Should You Take Ozempic for Weight Loss?
Ozempic, and diet meds as a whole, have been around for a while. In fact, the first prescription weight loss drug gained FDA approval in 1959. They are nothing new.
Recently, Ozempic (and other injectables like Wegovy and Mounjaro) have been really picking up steam. In fact, the hashtag #ozempic on TikTok has 662 million views (and counting) with related hashtags racking up even more millions of views. These prescription drugs are trendy (a phrase I never thought I would type on my blog).
Is using Ozempic for weight loss too good to be true? Are there any risks involved? Can weight loss medications be a part of an intuitive eating journey? Let’s talk about it.
A disclaimer before we continue - the choice to take a medication is ultimately your own, hopefully with the assistance of a medical provider that you trust and believe has your best interest at heart.
You are not a “better” or “worse” person for taking prescription medications, whatever they may be. This post is meant to illustrate the potential risks of prescription drugs being “trendy” and discuss the potential risks of using Ozempic for weight loss purposes.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is the brand name for a semaglutide injection. It is used to treat type 2 diabetes. At the time that I am writing this, Ozempic is not FDA approved for weight loss. The medication can be prescribed off-label for weight loss, which is a term that means that the drug is being prescribed for an unapproved treatment.
How Ozempic aids in weight loss
Ozempic (semaglutide) is an injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist drug that works by slowing down stomach emptying and signaling to your brain that your stomach is full. This leaves patients who take Ozempic experiencing less hunger and feeling satisfied with fewer calories.
Ozempic vs. Wegovy vs. Mounjaro
Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are all very popular injectable medications in the weight loss industry right now. While all three may lead to weight loss, there are some key differences between them.
Wegovy
Wegovy is also a subcutaneous semaglutide, like Ozempic, but it is used at a higher dose. The other difference between Wegovy and Ozempic is that Wegovy is FDA approved for weight loss while Ozempic is not (at the time that this post was written).
Mounjaro
Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide and it is also an injectable used to treat type 2 diabetes. As of right now, Mounjaro is not FDA approved for weight loss, but there is talk that it likely will be soon.
Mounjaro is relatively new to the scene and was FDA approved for treatment of type 2 diabetes in May 2022.
Ozempic, Wegovy, and Saxenda (another anti-diabetic medication used for weight loss that is, fun fact, also approved for use in kids ages 12 and up), are produced by Novo Nordisk pharmaceutical company.
Recent news - Weight Watchers gets their hands in the Ozempic pot
I’ve talked about Weight Watchers (ahem, WW) before (read it here). They have been around for a long time (60 years, to be exact) and they continue to be a problematic diet with great marketing.
Weight Watchers recently acquired a telehealth company known as Sequence for more than 100 million dollars. You read that right - WW is putting their money where their mouth is. With this acquisition, Weight Watchers members will have the option be prescribed weight loss drugs while following the WW “proven lifestyle program”.
Here’s what is ironic about all of this - in 2018, Weight Watchers rebranded to WW, which stands for Wellness that Works. This rebrand was done with the intention of removing their focus from weight loss and making Weight Watchers seem like less of a diet and more of a '“lifestyle”. Factors such as sleep, mindset, and exercise were incorporated to be paired with their ever-changing points system.
WW loves a rebrand - they changed from Weight Watchers to “WW” to try and prove that they are about more than weight and they are all about “wellness”, yet here they are now, getting their grimy hands even more involved in the weight loss industry (that they never actually left).
This is a classic diet culture move. We as a society are becoming more aware that diets don’t work (love that for us). But in order to keep their industry booming, diets are rebranding to seem like less of a fad and more of a “lifestyle” change under the guise of “wellness” (looking at you too, Noom). But spoiler alert - Weight Watchers is still a diet.
Another humorous (if we don’t laugh, we’ll cry) part of this buy-out is that Weight Watchers has always marketed themselves as a foolproof weight loss solution. Just count your points and you'll reach your weight loss goals, they say. But now they are admitting that it may not be that simple and that “obesity” is not just about diet and exercise. So which is it, WW? Is your “lifestyle” change enough or does it not work as well as you previously stated?
The bottom line with this whole Weight Watchers/Sequence partnership - it was never about wellness. It’s about the money. But we already knew that, right?
