Wegovy and Ozempic
Why the hype about weight loss injections is so dangerous
The preparations Ozempic (photo) and Wegovy lead to rapid weight loss.
© myskin/Shutterstock.com
The Wegovy preparation has been approved in Germany since this week – the demand is huge. What makes the hype so dangerous.
It sounds tempting: an injection once a week and the pounds melt away. We are talking about the drugs Ozempic or Wegovy. Elon Musk (52) has advertised the supposed miracle cure, stars like Kim Kardashian (42) are said to have him to thank for their new slimmer figure and a real hype has broken out on social media. Since this week, doctors have also been able to prescribe the Wegovy preparation as a therapy in Germany – the demand is huge. What you need to know about the weight loss syringe – and why it is by no means to be understood as a lifestyle product.
How do Wegovy and Ozempic work?
If you inject the drug with the active ingredient semaglutid under the skin weekly, it regulates your appetite. When eating, the feeling of satiety sets in faster. As a result, patients are less hungry. According to studies, in a few months this leads to a weight loss of around 15 percent with Wegovy and around eight percent with Ozempic.
The two preparations are not a “quick-fix”. The first results appear after a few weeks or months, but the therapy does not end thereafter. “It’s a long-term therapy,” explains Dr. Jens Kröger, specialist in internal medicine and diabetology and CEO of the German Diabetes Aid in an interview with the news agency spot on news. “You have to keep taking medication forever. If you take them off, the so-called yo-yo effect sets in.”
Who is the drug suitable for?
The remedy is certainly not a lifestyle product to achieve the dream figure, emphasizes Dr. Kroeger. He calls the hype about the funds as pure weight loss products “fatal”.
“These drugs have a clear reason for approval: Ozempic for people with type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for people with obesity – from a body mass index of 30 or 27 with diseases such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure,” says Dr. Kroeger. “Both drugs are not lifestyle drugs.”
The problem: “We are currently struggling with the fact that these drugs are not available because there is such hype about them. As a result, the supply for the people who really need them is sometimes no longer guaranteed because the drugs limited availability.”
What side effects can occur?
But supply shortages are not the only problem. Taking Ozempic or Wegovy can cause some side effects, most commonly gastrointestinal upset. “These include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, and in some cases, inflammation of the pancreas. People with type 2 diabetes may have an increased risk of thyroid cancer,” said Dr. Kroeger.
However, he recommends the preparation to people who really need the drug for their diabetes or obesity therapy. “Of course, you have to weigh up the side effects beforehand, but in the case of diabetes or obesity therapy, the advantages often clearly outweigh the disadvantages.”
How much does the weight loss injection cost?
In Germany, the drugs require a prescription. Ozempic is paid for by statutory and private health insurers for patients with type 2 diabetes. Anyone who opts for therapy with Wegovy and receives a prescription must expect high costs – the statutory health insurance companies have not yet covered the costs. According to Dr. Calculate Jens Kroeger.
Great opportunity for people with diabetes and obesity
dr Kröger sees both Ozempic and Wegovy as an important component of diabetes and obesity therapy. However, he emphasizes: “Even if you take the injection, you still have to think about implementing your diet and exercise recommendations in a sensible way.” What the injections give to those affected, however, is courage: “Many people are so frustrated, especially when it comes to obesity, because they have already tried everything possible but are not successful. The injection can be good motivation and support because success is more visible more quickly become.”