Ozempic seems to be the hot topic on everyone’s lips right now, thanks to the wave of celebs who’ve admitted to using it to lose weight – and fast.
But there’s still a lot people might not know about the controversial drug, which was originally designed to treat type two diabetes.
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Ozempic, or its unbranded name of semaglutide, helps people to lose weight by suppressing appetite.
However, there are a number of side effects that such medications have been known to cause, including nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting and constipation.
Longer-term side effects may also include thyroid tumours – including thyroid cancer - pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, and kidney failure.
And that’s among those who are allowed to take it in the first place.
Is Ozempic safe for everyone?
Writing for The Sun, Dr Zoe Williams addressed the topic of whether Ozempic was ‘safe for everyone’, including people who aren’t actually overweight, and the short answer was no.
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Williams explained how, with the causes behind obesity a ‘complex’ matter, one way to look at Ozempic and similar drugs is that they ‘level the playing field’.
“For people who are genetically predisposed to being more hungry, the medication makes their urge to eat more aligned to that of a person who finds it easy to stay slim,” she said.
“In terms of safety, no medication is without any risk and the balance against benefits is different for each individual, but are more likely to lean towards being beneficial for people who have severe obesity, especially if they have related health issues.
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“For people of a healthy weight, or who carry excess weight but remain metabolically healthy, it’s much more likely that the risks outweigh any benefit.”
Taking the lengthy list of side effects into consideration, Williams added: “So in a nutshell, the simple answer to your question is no.”
Ozempic eligibility criteria
Ozempic is only available in the UK to treat type two diabetes, with guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommending it can be prescribed to adults over 18 when: using three medications has not proven effective in managing diabetes; or you are unable to take these medications – perhaps due to side effects or because of other conditions.
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In the US, it is also approved by the Food and Drug administration (FDA) for adults with type two diabetes to lower blood sugar, along with diet and exercise, and reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in adults with type two diabetes and known heart disease.
Can you get Ozempic on the NHS?
While Ozempic is not used as a weight loss tool in the UK, other variations of the unbranded drug – semaglutide – are approved.
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According to the NHS, you'll only be prescribed semaglutide if you have ‘health problems due to your weight’ and you have a BMI of either:
- 35 or more, or 32.5 or more if you're of Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean origin
- 30 to 34.9, or 27.5 to 32.4 if you're of Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean origin, and you meet other criteria to be treated by a specialist weight management service
“It's not recommended if you're pregnant or breastfeeding or have certain health conditions,” it adds.
Who shouldn’t take Ozempic?
As well as people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, manufacturer labelling states that Ozempic specifically may not be safe for those with pancreatitis or gallbladder disease.
Forbes reports that doctors also may not recommend the drug if you have diabetic retinopathy or kidney problems, and that you should avoid it if you have a personal or family history of thyroid cancer.
Basically, unless your doctor recommends it: don't touch it.
Jess Hardiman