The issues with Ozempic being trendy
Lack of supply
One huge issue with Ozempic being prescribed as frequently as it is is the lack of supply for those with type 2 diabetes. There are many patients with type 2 diabetes that are dependent on this medication to manage their condition and they are having trouble getting it. Without their medication, patients with diabetes could be at higher risk for heart disease, infections, and even death in the worst case scenario.
I have also spoken with many patients who have been prescribed Ozempic or another injectable for weight loss and, due to the lack of supply, have found it very difficult to maintain their weight loss. These patients have expressed a lot of stress with not having the medication to help them and seemingly “stripped away” from them.
Price
These medications are very expensive without insurance. If you are a celebrity, this is not an issue. Celebrities (or anyone with the extra cash) can pay for the off-label prescription without having a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. This further illustrates how the thin ideal is much more easily attainable by those with money.
If you do not have type 2 diabetes but would like to use Ozempic for weight loss purposes only, it may be difficult to access the drug, especially if you are unable to unwilling to pay out of pocket.
Side effects
Taking Ozempic likely will not be all sunshine and rainbows. The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. This is especially likely when eating too quickly or eating portions that are beyond what your body can handle. Remember how I said Ozempic slows down digestion?
Other possible side effects include:
Possible thyroid cancer
Drops in blood sugar, especially in those who do not have diabetes
Pancreatitis
Changes in vision
Kidney failure
Gallbladder problems
Little understanding of long term effects
Again, Ozempic is not FDA approved for weight loss (nor is Mounjaro). We cannot know for sure what the outcomes of taking these medications lon term will be
Many of the studies that do exist are short term and funded by the pharmaceutical companies themselves. Just a little biased, eh?
The longest study on Wegovy (which, as a reminder, is FDA approved for weight loss) is only 68 weeks in length. Yet we in the non-diet space know that alternate research shows that 90 to 97% of people who lose weight through dieting will regain it back within two to five years. So sure, these injectables may aid in short term weight loss. But what about after 3-5 years later and beyond? And what happens if/when patients stop taking the medication? See next point.
Likely weight regain
Weight regain is very likely. These medications really only “work” while you are taking them. Yes, Ozempic and the like may lead to weight loss. But this weight loss will not be sustainable if your eating habits are completely different once you stop the medication.
Neither weight loss drugs (or weight loss surgery) will help the underlying issues that you may have with food. Any weight loss seen with drugs or surgery will likely be unsustainable without addressing one’s relationship with food.
Body shaming
People who use Ozempic, whether for type 2 diabetes treatment or for weight loss, are being body shamed and judged for using the medication. Terms such as “Ozempic body” and “Ozempic face” are being used to describe people who have take (or are assumed to have taken) the medication. So not only is Ozempic trendy and being praised as a “miracle” weight loss drug, but taking it will also leave you being judged by others. You really can’t win with diet culture.
Impossible body standards
The weight loss seen in celebrities and influencers creates impossible body standards for those who cannot access the medication or choose not to take it. This is not anything new - celebrities have been making those without loads of expendable income, time, and resources feel bad about themselves for decades.
Trouble honoring hunger and fullness
If you are on an intuitive eating journey, taking a medication that intentionally suppresses your appetite may not be supportive of navigating your hunger and fullness cues and building trust with your body.
I have worked with patients on Ozempic who have said things like “I never think about food anymore! I finally have a normal relationship with food!” While I understand the sentiment, not having an appetite or ever thinking about food is not a “normal” relationship with food. I would define normal as being able to feel hunger and to want and enjoy food.
Diet culture has pathologized the desire to eat and wanting to enjoy food and made it seem like something that needs to be fixed. How many times have you shamed yourself for wanting to eat something simply because it sounded good? There is nothing wrong with you for wanting to eat simply for pleasure.
Bottom line
Prescription drugs should not be trendy. Period.
Frankly, weight loss medications are a result of diet culture and fatphobia. These are not “miracle drugs”. They are just another way for pharmaceutical companies to make billions off of their anti-fat bias.
If you are on an intuitive eating journey, taking Ozempic (or Mounjaro or Wegovy) for weight loss may not be supportive of this as it can make it difficult to tune in to your internal hunger and fullness cues.