Ozempic is a prescription drug used to help Type 2 diabetics to manage their blood sugar levels.
By lowering these levels, their risk for serious health outcomes linked with diabetes is also reduced, which includes heart attack and stroke.
However, the drug has recently been thrown in the spotlight after its claims it can help a person to lose a significant amount of weight - even if they are not diabetic.
It gained even more notoriety after comedian Heather McDonald suggested it’s the secret to Kim and Khloe Kardashian 's recent drastic weight loss - although the millionaire sisters have never spoken about it.
The trend has been strongly condemned by medical professionals due to the drug's serious side effects, but also because it's causing a shortage for people who really need it to help with their diabetic condition.
What is Ozempic?
The pre-diabetes drug semaglutide is sold under the brand name Ozempic.
It was created by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and is touted as a weight loss injection to help with Type 2 diabetes.
The drug comes as a liquid solution and is injected into a person’s buttocks or stomach using pre-filled and disposable pens.
It is now rumoured to have become a hot commodity among celebrities and those wanting to shed pounds quickly - leading to a TikTok trend in which users discuss how they have used Ozempic.
How the drug works for Type 2 diabetics
Ozempic helps by:
- Increasing the amount of insulin the body makes after a meal, so that a person’s blood sugar levels won’t get too high
- Slows the movement of food through the stomach to prevent a spike in blood sugar levels
- Lowers the amount of sugar released into your bloodstream
- The drug also is said to help curb a person’s appetite.
Serious side effects
Mild side effects from Ozempic include constipation, diarrhoea, stomach pain or vomiting.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), taking the drug when not diabetic could lead to a number of serious health outcomes.
The federal agency further warns of “inflammation of the pancreas, gallbladder problems, low blood sugar, acute kidney injury, damage to the eye’s retina, increased heart rate, and suicidal behaviour or thinking”.
Other serious side effects include:
- Nausea
- Pancreatitis
- Risk of thyroid tumours or thyroid cancer
- Diabetic retinopathy (damage to your eyes that’s caused by diabetes)
- Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
- Gallbladder disease
- Allergic reaction.
Due to the drug's popularity recently for weight loss, there has been a short supply for people who use it as a pre-diabetes drug.
According to reports, pharmacies are facing a backlog of orders of the drug.
This means many people suffering with Type 2 diabetes and are in need of the medication are suffering with elevated blood sugar levels and are struggling to manage without the drug.
Over time, unmanaged Type 2 diabetes could have a devastating effect such as blindness, limb amputation and even death.
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