Ozempic. A medication for people with type 2 diabetes has recently become popular on social media, claiming it’s a miracle drug for quick weight loss. But should people without diabetes or who are at a healthy weight range be using it? 

  To understand this drug better we need to know the history. Ozempic is a medication for people with type 2 diabetes to help control blood sugar, and there have been major side effects, one of them being weight loss. People who used Ozempic have noticed they can lose 10% of their body weight in about six months. After people started posting about how well the drug works for weight loss, people ran to their doctors asking to be prescribed this drug using it off-label for weight loss. 

Eventually the pharmaceutical company decided to take the generic medication in Ozempic known as semaglutide and repackage it as Wegovy. This drug was approved by the FDA as a weight loss drug for people who are obese or overweight and have at least one weight related diagnosis like hypertension.

 These drugs work as an appetite suppressant that makes users feel full faster, leading them to consume fewer calories and therefore lose weight. Because of the publicity and so many people going to get these drugs prescribed off-label, a shortage was caused, putting people who truly need it at risk.

 The price for Ozempic and Wegovy went up, Wegovy being significantly more expensive, so people who had the money were able to receive these drugs even if it was just for weight loss while people who really need it are struggling. It turns this notion of being skinny into a trophy that only the richest and most powerful can receive. It’s as if it were some sort of designer bag that not everyone can afford to receive because its limited edition, when really this medication should be going out to the people who need it no matter their status and should not be difficult for them to receive. 

Chelsea Handler, an American comedian and TV host said in a recent conversation on the podcast “Call her Daddy” that her doctor had prescribed her Ozempic without her even knowing; therefore, stating it would help her lose weight fast. She admitted that “my anti-aging doctor just hands it out to anybody” even if it’s just to lose a few pounds. Handler has stopped using the drug saying it was irresponsible. “I’m not gonna take a diabetic drug. I tried it and I’m not gonna do that. That’s not for me,”

Neither Ozempic nor Wegovy are for casual weight loss; although, these medications do help they were not intended for people who are of an “average” weight in fact they were never tested on people with an average weight, they were tested on people who have diabetes or are obese so the side effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. for people who are just trying to lose a few pounds might be worse. There may even be side effects that are unknown.

Doctors need to stop prescribing this medication to people who are just trying to lose a couple pounds in a week at high doses, people who really need it are struggling to get it, and is using this medication for weight loss really worth it? Once you’re off it the weight will come right back. This drug really won’t help people who are trying to lose weight but want to keep up with their old lifestyle. 

There are other ways for losing weight aside from using these drugs. You can make changes to your lifestyle like eating healthier, working out, sleeping, being mindful. We must remember that weight is mostly under our control and we can make changes in our life that will help us lose weight while also being healthy, these good habits will help us long term; unlike, Ozempic or Wegovy. Doctors need to stop prescribing this to anyone who is just trying to lose casual weight to fit into a dress for their sister’s wedding. You need to think of other ways to do it, like buying a dress that you feel comfortable in. 

 This drug has brought back “thin is in”, the pressure to be unrealistically skinny. This will pressure people to take this drug, so they can be in the trend. But we must remember that we all have different body shapes and sizes, we need to be comfortable in our own bodies and not resort to weight loss drugs but instead make changes in our lifestyle, trying to be healthier in general while also enjoying every step of the way.