectable formulation of semaglutide, and is approved by the FDA for blood sugar management for people with diabetes. While Ozempic is not approved for weight management, it is often prescribed off-label for this.
How does it cause short-term weight loss?
Ozempic can cause weight loss by suppressing your appetite in two ways: (1) By slowing down stomach emptying – if food stays in your stomach for longer, you feel full for longer. (2) By mimicking fullness hormones – tricks the brain into thinking it is full.
Ultimately, it suppresses appetite, therefore effectively lowering food intake, resulting in weight loss.
What are the side effects while taking Ozempic?
The most common or severe side effects of Ozempic are reported to be nausea, vomiting, explosive diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation, pancreatitis, thyroid cancer, poor mental health, gall-stones, gall bladder disease, nutrient deficiencies, muscle wasting, diabetic retinopathy, female infertility, kidney damage, and/or facial ageing (“ozempic face”).
What happens when you stop taking Ozempic?
Binging, weight gain, and/or impaired hunger-fullness cues! Ozempic essentially mutes your body’s natural signals that usually tell you when you’re hungry, which helps to prolong restriction and promote weight loss. When you stop taking Ozempic, your natural signals are restored, leading individuals to binge and gain weight. Research shows that the majority of weight is gained back when off the drug, likely as a response to the malnourished state your body was in while taking Ozempic.
Why I’m concerned about Ozempic
As a dietitian working with people with eating disorders/disordered eating, I help clients repair their relationship with food, body, and weight, often through regulating eating and fostering body respect. I am concerned about Ozempic as it encourages exactly the opposite of these strategies by making restriction much more accessible and promising a smaller body size. Similar to other modes of restriction like dieting, short-term Ozempic use feeds into patterns like yo-yo dieting and weight cycling, which increases health risks and results in weight gain beyond original body weight. Ozempic perpetuates diet culture, prioritizing short-term thinness at the expense of long-term physical and mental health.
What should you do if you are considering Ozempic?
I would encourage you to think critically about WHY you are considering taking Ozempic, as well as the short and long-term implications. What will happen if you do lose weight? Will your mental health be affected? What happens if you have to stop taking Ozempic and the weight comes back? Will you still be happy?
I believe in body autonomy – each individual should be able to decide what to do with their bodies. I also believe in informed consent: that is, for you to make the right decision for your body and mind, you should have all the information (both the pros and cons) and be in a healthy headspace to make a sound decision. Ozempic comes with great risks, which I do not think are covered in most TikTok videos. I would urge you to be mindful of the side effects and think about what is your true tolerability in the pursuit of weight loss. Also, consider what impact this drug has on your relationship with food, your body, and your weight. If you have been diagnosed with an eating disorder or body dysmorphia, what role will Ozempic play in your recovery?
Lastly, I would encourage you to speak to your healthcare team members to fully understand the risks and benefits, as well as consider other options. Your decisions for your health can be personal and complicated. Your relationship with your body can be even more so.
Consume social media with a critical eye. Be curious about your health. Engage in conversations with your healthcare providers.