Ozempic For Weight Loss – Is This The Use For The Drug?
While some are using Ozempic for weight loss, it is actually an FDA-approved drug for Type-2 diabetes.
Ozempic is a once-a-week injectable drug that is becoming more and more popular as a drug for weight loss. Numerous celebrities, TikTok influencers, and even a “Tech Mogul” (see new Twitter owner) have sung the weight-loss praises of Ozempic, turning swaths of those carrying around some extra lbs onto it. The problem, though, is that Ozempic has not been FDA approved for weight loss.
OZEMPIC IS AN FDA-APPROVED DRUG FOR TYPE-2 DIABETES
According to the FDA, which approved the drug in 2017, it is for those with type-2 diabetes. Ozempic is the working name for semaglutide, a medicine used to help treat both obesity and diabetes. Made by the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, semaglutide works by lower blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of major cardiovascular trauma such as stroke or heart attacks in type-2 diabetic patients.
Semaglutide is a Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist or GLP-1 agonist that works in a number of ways to help both obese and diabetic patients. It helps by increasing insulin release, it lowers the amount of glucagon released, delaying gastric emptying, and reducing one’s appetite.
While Ozempic is simply another name for semaglutide, the FDA has only approved it to combat diabetes.
OZEMPIC IS NOT MARKETED FOR WEIGHT LOSS
Novo Nordisk makes it perfectly clear on its website that although taking the drug may help a person lose some weight, “Ozempic is not a weight-loss drug.” So then the question becomes, “Why not?” This is where some confusion comes into play.
Novo Nordisk has another drug on the market, which received FDA approval in 2021, called Wegovy. This is another brand name the pharmaceutical company is using for its semaglutide drug, and its FDA approval was for weight loss. So, if both Ozempic and Wegovy are the same things (semaglutide), why can’t Ozempic be used for weight loss?
The only answer given is the difference in injectable pen dosages. Ozempic is offered in four doses – 0.25 mg, 0.50 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg. On the other hand, Wegovy comes in five injectable pen doses – 0.25 mg, 0.50 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, and 2.4 mg.
In an attempt to answer the question of why not Ozempic for weight loss, Novo Nordisk conducted the 68-week STEP program that started in 2018. STEP refers to Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with Obesity and it was conducted with people who were either overweight or obese, but none of those in the program were diabetic.
The trial was randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled which eventually showed that those who took Ozempic in combination with a lifestyle change (better eating habits and plenty of exercise), showed a 14.9% weight loss from their baseline weight.
Novo Nordisk conducted a separate trial called SUSTAIN and came up with very similar results as those who took Ozempic lost weight because of improved blood sugar control, their appetite was reduced, and there was a decrease in food cravings.
Still, though, even after all those trials and testing, Ozempic is still not approved for weight loss. This doesn’t mean the drug has not been prescribed for it. This is leading to another issue.
OZEMPIC IS IN SHORT SUPPLY
The FDA has listed Ozempic, and for that matter Wegovy, in short supply. They join a list of dozens of other medications patients are finding hard to get filled. One of the reasons is that Ozempic has proven to help with weight loss (as well as working well for type-2 diabetes), so the demand has been off the charts.
Things began to go crazy for the makers of both drugs when Elon Musk was asked about what he was doing to look so “fit, ripped, and healthy.” The Tesla CEO and new owner of Twitter responded by tweeting out he was taking Wegovy. Shortly after, Andy Cohen (radio and television talk show host) spoke about Ozempic’s popularity growth and TikTok has seen the hashtag #Ozempic being viewed over 298 million times.
In September, Variety reported on the growing use of Ozempic in Hollywood. Like cocaine-fueled their fire in the 1980s, Novo Nordisk’s drug has taken over Tinsel Town where looks are everything and extra pounds are sacrilege. It has become that bad.
Call sheets are now filled with actors and actresses asking about the effects of Ozempic and how they can get their hands on it. Movie moguls, veteran film producers, reality TV stars, you name it, the Hollywood elites are jumping onto Signal, the quietly popular messaging app that is heavily encrypted and used for private and confidential conversations, to sing the praises of the “wonder drug.”
No longer are hair, makeup, and stylist teams sticking to just that, they are also understanding that injections are now part of the “routine.” Grooming rituals have changed to include an injection and these go up as big events approach. Taking Ozempic has become one of the worst-kept secrets in Tinsel Town since more of those who are jumping on the drug is neither diabetic nor overweight/obese.
The drug is currently being prescribed, aka supplied, by doctors and nutritionists to the stars. If for some reason, it can’t be found through those channels, there is a hot rumor going around town that it can be scored in Arizona medical spas. It won’t be found for cheap, though.
IT CAN RUN FOR $1,200 OR $1,500 PER MONTH
If one is going to get Ozempic prescribed, be prepared to shell out some cash. A one-month supply of the drug can fetch anywhere from $1,200 to $1,500 a month. But because it is in such demand in Hollywood and they certainly have the cash to afford the drug, it has been causing major issues with insurance companies.
A Hollywood nutritionist told Variety, “It’s become a huge problem, everyone jumping on this bandwagon. The insurance companies are refusing to cover this for anyone who is not diabetic. It’s led to panic. Pharmacies have units on back order through December.”
While Hollywood is in a panic about not being able to get their weight loss drug, it is those who truly need the drugs that are suffering. The reduced supply is making it very difficult for diabetics and obese patients to find the drug and even if they do, they don’t find much of it. Even Wegovy is in short supply.
While many consider Ozempic to be the end-all, be-all, it really isn’t. To get the full benefits of the drug, regardless of how it is being used, one must also be willing to change the habits that got them into their current situation in the first place. One must also learn how to include exercise into their routine, learn how to eat healthier, and try to do what one can about their levels of stress.
It should be noted, we are not physicians, so we are not endorsing the use of Ozempic as a weight loss drug, as it is FDA approved for type-2 diabetes. If you are looking for something to help with weight loss goals, please check with your doctor first before starting anything. Good luck.
