Unless you’ve been living in a cave, the current drug-based weight loss obsession is impossible to miss.
Semaglutide (aka Wegovy/Ozempic, plus tirzepatide Mounjaro) and the other GLP-1s, help people shed pounds quickly and seemingly effortlessly. What could possibly go wrong? For millions struggling with obesity and type 2 diabetes (I call it “diabesity”) Wegovy offers hope.
But while this pill-for-every-ill quick fix might sound tempting, can we really ‘Wegovy’ our way out of the diabesity crisis?
Read more: Wegovy: Ten deaths linked to weight loss injections, says MHRA
I’m a Trustee of the Public Health Collaboration, a charity dedicated to helping people achieve sustainable lifestyle changes and I run my own diabetes reversal service. There are more effective, safer solutions for most people. I witness this on a daily basis.
Wegovy mimics the action of the incretin GLP-1, a gut hormone that helps control blood sugar and increases satiety by delaying gastric emptying. Put simply, patients feel fuller for longer and eat less as a result.
The FDA’s approval of Wegovy for weight loss made headlines, with many celebrities touting its effects. However, recent reports highlight the potential dangers associated with weight-loss drugs.
As reported by C&D recently, the MHRA has linked Wegovy injections to ten deaths and is now closely monitoring adverse effects, urging caution around the drug’s use.
Read more: ‘It terrifies me’: Girl landed in A&E after buying Wegovy from Boots
Let’s face it, there’s a long history of weight-loss drugs, such as amphetamines, that were initially heralded as a miracle cure only to be withdrawn after a few years due to life-threatening side-effects.
The GLP1s are relatively new and are being rolled-out as scale. We have no idea what damage 20 years of drug-induced hyper-incretin-aemia may cause, but the history of abandoned slimming drugs tells me it won’t end well.
True change requires lifestyle adjustments, healthier food choices, and regular exercise. If only we really could sip a double mocha, extra whip, add a Krispy Kreme, and pop a Wegovy afterwards! Sadly, life doesn’t work like that, and we know it.
Slimmer? Yes! Healthier? I doubt it. Of great concern is sarcopenia. Wegovy accelerates weight loss without distinguishing between fat and muscle. This is problematic because retaining muscle is crucial for metabolism, mobility, and overall strength. Wegovy users end up “skinny fat” and frail.
Wegovy is a valuable tool for some, but the diabesity crisis requires more than medication. True health involves lifestyle changes, education, and shifts in cultural norms. This would translate into long term health benefits for our patients.
Graham Phillips is a superintendent pharmacist and founder of ProLongevity
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