Ozempic

Ozempic and Wegovy are wildly popular in the weight loss arena now. The industry's market share in the United States alone is projected to be close to $12 billion in 2025, with the trend expected to continue upward. Predictions approach $24 billion for the overall industry sales in the next ten years.

With average worldwide obesity rates for adults and children increasing exponentially, there seems to be an inexhaustible market for a solution to the ensuing health concerns.

What are these products? Ozempic and Wegovy are semaglutides that belong to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. In simple terms, semaglutides mimic the behavior of a natural hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 [GLP-1]. This peptide has an influence on appetite, blood sugar, and digestion.

Ozempic is FDA-approved for type-2 diabetes. Wegovy has a higher dose of semaglutide and is FDA approved for weight loss.

This has dramatically increased the demand for both substances by non-diabetics, with doctors prescribing Ozempic “off-label” when Wegovy is unavailable. By 2024 it was estimated that 1 in 8 American adults had taken Ozempic or a similar GLP-1 drug.

Both products are manufactured by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. There is a similar product called Mounjaro manufactured by Lilly for type-2 diabetes. For purposes of this article, we will simply refer to Ozempic since that is the commonly known brand name.

Is this a miracle drug for people who need to lose a massive amount of weight? Or are those impressive before-and-after photos masking a dark side that we must explore?

When you eat, your digestive system releases GLP-1 that informs your pancreas to produce insulin, helps control blood sugar, and signals to your brain that you're full. Ozempic essentially amplifies these natural signals, making them stronger and longer lasting. Naturally produced GLP-1 has a half-life of a few minutes vs. Ozempic with a half-life of seven days.

Semaglutide targets the hunger centers in the brain and slows stomach emptying, which in turn reduces appetite and food intake.

The positive benefits that Ozempic patients have found include:

  • Weight management and significant weight reduction over a short period of time

  • Diabetes management through stimulation of insulin production and suppression of glucagon release

  • Reduced risk of cardiovascular events in obese patients with heart disease

  • Appetite control and reduced food cravings

The reported negative side effects for Ozempic users include:

  • Gastrointestinal distress including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, and intestinal blockage

  • Vision problems, namely retinopathy and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy [NAION)] which can cause blindness

  • Depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts

  • Brain fog, inability to concentrate, fatigue, and headaches

  • Hearing loss and hair loss

  • Thyroid, gallbladder, and kidney problems, and pancreatitis

  • Gastroparesis, or "stomach paralysis," where the stomach stops emptying properly, leading to persistent nausea, vomiting, and malnutrition

  • Hypoglycemia when used with insulin or sulfonylureas

  • Ozempic face or sagging facial skin and hollowed-out aged appearance

What are the other considerations for Ozempic use?

  • High Cost – these drugs can cost from $900 to $1700 per month and are not likely to be covered by health insurance companies – this makes them difficult for the average person to afford long-term

  • Rebound Weight Gain – most people will regain the weight they lost once they stop taking Ozempic – nearly two-thirds of that weight within one year, according to a 2022 study

  • Major Loss of Muscle Mass and Reduced Bone Density – up to 14% of lean muscle mass

  • FDA Safety Data – there are over 20,000 reported cases of adverse events related to Ozempic, including more than 9,000 serious cases and 252 deaths, highlighting the importance of careful monitoring

Once you go down the path of Ozempic, you could be looking at a lifetime of use at high cost and serious potential side effects – all to achieve and maintain an ideal weight.

What are the alternatives? I fully admit my bias here – I don’t believe that health comes from external chemistry – I do believe that there are natural solutions to most health situations – and that we must always address cause rather than symptom.

First, I would ask, why are so many people obese? Fifty years ago, this was not a problem at all. Our diet is the culprit along with a damaged industrial food supply. We moved away from whole, organic, and wholesome meats, fruits, and vegetables to a diet full of processed foods and unnatural factory farming. An increasingly sedentary lifestyle has made our muscles weak.

We see that dieting and will power do not work for long-term weight loss. Our habits make our lives, and real change requires us to change our habits – to become someone different. In other words, we must transform our relationship with food in a permanent way and create a new identity.

If you still want to go the Ozempic route, I encourage you to make serious changes to the foods that you eat, include a high amount of protein, and ensure that you engage in regular strength training to preserve your muscles. Then have a ROCK-SOLID plan for how to get off the drug, deal with cravings, and maintain good health habits so you don’t revert to your former weight.

Here are some strategies that may help anyone drop weight more naturally and effectively:

  • Intermittent fasting / one meal a day to improve insulin sensitivity and promote weight loss

  • Low-carbohydrate diet to help control blood sugar and reduce appetite

  • Quality high-protein meats to increase satiety and preserve muscle mass

  • Regular exercise, especially strength training

  • Proper hydration with pure water

  • Conscious breathing and mindfulness practices

  • Optimized sleep patterns

  • Sustainable eating and exercise habits

  • Stress reduction and modification of lifestyle factors

Tools to do the deeper work if you are so inclined:

Obesity is a real challenge. Of course you are overwhelmed at the prospect of losing 100, 200, or 300 pounds. Don’t lose heart.

There is a way forward. I wish you all the best in your health journey.

My gift to you who have read this article is a collection of body image wall art and supporting materials. To download them - click here

About me

Hi, I'm Ellen...

... and I am a writer, coach, and adventurer. I believe that life is the grand odyssey that we make of it.

I would like to help you live a truly magnificent and happy life no matter your age and current situation.

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