Ozempic, a drug initially used to manage diabetes, has morphed into a weight loss miracle treatment for millions of people, countless celebrities and numerous actors, who have gleefully and understandably embraced this medication with every fat laden cell in their burgeoning and sometimes only modestly expansive frames.
However, the weight loss gains are less than spectacular- one trial demonstrated a weight loss of 15kg over 16 months, hardly a gold medal achievement, but for those who find the burden of weight gain insurmountable, this moderate accomplishment is a godsend.
Aside from being the vaunted panacea for the weight loss community Ozempic also reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, probably as a result of weight loss, although there might be other reasons yet to be uncovered for these benefits.
But there are caveats. Gastro-intestinal side effects are many including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation and gastroenteritis and more seriously pancreatitis and bowel obstruction. Possibly gastroparesis and rare unexplained deaths have been linked to this wonder drug and as more data are surfacing revelations are emerging about the potential dark side of this medication, that might give us pause.
