An Update on Ozempic
Semaglutide therapy was all the rage. Now it seems like there are some downsides after all.
Good Evening!
Back in February, I speculatively argued that using semaglutides — a hormone blocker for diabetic patients that happens to suppress hunger — probably wasn’t a good idea for weight loss (and probably was going to cause supply chain issues for people with, you know, actual diabetes).
Business Insider recently spoke to doctors and “patients” about Ozempic and its counterpart Mounjaro, and found that once the semaglutide treatment stopped— bada bing — weight came RIGHT back.
“If we want to be talking about sustainable weight loss, we’re also probably talking about chronic treatment,” said Martin Lange, Novo Nordisk’s VP of development.
Lange and other creators of these drugs have flat-out admitted this is a permanent thing. I don’t think anyone is looking forward to being in the “control group” for long term effects of chronic treatment of an appetite suppressant.
The Ozempic Update
Along with the eerie realization that this wasn’t the magic pill (or injection) everyone thought it was, some more troubling facts emerged from these grotesque celebrity-inspired reverse-binges.
Of those who took Ozempic and participated in no physical activity, patients lost roughly a third of their muscle mass, connective tissue and bone density (all important parts of your body composition that make you robust and strong).
The data was so staggering that doctors are strongly recommending (and almost mandating) that anyone who takes the drug should incorporate resistance training.
There still isn’t comprehensive enough data on those who are lifting weights and taking semaglutides to show what kind of changes in body composition that combination can yield, but that’s besides the point.
Exceptions to the Rule?
One thing that Ozempic and Mounjaro have made abundantly clear about weight loss is that hormones play a vital role in body composition. People who are insulin-sensitive will have a tougher time resisting cravings and hunger than those who aren’t.
The hormone that semaglutides activate — GLP-1, or Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 — is a very niche substance in your body. Its discovery as an appetite suppressant came in part from a study on Gila monsters.
These absolute units of reptiles will go for hours without eating, and when they eat they consume a certain amount of insects and other critters, though they can devour larger creatures too.
Researchers found these behemoths have an abundance of GLP-1 in the bloodstreams, meaning these creatures don’t feel hungry nearly as much as any other desert-inhabiting animal.
The abilities of our body — to produce hormones constantly — aren’t consistent from person to person. There will be some people who inherit an insulin resistance gene from parents that will make it impossibly hard to lose weight for some.
Although I generally believe these medications should be reserved for diabetes patients only, some obese/overweight individuals may benefit from using these products, so long as they can foot the bill mentioned in the Instagram link above.
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