Ozempic the Weight Loss Jab – Pros & Cons

Ozempic is a medication that helps your pancreas produce more insulin which helps people with diabetes manage their blood sugar level. Within the medical world, Ozempic medication is known as a glucagon-like peptide-1-agonist (GLP1a). GLP1 is a hormone produced in our gut whose action on our body Ozempic aims to replicate. GLP1 is a hormone which regulates our appetite by telling our brains we are full. Stop Eating! Furthermore, this is why it has been used for people who are not diabetic to help manage their weight.

Unfortunately, this only temporarily solves the problem because Ozempic can only be prescribed for a maximum of two years. After this your appetite will return. In addition, if you were hoping this could be an option to help manage your weight and you are not diabetic, in the UK it is only prescribed to people who have type 2 diabetes

It is a “quick fix” if you are willing to commit to at least 2 months of treatment before noticing significant weight loss. So, it would be more appropriate to call it a “stop-gap fix”. Yes, you will find improvements but no it isn’t a quick fix. You can get far better and longer-lasting results without the use of drugs like Ozempic, which we have illustrated clearly in our success stories with some of our clients: 

https://www.prolongevity.co.uk/success-stories/

Similarly, to Wegovy, Ozempic is administered through a pen once a week, which is injected into either your abdomen, the front of your thigh or your upper arm. Typically, you will have the injection administered by a healthcare professional.

Despite the temporary nature of this drug, it likely will help you lose weight, at least for a time. Suppressing your appetite, will mean you are consuming fewer calories which in turn will mean you lose weight. However, this might also affect your energy levels meaning you won’t have as much energy to do the things you would normally be able to do.

To some extent the reduced appetite is a double-edged sword. Yes, Ozempic will help you lose weight but it could also negatively impact your nutrition: if you do not have a diverse and healthy diet your already-poor nutrition could be further impacted by eating less. What little nutrition you were getting is previously is even further reduced when you don’t have much appetite.

As we have suggested earlier you will likely notice weight loss after 8 weeks of using Ozempic. And this can be a good thing. Nevertheless, there is a “good” kind of weight loss and a “bad” kind. When weight is lost it is always a combination of muscle loss and fat loss. Retaining as much muscle mass as possible throughout our life is one of the best predictors of heathy longevity. If you lose too much muscle mass you put yourself at risk of other illnesses like Sarcopenia. So, if you are prescribed Ozempic you must try to remain active so that when you lose weight you aren’t losing muscle.

Specifically we recommend resistance or strength exercise and to uprate the protein content in your diet. Dr Peter Attia (a world authority on longevity) discussed Ozempic drug when he was invited to the Megyn Kelly show recently. He commented that about 2/3 of the weight lost using the drug is muscle mass. So you might weight less but actually get fatter over all. 

Peter Attia’s instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cq3qieTLHDD/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

No Ozempic is not an insulin shot, so you will still need to take your regular insulin if its prescribed for you. Ozempic is a Glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor antagonist. This means that it mimics your body’s naturally occurring hormone Glucagon-like-peptide-1 which is released in our bodies when we eat food so helping to regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite. 

The most common side effects of Ozempic are Nausea (a feeling that you are about to vomit) diarrhoea and/or constipation together with stomach pain. Although these are the most common symptoms you also run the risk of other less common side-effects including:



• Pancreatitis which is where the pancreas becomes inflamed which can lead to further health complications and can become life-threatening in some cases.
• Vision issues Ozempic can cause blurred vision and people with diabetic retinopathy can have the condition worsen because of this drug.
• Kidney disease Ozempic can have a massive impact on your kidneys leading to kidney damage, disease or in the worst cases cause kidney failure.
• Hypoglycaemia this is when your blood sugar drops to low.
• Thyroid cancer Ozempic can increase the chances of a person developing thyroid cancer.
• Gallbladder disease Ozempic can increase your risk of gallbladder diseases.
• Allergic reaction some people might have an allergic reaction to this drug which is why it is important that you speak to a medical professional before using Ozempic.
  

For most people the downsides of Ozempic outweigh the benefits. The nature of the weight loss can end up negatively affecting your health. This is a disaster when there are so many other ways to obtain a similar benefit effect much more effective and natural ways.

For instance, our ProLongevity Programme which can achieve far better and truly long-lasting results. Given the potential side effects and limited benefits, drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy are not a logical first line choice for weight loss or type2 diabetes. 

If you are concerned about weight gain, type2 diabetes or prediabetes why not book a FREE 15-minute consultation with one of our clinical team. We will talk you through your symptoms and address your health concerns.

Book a free 15-minute consultation here:

https://www.prolongevity.co.uk/booking-form/

Download a free e-book about Prediabetes here:

https://www.prolongevity.co.uk/prediabetes-ebook/