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Ozempic: the miracle drug that makes you skinny and confident all at once. But sure, there are some turn-offs to this substance. If only the truth weren’t so hidden. Who would’ve thought that this confidence-boosting drug was all thanks to some venom from a filthy reptile? Disgusting, right? Except apparently, not enough to stop the increasing sales of this drug, reaching 21 billion dollars with over 40 million people taking it in the US alone.
The question we all have to ask ourselves: Is Ozempic a beneficial drug or simply a money grabber with side effects ranging from mental disorders to physical side effects?
Is skinny really worth your life? Well, let's find out.
Diving into what Ozempic is, let's first see where it comes from. In the 1980s, after GLP and GLP-1 were discovered to lower glucose levels, helping to control type 2 diabetes, John Pisano and Jean-Pierre Raufman began to work with poisonous lizard venom from the Gila Monster (slow slow-moving reptile native to South America and in the North of Mexico). By the 1990s, Raufman and colleague John Eng identified a hormone-like molecule. They called it “exendin 4.” This molecule was discovered to stimulate insulin secretion (release insulin to regulate blood sugar) just like GLP-1, only it could not be quickly metabolized by the body, causing pharmaceutical companies to be skeptical.
Eventually, a small company was able to be convinced and took it on, showing other companies that exendin 4 normalised blood sugar in type 2 diabetic mice, then in humans, leading the FDA in 2005 to approve this molecule under the name Byetta. Byetta became known to reverse diabetic symptoms, and it was evident that weight loss came along with it. Soon, it was used for weight loss, off-label, leading to Ozempic.
Many GPL-1 mimicking drugs came and went, with semaglutide being approved by the FDA in 2017, proving to be long-lasting and improving brain GPL-1 receptor targeting, reducing weight loss even further. A higher dosage of this named Wegovy was approved in 2021 as a stand-alone obesity treatment.
Originally, the use of GPL-1 agonists was to treat people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetic body cells are resistant to the effects of insulin and/or don’t produce enough of it. That's where GLP-1 agonists come in. They stimulate the pancreas to release insulin and another hormone called glucagon. These hormones help control blood sugar levels. However, these drugs also reduce people’s hunger and delay emptying, so fullness is felt for a longer time. This leads to weight loss, which, although it can be beneficial for managing diabetes, can also promote extreme weight loss for those who don’t need to lose weight and causes shortages for diabetics who need the medication.
Although skinny may make you look or feel good, it can have its damaging effects.
When looking at the short-term effects of Ozempic, some common ones are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, indigestion/heartburn, bloating, burping, dizziness, and injection site reactions. These are generally temporary and may stop as your body adjusts to the medication. These effects usually improve after 3 months, but still, who wants to vomit for 3 months straight?
When discussing long-term effects, things get a little more serious. Inflammation of your pancreas, changes in vision, low blood sugar, kidney problems (including kidney failure), serious allergic reactions, gallbladder problems, possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Now, as you can see, Ozempic has lots of negative effects, and these are not hidden. The Official Ozempic shares these exact effects, yet people still see past them. We have to start weighing the good vs the bad. What is better: a skinny body or a healthy one?
Looking at more than just the physical side effects, we have to dive down to the root problem and the growing need for Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs. Why is it that over 40 million people in the US are taking this drug? It cannot all be because they need to lose weight. With 5.66 billion users on social media, people are being influenced, or a better use of the word, body shamed into taking this substance. Stereotypes of the “perfect body” are causing young people to feel the need to fit into these unrealistic and damaging societal standards. Healthy men and women are spending their hard-earned money on a weight-loss drug that they do not physically need. Skinny people are becoming skinnier, and mental illnesses are skyrocketing. As humans, we all crave acceptance, and tend to find it most through approval from society. However, as hard as it may be, the bravest thing to do is to accept yourself. Everybody is different, everyone equally unique. We have to start viewing ourselves from the inside rather than our outside appearance. This drug, for some, is simply an easy solution to a bigger problem, and I am not referring to weight.
Consequently, not only does Ozempic hurt perfectly healthy people, but it also takes away medication from people with diabetes who need it to ensure their bodies can release enough insulin to control their diabetes. With an increased demand for the drug, shortages are happening, negatively affecting diabetic patients. The website, “Baptist Health,” also raises the concern that if care providers are struggling to find Ozempic for their patients, specifically for weight loss, they are being diverted from other essential tasks, such as saving lives and helping those who are dealing with genuine illnesses.
Not to mention, most people who decide to discontinue Ozempic end up regaining all the weight they had lost, as their hunger cues had been suppressed and then come raging back.
Overall, taking Ozempic will do more harm than good. A pill or shot will not cure our insecurities. To build confidence and maintain a healthy lifestyle, we must look within ourselves. Creating long-lasting and sustainable habits such as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet (always including a nightly sweet treat), and cultivating self-love through therapy, positive affirmations, and hobbies that bring you happiness will be the true key to living a confident and healthy life.
So, throw the pill away, because you are so much more than a thin body.
By: Anna Grummitt
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