Is Ozempic Safe? Dietitian Discusses the Benefits and Harms
With the rise off-label Ozempic use, safety and efficacy come into question. But with it being so commonly and loosely prescribed, why are people saying that Ozempic is risky and unsafe?
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is an injectable semaglutide, similar to another medication on the market known as Wegovy. Semaglutides act as GLP-1 receptor agonists to the GLP-1 receptors, which are responsible for managing insulin secretion and controlling blood glucose levels. Ozempic works to help insulin secretion and control blood sugar levels. Ozempic is being prescribed as a life-long treatment for type 2 diabetes, and recently has been prescribed off-label as a medication for weight loss.
What are the potential benefits of Ozempic?
Ozempic clinical trials have shown multiple health benefits for those with type 2 diabetes. Some of those benefits include:
Increased production of insulin
Better control of blood glucose levels
Lower risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with diabetes and cardiovascular risk
Lowered hemoglobin A1C levels
What are the potential risks of taking Ozempic?
There are several serious health risks to consider before you begin using Ozempic off-label, including:
Lowered bone density - Those taking Ozempic are at risk for reduced bone density due to undernourishment. This means your bones become much weaker and more susceptible to breaks and fractures.
Possible thyroid tumors and thyroid cancers - In animal trials testing the safety of Ozempic, researchers found that rodents developed thyroid tumors and thyroid cancer. Scientists can’t say for sure whether this medication has the same effect on humans as we don’t have any long-term research on off-label use of this drug.
Risk of pancreatitis - Those taking Ozempic off-label may be at risk for developing pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas. This involves intense abdominal pain, pain in the neck or back, and may or may not involve vomiting.
Hypoglycemia - Hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar, is a serious risk of taking Ozempic. Hypoglycemic individuals report dizziness, weakness, fatigue, headache, fast pulse, blurred vision, and slurred speech.
Gallbladder disease - Individuals taking Ozempic have reported gallbladder issues, including gallbladder disease and gallbladder stones. Symptoms include upper abdominal pain, fever, jaundice, and abnormal stools.
Allergic reaction - Just like any other medication, there is a risk for allergic reaction when taking Ozempic. These reactions can include swelling of face, lips, or throat, difficult swallowing, difficulty breathing, rapid pulse, or even anaphylactic shock.
Development of an eating disorder- Due to the absence of screening for risk factors related to development of an eating disorder, Ozempic users may be at risk for developing an eating disorder regardless of body size (eating disorders come in all size bodies).
What are the potential outcomes of stopping Ozempic when using it off-label?
Just as it’s important to understand the health risks of beginning a medication, it’s equally as important to understand the health risks associated with stopping a medication. Ozempic is an expensive medication, and it can be difficult to bear the financial burden of such medications for your entire life. For this reason, many people are forced to stop taking Ozempic.
Stopping Ozempic use may cause:
Weight gain - Many people have reported that when they stop taking Ozempic (as well as other semaglutide medications), they gain the weight back they lost from the medication, and sometimes gain more than that. Ozempic only works for weight-loss (and often not as much as is being advertised) when you are actively taking it. In other words, when you stop taking Ozempic, it stops working. Individuals also report intense cravings and extreme hunger after stopping use.
Development and/or worsening of disordered eating and eating disorders - Ozempic disrupts your body’s innate ability to sense hunger and fullness. When taking Ozempic, you may feel less hungry and want to eat less food and less often. Ozempic mimics a hormone that tells your brain you are full, so it masks your body’s ability to sense when you’re hungry, but this doesn’t mean that your body needs less food. Use of Ozempic can worsen binge eating and/or restrictive eating behaviors for people who already struggle with eating issues. Weight gain and binge eating post Ozempic can also lead to worsened disordered eating behaviors.
Two Additional Reasons Why Ozempic May Not Be as Safe As It’s Marketed To Be:
1.Lack of diversity in clinical trials for Ozempic.
In clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of Ozempic, 60% of participants were white. In a separate clinical trial studying the efficacy and safety of Ozempic in people with diabetes at high cardiovascular risk, 83% of the participants were white. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) disclosed that in these trials, the number of study participants of races besides white were small and that “differences could not be determined”. A lack of diversity in clinical trials for Ozempic puts minority and marginalized populations at greater health risk.
2. There’s a lack of research on Ozempic use in those who are nondiabetic.
There is currently no research on the long-term effects of off-label use of Ozempic in individuals without diabetes. Clinical trials only included research on participants that were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and this was only recently done in 2017. As mentioned earlier, Ozempic was created as a diabetes medication for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Ozempic was not meant to be a weight loss medication. Without scientific evidence demonstrating effects of Ozempic in people without diabetes, it’s difficult to say whether Ozempic is safe to use or if there are serious, negative health consequences.
Just as any other medication, Ozempic has both benefits and potential risks. It’s up to you, the consumer, to determine whether Ozempic is right for you. As dietitians at Bravespace Nutrition, we want you to be as informed as possible so to that you can make a decision that works right for you. We believe that informed consent is the most ethical in health care. If you are wondering if Ozempic is right for you and/or if you’ve started taking it recently and want help from a compassionate dietitian, we want to support you.
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Have more questions about Ozempic? Wondering if you could benefit from Ozempic, or have recently been prescribed Ozempic, but you’re not sure if it aligns with your current eating and nutrition habits?
Bravespace Nutrition is here to help! Our dietitians are on a mission to help you repair your relationship with your body and food and offer clarity around Ozempic. Our Seattle based practice offers a wide range of services to help you with all of your nutrition-related needs! Schedule a free 15 minute discovery phone call today to get started!