They’ve been billed as the cure-all for weight loss, but doctors are warning millions of patients are not shedding fat while taking weight-loss drugs like Ozempic.
About 31million Americans have ever taken weight-loss drugs, meaning millions of people are ‘non responders’ and not reaping the intended benefits.
In clinical trials, most people taking the drugs for obesity lost an average of 15 to 22 percent of their body weight.
Recent research, however, suggests the non responders fall far short of the average loss, losing just five percent of their body weight.
Of the many GLP-1 drugs that have hit the market, Wegovy and Zepound have been designed specifically for weight loss.
Despite being promoted as the panacea for weight loss, doctors are cautioning that millions of patients are not losing weight while using medications like Ozempic.
About 20% of patients do not respond well to the medications, and a smaller percentage actually gain weight, according to obesity experts.
Approximately 31 million Americans have used weight-loss medications at some point, which means that millions of people are “non responders” and are not experiencing the desired results.
According to experts, this is particularly worrisome because the medications are costly—more than $800 for a month’s supply without insurance—and many people must take them for the rest of their lives in order to prevent gaining back any weight they may have lost.
Even so, the Biden administration this week announced plans to add these medications to Medicare and Medicaid coverage, even though many members of Donald Trump’s incoming health team expressed doubts about them.
Injectable GLP-1 receptor agonists Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro slow down the rate at which food is processed in the gut by mimicking a hormone in the body. People are able to eat less as a result of this decreased appetite.
In clinical trials, the majority of individuals using the obesity medications experienced an average weight loss of 15–22%.
However, recent studies indicate that the nonresponders only lose 5% of their body weight, which is far less than the average loss.
Other people have trouble using the drugs to lose weight. He ‘out-ate’ Ozempic and put on 40 pounds while using the drug, according to comedian Tracy Morgan, despite his initial changes in appetite.
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Although the exact cause of nonresponders is unknown, scientists believe it has to do with the body’s peculiar biology.
Physicians caution that people shouldn’t expect the same dramatic outcomes as some of their favorite celebrities because obesity varies greatly from patient to patient, according to Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, who spoke to the Associated Press.
Hormones, genetics, and the way a person’s brain works and controls bodily functions all have an impact on obesity.
It all comes down to stating that different people react differently, according to Dr. Stanford. The brain is the source of this illness. It’s possible that the dysfunction varies [between patients]. “.”.
Vanderbilt University obesity specialist Dr. Gitanjali Srivastava previously told Dailymail . com that underlying conditions can also influence how a person reacts to these medications.
Frequently, these patients have extremely complex conditions, according to Dr. Srivastava.
Numerous factors, including likely very strong genetics, are at work. “.”.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and hypothyroidism, two disorders that impact weight gain and are thought to affect 5 million and 29 million Americans, respectively, are examples of common complications.
Tracy Morgan, 56, a comedian, revealed in the spring of 2024 that he “out-ate” Ozempic and gained forty pounds while using the drug.
“I tried Ozempic, and it won’t be surprising to you when you look at me now, that it didn’t really work,” James Corden said. “…
Despite admitting to using Ozempic, James Corden claimed that “it didn’t really work.”.
“I tried it for a while and then realized that nothing about my eating has anything to do with being hungry,” he added. “.”.
It only makes you feel less hungry. However, I hardly ever eat [just because I’m hungry]. “.”.
According to Kandi Buress, she attempted Ozempic last year but was unable to reduce her weight.
On the Virtual Reali-Tea podcast from PageSix, she stated: “My doctor said, ‘I don’t know what the problem is. I don’t observe this in other people. “..”.
I was still hungry after it. I am aware that some people think, “Oh, I’m unable to eat. “Not me. It didn’t stop me from eating appetizers, a typical meal, and dessert, okay? “…
Additionally, a lot of people on social media shared similar experiences; one user claimed to have gained 13 pounds while using a weight-loss medication.
Shelly, a TikTok user, reported that she was not seeing any improvement from her medication, so she increased her dosage to the highest level for five months.
Even those who initially respond to the medication are increasingly reporting that their weight returns after stopping it.
Zepound and Wegovy, two of the numerous GLP-1 medications that have been available on the market, were created especially to help people lose weight. Originally created to treat diabetes, Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Trulicity are occasionally prescribed by physicians to treat patients off-label.
A study conducted in April 2022 discovered that some patients regain two-thirds of their initial body weight after stopping the medication.
Moreover, adverse effects such as depression, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea cause patients to stop taking their drugs.
There are then additional severe, uncommon conditions.
About one in every 100 people who take GLP-1 will experience gastroparesis, or paralysis of the stomach. Constipation, bloating, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and appetite loss can result from this.
According to Yale School of Medicine, a stomach backup can eventually result in severe dehydration, malnutrition, and digestive tract blockages.
The patient’s doctor might advise tapering off the GLP-1 medication if symptoms start to appear.
Sometimes doctors will prescribe a different brand of medication if a patient has a negative reaction to one of these drugs but still wants to try using the medications.
Some have different dosages or adverse effects, while others have different active ingredients.
Therefore, even though the medications show promise for many people, there is growing evidence that they are not always a cure-all.
