Avinash karn
Ozempic, an injectable medicine dubbed “Hollywood’s worst kept secret,” has been linked to the remarkable weight reduction of Kim and Khloe Kardashian and other celebrities.
Business tycoon Elon Musk credited his loss of 13.6 kg (30 pounds) to the Olympics, Wegovy, fasting, and avoiding “tasty meals” in a tweet.
As a quick way to lose weight, the substance is also getting a lot of attention on social media sites like TikTok.
What is the Olympic?
The brand names for the diabetic drug semaglutide are Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. The medication, which was created by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, is used to treat people with type-2 diabetes.
The anti-obesity medication Wegovy, which contains a greater dose of semaglutide, has received approval.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medication semaglutide enhances insulin secretion (which aids in lowering blood sugar levels) after a meal while decreasing glucagon synthesis (which helps increase blood sugar levels).
The medication controls blood glucose levels while also promoting weight loss, reducing the risk of hypoglycemia, and enhancing kidney and heart health.
In 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration gave the medication its approval.
A 2018 study found that semaglutide in particular caused individuals to lose more weight than those using other GLP-1 RA medications. Compared to other medicines, which witnessed weight reductions of between 1.4 and 2.5 kg, it roughly lowered body weight by 4 kg.
Despite social media users praising its capabilities as a “miracle” weight loss trick, a diabetes medication is experiencing international shortages and raising health worries.
Ozempic is an injectable medication made by the Danish business Novo Nordisk that controls insulin and blood sugar levels. Adults with Kind 2 diabetes, which is the most prevalent type of diabetes, are typically prescribed it.
Semaglutide, the drug’s active component, also mimics the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is focused on regions of the brain that control hunger and food. Users may lose weight as a result of it since it helps them feel full more quickly.
Ozempic has thus been promoted online as a miraculous diet supplement. The #Ozempic hashtag on TikTok has received over 360 million views so far.
Fasting + Ozempic/Wegovy + no tasty food near me
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 16, 2022
On Facebook, groups dedicated to the use of Ozempic for weight loss have tens of thousands of followers.
The shortage of Ozempic in Australia, which is predicted to endure until the end of March 2023, is already a result of the global rise in demand.
Authorities in Australia have urged medical providers to avoid writing new Ozempic prescriptions and to get in touch with diabetic patients who are affected by the shortage so they can convert them to alternative therapies.
Similar directives were given by France’s national drug safety agency in September, when it recommended physicians to only begin writing new GLP-1 medication prescriptions for Type 2 diabetes patients with a history of stroke or heart disease.
Authorities in Australia and the UK have also warned influencers who advertise these medications online. Pharmaceutical advertising to the general public in France is a strictly controlled activity that needs prior authorization and is only permitted for drugs that are not covered by the nation’s public health insurance programme.
Novo Nordisk stated in an email that it was taking the shortages seriously and has invested $1.6 billion (€1.5 billion) to increase its production capacity in 2022 alone. To meet “stronger than anticipated” demand, the company’s global manufacturing facilities are working around-the-clock, according to the statement.
To minimise the impact on patients, “We are committed to working together with authorities in affected markets, and we are doing everything we can to be able to meet demand as quickly as possible.”
What are the health risks?
The scarcity affects persons who use these medications only for weight loss as well as diabetic patients who must adhere to their treatment regimen on a regular basis.
“There may be slight digestive side effects, occasionally severe constipation, and pancreatic irritation. Rarely, this can result in cancer “French TV station France 3 was informed by François Montastruc, a pharmacologist at Toulouse University Hospital (Haute-Garonne).
The European Medicines Agency’s instructions for Ozempic warn that nausea, diarrhoea, and hypoglycemia are “quite common” side effects. As with any medications, a doctor should consider any contraindications before administering Ozempic.
The use of Ozempic in individuals without diabetes or excess weight has not been well examined, but prescription recommendations differ from country to country.
The widespread off-label use of a diabetes medication comes to mind the French Mediator controversy. Before it was connected to catastrophic heart issues and removed from the French market in 2009, the medication was frequently given as an appetite suppressant and for weight loss.
The FDA approved semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, under the brand name Wegovy in 2021 for chronic weight management in adults who are obese or overweight and have at least one related condition, such as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. Ozempic was not licenced for weight loss.
According to the US marketing authorization, Wegovy carries warnings for “increased heart rate and suicidal behaviour or thinking,” “inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), gallbladder problems (including gallstones), low blood sugar, acute kidney injury, diabetic retinopathy (damage to the eye’s retina), and low blood sugar.
The US National Library of Medicine cautions against Ozempic, stating that the injectable medication “may raise your risk of developing thyroid tumours, especially medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a kind of thyroid cancer.” It is unknown if semaglutide raises the risk of tumour development in people, however it has been shown to cause tumours in laboratory animals.
Novo Nordisk stated in a statement to Euronews Next that “it conforms to high ethical standards and all legislation and does not promote or prompt any off-label promotions of its medications.” It was stated that doctors should select the most effective treatment plan for their patients.
The pharmaceutical company continued, “To date, the safety data from trials and post-marketing safety surveillance have not shown any concerns that outweigh the benefit of treatment.” Its GLP-1 medications have been available for more than ten years.
A large list of medications diverted
It’s hardly the first time a medicine has been utilised for purposes other than those for which it was designed.
A BBC programme from 2021 cautioned against female influencers using the drug-laced syrup apetamin to gain weight quickly and obtain an exaggerated hourglass form. The medication, which is illegal in France and the UK, can make you sleepy and, in extreme situations, can even put you in a coma or cause liver failure.
In recent years, a number of beauty “tricks” utilising illegal substances or off-label applications have drawn criticism. Two French researchers issued a warning in a 2017 article on The Conversation on the usage of Homeoplasmine, a prescribed ointment that contains boric acid and has been marketed as a moisturising balm, especially for the lips.
Anti-haemorrhoid treatments’ purported ability to lessen eye bags and puffiness has recently made news. These lotions are inappropriate for the delicate, thin skin around the eyes since they frequently include hydrocortisone.
Generally speaking, medical authorities advise using goods from the medicine cabinet with caution and on a doctor’s recommendation.
