As weight loss drugs are on rise and more people are turning to them to shed the pounds, we're seeing an influx of different side effects emerge.
According to Nesta, 1.5 million people in the UK are estimated to be accessing GLP-1 treatment privately.
Drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy have become more popular in the last few years, with many famous faces openly discussing their experiences with them.
But to be clear, while Mounjaro and Wegovy are signed off for weight loss in the UK, Ozempic is not a weight loss drug and is only approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
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Mild side effects, such as nausea, constipation and diarrhoea, are common for those taking the weekly injectables, however, we've also seen a number of more bizarre ones pop in recent times.
From 'Ozempic teeth' to 'Ozempic baby', there's been a whole load of buzzwords thrown around - and yet another has popped up earlier this month.
Here's every unusual side effect users have reported - and buckle in, there's a lot.
Increased sex drive and 'Ozempic penis'
Kicking off with a bang, one 55-year-old British man claimed he's having a better time in the bedroom as a result of Wegovy.
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He told Metro: "If you have an impulsive drive for sex, it would affect that.
“But I have a normal sexual appetite, so actually it’s made me enjoy sex more because I’m not as self-conscious of my body and I’ve got more energy.”
On top of that, he also thinks his penis looks bigger due to the drug.
He said: “If anything, my penis looks bigger, because you lose body fat around it and your overall mass gets smaller.
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“It’s like when you shave your bush and it makes it look bigger.”
According to PhloClinic, better blood sugar control also leads to increased overall energy and well-being, improved circulation, and lower risk of erectile dysfunction in men.
'Ozempic baby'
Another equally unexpected side effect that's been reported is 'Ozempic baby' - and no - this doesn't literally mean a baby on Ozempic.
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According to The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the weight management jabs could be interfering with contraception.
Experts have claimed that people on the contraceptive pill may find that it isn’t being absorbed effectively if they’re also injecting with GLP-1 drugs.
MHRA advised women taking Mounjaro not to rely solely on the pill but to also use other forms of contraception, like condoms, especially during the first four weeks of treatment.
NHS guidance also outlines that weight loss drugs should not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant, or during breastfeeding.
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The advice is that anyone who gets pregnant while using them should speak to a healthcare professional and stop the medicine as soon as possible because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby.
'Ozempic face'
'Ozempic face' is a term to describe the noticeable facial changes that can occur in people who lose weight quickly.
Essentially, it refers to the fat around someone's face disappearing, causing a sunken and hollowed-out appearance.
As we know, Ozempic works by making you feel full, meaning you eat less and lose weight faster.
In some cases, the weight loss can be more pronounced in your face, making you look different.
However, facial fat has an important role - it's a necessity for facial aesthetics and elasticity. But as we say, weight loss can often result in the fat that used to cushion the skin no longer being in place.
And that's not all - reportedly, the drug can also lead to reduced levels of elastin and collagen, which are also essential.
'Ozempic teeth'
Moving on to Ozempic teeth - a phenomenon that's been picked up on by experts,
Adam Taylor, an anatomy professor at Lancaster University, told The Conversation that semaglutide can effect the salivary glands in the mouth.
He explained how it does this by reducing saliva production, which can in turn lead to dry mouth and not enough saliva to keep the mouth wet.
Dry mouth 'increases the risk of cavities and gum disease' - not to mention, encouraging bacteria that contribute to bad breath.
'Ozempic vulva'
Back to how weight loss drugs and type 2 diabetes medications can cause side effects down there, the next buzzword we're going to talk about is 'Ozempic vulva'.
Sherry Ross, M.D., an OB-GYN in Santa Monica, confirmed that like the other side effects, while it's not a medical term, it describes the changes your vulva may go through while on GLP-1 jabs.
She explained that the term 'refers to the visible sagging of the vulvar skin'.
The expert outlined: "The rapidity of this weight loss can cause visible skin sagging, laxity, and wrinkles throughout the body. All areas of the body can show visible skin-changes in response to this significant weight loss."
To be specific, the skin that makes up the inner labia, outer labia and pubic mound can all be affected.
Toilet habits
Those on GLP-1 medications also may have noticed their toilets habits changing - and not in a particularly good way.
One Ozempic user took to Reddit to detail his experience of uncontrollable diarrhoea, which left him toilet-bound, while another Mounjaro user found themselves at the other end of the scale, unable to go to the bathroom for a whole week.
Boots Online Doctor outlines that constipation is actually a very common side effect, affecting more than 1 in 10 people using Mounjaro, Wegovy and Saxenda.
To help with constipation, users should drink plenty of clear fluids such as water and herbal teas and try to eat small fruits such as prunes, figs or grapes.
Unfortunately, diarrhoea is also a very common side effect associated with the jabs.
Hair loss
Some Mounjaro users have reported losing more than just weight while taking the drugs.
Posting in the popular r/Mounjaro thread, one Redditor desperately wrote: “I am still losing so much hair. I had a full lush head of hair and now I have to fix my hair to cover bald spots. How long to recover?”
To break it down, while hair loss itself is not directly a side effect of the drug, losing weight rapidly, can cause telogen effluvium - which is rapid but temporary hair loss caused by stress or a change to your body.
As we say, it's temporary, with most patients seeing hair regrowth within six to 12 months.
Interference with medical scans
Finally, a new worrying side effect that's popped up this month is down to a new scientific study, which claims the weight loss jobs could be causing problems for doctors.
A study by researches from Alliance Medical Ltd claims that GLP-1 drugs are said to be interfering with medical imaging scans, making it more difficult for doctors to identify deadly illnesses.
The particular scan that's named in the study is PET-CT scans - a scan that provides a detailed 3D picture of how organs and tissues are functioning and their precise location.
A PET scan uses a mildly radioactive liquid called a radioactive tracer or FDG which shows up areas of your body where cells are more active than normal and can be used to critically identify cancer.
But, according to the research, doctors have noticed some unusual patterns of FDG in patients taking GLP-1 jabs, which can mask signs of cancer or make healthy tissue look diseased.
A spokesperson from Eli Lilly told Tyla: "Patient safety is Lilly’s top priority, and we take any reports regarding patient safety seriously. Regulatory agencies conduct extensive independent assessments of the benefits and risks of every new medicine and Lilly is committed to continually monitoring, evaluating, and reporting safety data to ensure the latest information is available for regulators and prescribers.
"We encourage patients to consult their doctor or other healthcare professional regarding any possible side effects they may be experiencing and to ensure that they are getting genuine Lilly medicine."
Tyla has also contacted Novo Nordisk for comment.
Topics: Ozempic, Mounjaro, Health, News, UK News, World News, Life
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Madison Burgess