Taking Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss? These drugs are now linked to another serious health condition, study suggests

Using the slimming shots Ozempic and Wegovy can increase the risk of serious gastrointestinal problems, adding to the ever-growing list of unwanted side effects.

People who use weekly injections of Ozempic and Wegovy, with the active ingredient semaglutide, for weight loss are at greater risk of pancreatitis, intestinal obstructions and stomach paralysis.

Experts warned that although rare, thousands of people could be at risk due to the drugs’ rising popularity.

Lead study author Mohit Sodhi, a medical student studying at the University of British Columbia, Canada, said: “People who are otherwise healthy may be less willing to accept these potentially serious side effects.”

Wegovy and Ozempic work by causing the body to produce a hormone called GLP-1, which is released naturally from the intestines after meals.

Previous research has shown that people who took the drugs for diabetes were at greater risk for pancreatitis, intestinal obstructions and gastric paralysis.

However, the recent study is the first to look at the effects of the drugs on the stomach and intestines in people who use the drugs exclusively to lose weight.

Scientists studied the health insurance records of 16 million US patients, focusing on those who were prescribed semaglutide or liraglutide – another drug that causes weight loss – between 2006 and 2020.

The drugs help increase insulin production and were originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, but were soon prescribed off-label to people looking to lose weight.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia analyzed the data to see how many patients developed one of four stomach or intestinal problems and compared them with those who took another weight-loss drug, bupropion-naltrexone, which is sold under brand names such as Contrave. and contains various ingredients.

They found that those who took semaglutide, which binds to the GLP-1 receptor in the pancreas and brain, trigger hormones in the brain that keep the stomach full and tell the body to stop eating and avoid food cravings . Those given weight loss injections were 9.1 times more likely to develop inflammation of the pancreas, which may require surgery, according to findings published in JAMA.

These people were also 4.22 times more likely to develop an intestinal obstruction, which can be fatal, and had a 3.67 times higher risk of gastroparesis, or ‘gastric paralysis’, which prevents the passage of food from the stomach to the stomach. small intestine is restricted. –

Undigested food in the stomach can harden into a solid mass called a bezoar. These can cause nausea and vomiting and can even be life-threatening if they prevent food from passing into your small intestine, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, slows down digestion in the stomach, helping people feel full longer. However, it is thought that in some cases it takes too long for the stomach to empty, leading to gastric paralysis, where food gets stuck in your stomach.

An intestinal obstruction can be caused by muscle or nerve problems that prevent the intestines from contracting sufficiently and moving food through the intestines.

Originally approved for diabetes, Wegovy has since been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat patients with obesity.

Ozempic is only approved for the treatment of diabetics, but is often supplied off-label for weight loss.

Both contain the same main ingredient, semaglutide, which suppresses appetite and is seen as a ‘game-changer’ for resulting weight loss.

Wegovy offers more than $1,300 for a 28-day supply, while Ozempic costs about $900 per month.

Both must be prescribed by a doctor, but there are concerns about people accessing the drugs online through unregulated providers.

Dr. Simon Cork, senior lecturer in physiology at Anglia Ruskin University in Britain, said the findings highlight the importance of accessing these drugs through trusted medical professionals, with ongoing support and monitoring.

He said: ‘It is vital that regulations are tightened to ensure these medicines are only prescribed in the right circumstances.

‘Although the chance of developing these conditions is still rare, when we scale up the number of people who could potentially be prescribed these drugs, we could see many people suffering adverse effects from taking them.’

Novo Nordisk, producer of Ozempic, was not involved in the analysis and did not have approved GLP-1 products in 2006, the earliest point in the data set.

A spokesperson said gastrointestinal events are “known side effects of the GLP-1 class.”

He said: ‘We recommend that patients use these medications for their approved indications and under the supervision of a healthcare professional.

‘Treatment decisions should be made in conjunction with a healthcare provider who can assess the appropriateness of using a GLP-1 based on the assessment of a patient’s individual medical profile.’

In August, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk were indicted about claims that their drugs caused stomach paralysis.

The personal injury firm Morgan & Morgan took on a case on behalf of a 44-year-old Louisiana woman with diabetes who lost weight while taking the drugs, only to later suffer from severe gastric paralysis, characterized by vomiting so violent that she lost some of her teeth. lost. need to go to hospital several times.

The lawsuit against Eli Lilly, which makes another drug used for weight loss called Mounjaro, and Novo Nordisk, alleged that the companies failed to warn consumers about the risk of gastroparesis, or gastric paralysis.

It adds to a growing list of side effects of the drugs. In addition to losing the pleasure of eating, people report that they ‘don’t feel like’ doing activities they used to enjoy, such as drinking alcohol and gambling, which can cause some to unlearn old habits.

The long-term effects of the drugs are still being studied because the drugs are relatively new.

Emerging research shows that patients who stop taking the injectables are vulnerable to regaining all the weight lost and may need to continue taking the medication for a longer period of time.