In an effort to lose weight, many Americans turn to pills and fad diets. But there’s a trend that is getting a lot of attention: people are using an injectable diabetes medication called Ozempic to help with weight loss. This drug is FDA-approved for treating type 2 diabetes, but people are also using it off-label to help with weight loss.Go here:okmagazine.com
The injectable drug Ozempic, which is brand-name semaglutide, helps improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. It does this by stimulating insulin production and slowing the stomach’s movement of food to the intestines. The drug is also known to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke in adults with diabetes and existing heart disease.
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But a growing number of people are using the medication to help with weight loss, despite it being approved only for diabetes treatment. This off-label use of the drug is a big reason it is currently in short supply in the US. In fact, there aren’t enough doses of Ozempic and a similar drug called Wegovy to go around.
It’s unclear whether the drugs are helping with weight loss, and they do come with some serious side effects. The most common is gastrointestinal distress, which can include nausea and vomiting. In some cases, the drug can lead to an altered appetite that makes eating less appealing. Other common side effects are belching, flatulence, or acid reflux. Some people have reported having trouble sleeping or suicidal thoughts, though these aren’t mentioned in the drug’s instructions for use or on its label.