Ozempic Is The New Botox? Weekly Jab To Get Skinnier Is A Fad Fast Catching Up. But Is It Safe?

First a slap shook the Oscars, now a 'jab' is being spoken about.

Ozempic is a diabetes drug that has taken the internet by storm

One would think that botox and fillers are still trending among those in Hollywood. But a new fad has taken over. It's called Ozempic.

Rarely has medicine, let alone controversial drug usage, been raised at the Oscars. But comedian and presenter Jimmy Kimmel stirred controversy this time, amidst an awkward laughter in the audience, about Ozempic usage. The apparent weight-loss formula in Hollywood was addressed in his opening monologue. "Everybody looks so great. When I look around this room, I can’t help but wonder ‘Is Ozempic right for me?’” Kimmel said, referring to the jab of the injectable prescription drug.

The cosmetic appeal of a drug that is used to combat diabetes and obesity is not to be taken lightly.

Ozempic is a medicine prescribed to Type II diabetes patients. But the side-effects are not glamorous. “GLP receptor agonist drugs are good for weight loss and consequently diabetes and related problems. But these should be used according to indication because side effects are problematic. Initially, there is nausea and vomiting and very rarely, there is pancreatic inflammation,” Dr Anoop Misra, Chairman, Fortis CDOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences, was quoted as saying in a report in The Indian Express.

What is Ozempic? 

Semaglutide is sold under the brand names, Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus. The antidiabetic medication treats Type 2 diabetes developed by Novo Nordisk in 2012. It is also an anti-obesity medication for long-term weight management.

Clinical trials funded by Nordisk showed overweight participants lose weight with a small dose of semaglutide once a week with lifestyle changes. But it is in no way a lifestyle drug for people with normal body weight to lose a few inches.

Why was it mentioned in the Oscars?

For legal purposes, Nordisk would rather have people use Wegovy as it is the only drug actually approved by the FDA for people to suppress their appetite and fat-blast. A shortage of Wegovy, however, is what has made netizens tout Ozempic as a quick fix. The joke made by Kimmel at the Oscars has just made the discussion a whole lot more public.

People without diabetes have begun using the drug off-label. This may also pose a problem of supply to those who actually have Type 2 diabetes. This insensitive cultural moment is being promoted by celebrities who are openly speaking out about using this drug, resulting in people dangerously clamoring to get their hands on it. 

Here are some celebrities who have openly tried semaglutide in different forms: 

• Business magnate Elon Musk wrote on Twitter that his weight loss was due to "fasting" and "Wegovy".
• Comedian Rosie O'Donnell said tirzepatide helped her lose 10 pounds and her appetite significantly decreased.
• Model and TikTok creator Remi Bader said she tried semaglutide but gained the weight back after coming off the drug, and the “binging got worse”.
• Comedian Chelsea Handler said she took Ozempic without knowing what it was. On a podcast, Handler shared that an "anti-aging doctor just hands it out to anybody", but that she felt nauseous. 

Is Ozempic Safe?

Ozempic can cause mild to serious side-effects.

Semaglutide doesn’t just cause weight loss by curbing your appetite, but side-effects such as nausea, diarrhoea and muscle loss have been reported too. This muscle loss causes the skin to age and sag faster, making the user look older. It is also common to regain weight as Bader shared on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast in January 2023.

A Novo Nordisk spokesperson said: “While we recognize that some healthcare providers may be prescribing Ozempic for patients whose goal is to lose weight, Novo Nordisk does not promote, suggest, or encourage off-label use of our medicines.”

There is also a possibility of stomach ache, headache, flatulence, indigestion, heartburn, bloating, reflux and hypoglycemia. The company has advised people who aren’t adults, or those pregnant, breastfeeding or have pancreatitis, Type 1 diabetes, diabetic retinopathy, problems with the pancreas or kidneys, a family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), or an endocrine system condition to avoid Ozempic.

"You will gain back some of the weight once you stop taking the medicine. No matter what method one uses to lose weight, other than bariatric surgery, there is some amount of weight gain once the intervention stops. A longer study has shown that is what happens with semaglutide as well. Though the weight gained back is still not the same as what it was when the medicine was started, it comes back all the same,” said Dr Misra in the IE article. 

He also reiterated the importance of lifestyle correction over quick fixes, and consulting a doctor before using such a drug.