For the past several months the headlines have heralded the news about weight loss drugs containing semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy). Their popularity has skyrocketed being featured on tv and the internet with endorsements by doctors and celebrities. As one local pharmacist I spoke with said Wegovy is “flying off the shelves.”
What’s the Big Deal?
According to the CDC in the US about 70% of adults are obese or overweight which makes them more at risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even some types of cancer. Any drug, treatment plan or diet that can help reduce body weight 5 to 10 percent without severe side effects is worth attention.
Research has shown that the active ingredient in Ozempic, semaglutide, works well not only for diabetes but also to cut risk of risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular diseases. www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2307563/
Surprisingly Ozempic was found to also cause weight loss which IS a big deal. However, Ozempic was not approved for weight loss but only prescribed for diabetes. And then came Wegovy…
What’s the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?
Semaglutide’s weight loss benefit prompted manufacturer Novo Nordisk to market semaglutide as new drug, Wegovy, with roughly twice the dosage of semaglutide as Ozempic. It was approved for weight loss but only for patients who are not only chronically obese or overweight but also have at least one other chronic condition (hypertension, diabetes, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, or high blood fats.)
How does Wegovy work? (from manufacturer’s patient instructions)
The drugs decrease appetite and slow down emptying of the stomach so people feel less hungry and eat less. Both Ozempic and Wegovy are not meant to stand alone but “as an adjunct to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.”
What are some common concerns about these and other weight loss drugs?
• Adverse reactions (greater than 5 %) As listed on the drug label these include “nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain and bloating, flatulence, intestinal blockage and hypoglycemia in diabetic patients
• These weight loss drugs require monthly self injections which are expensive- over $1000 per dose, usually not covered by insurance.
• Studies have shown that these medications must be continued or patients will regain the weight lost. (Source: Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism A Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics)
What’s on the horizon for weight loss research?
Novo Nordisk and its competitors are aggressively developing and marketing medications like semaglutide including an oral version. Most of these, however, are still in clinical trials and not yet available. Prescription solely for weight loss diagnosis is not anticipated. In 2023 promising research at the University of Arizona revealed that the drug semaglutide mimics a hormone (GLP-1) that humans naturally produce with food. The body’s production of GLP-1 is increased by increasing fiber intake, especially barley, oats and rye. This is preliminary, but promising research.
So what can I do to follow-up?
Check out this article from Harvard: (www.health.Harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-new-weight-loss-drugs/ Listen to this podcast: Less snacking, more satisfaction: Some foods boost levels of an Ozempic-like hormone (10/30/23) Include more fiber-rich foods in your diet to regulate hunger and increase satiety.
