Oprah’s on Ozempic.
One of those two options (7 day detox, Ozempic) will help people restore health and metabolic excellence, the other will leave a great many disappointed with mixed levels of regret.
I won't comment on Oprah and her efforts to lose weight. It’s clear she’s one of the most influential icons in the world with one of the most public struggles in that arena, but I’ll also ask you to stop and think before you join the “Oprah did it so it must be good” club.
Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and the like are NOT magic weight loss solutions, they do come with risks, and I encourage anyone, before considering usage, to first learn what a “black box warning” is, and secondly, to read the package materials that accompanies these “new” drugs.
Here, according to the National Institutes of Health, is the definition of “black box warnings.”
Black Box Warnings are the highest safety-related warning that medications can have assigned by the Food and Drug Administration to bring the consumer’s attention to the major risk factors proven to be associated with use of the drug.
Not all drugs come with Black Box warnings. Only those that the FDA deems dangerous, those drugs sold by sellers who want to be certain they’ve done their part to inform the consumer, “this drug may not be safe.” Interestingly, of the 9 users I spoke with, not one was aware of “the warning.”
The typical response is “I know its not healthy, but . . .
“
I’ll provide a few points to consider for anyone teetering on the brink of “maybe the drug is a better option than that “program” that makes me exercise.”
Here’s a quote from an article published in the NY Times (August 17, 2023).
“Dr. Susan Yanovski, a co-director of the office of obesity research at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, warned that patients would have to be monitored for rare but serious side effects, especially as scientists still don’t know why the drugs work”
Go back and read those last few words again. That, in itself, should offer cause for pause.
I’m not a scientist nor do I pretend to be one, as a personal trainer I like to look at research when I’m bored. I’ve been interested in the field of Medical Fitness ever since learning 5 years ago that 57 % of the American adult population has been diagnosed with at leased 1 or 2 chronic diseases. As a result of this growing trend I’ve increased my specialization to include reversal of weight loss resistance. As a researcher of failed weight loss drugs (fen phen, Olista, etc..) I can share a few words about the why.
LET'S Begin With Why IT "Functions"
These drugs collectively fall into a category of GLP-1 receptor agonists.
GLP is the abbreviation for Glucagon-Like Peptide, a hormone produced by intestinal cells in response to nutrient intake.
The GLP-1 receptor has a host of complementary actions and roles in optimizing digestion and resultant endocrine function. The actions include the secretion of insulin (to transport and store glucose), slow gastric emptying, and inhibit food intake by interacting with appetite mechanisms.
Keep in mind, this is in response to the consumption of food.
When the links between GLP-1, its receptor, and insulin unfolded, the hunt for a pharmacological means of stimulating this receptor was on, and by 2018, liraglutide and semaglutide found their way to market as drugs aimed at treating Type 2 Diabetes. It wasn’t long before approvals were pursued and accomplished to prescribe these drugs for “weight loss.”
I’m going to simplify a bit, although if you choose to seek out the science, I’ll refer you to a very thorough study, history, summary and review:
Müller TD, Finan B, Bloom SR, D'Alessio D, Drucker DJ, Flatt PR, Fritsche A, Gribble F, Grill HJ, Habener JF, Holst JJ, Langhans W, Meier JJ, Nauck MA, Perez-Tilve D, Pocai A, Reimann F, Sandoval DA, Schwartz TW, Seeley RJ, Stemmer K, Tang-Christensen M, Woods SC, DiMarchi RD, Tschöp MH. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). Mol Metab. 2019 Dec;30:72-130.
These first-to-market GLP-1 mimics, liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza*) and semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus) act at the GLP-1 receptor to trick the digestive and endocrine systems into believing “nutrients are here.”
* Note that both Saxenda and Victoza faced some scrutiny (references follow). “Novo Nordisk Agrees to Pay $58 Million for Failure to Comply with FDA-Mandated Risk Program" (Press release). U.S. Department of Justice. 5 September 2017. Whistleblower recoveries from insurance cases brought by Phillips & Cohen bring Novo Nordisk's Victoza settlement to $60 million" (Press release). Phillips & Cohen LLP. 5 September 2017.
As a result of exogenous application of injected GLP-1 mimics, digestive activity slows, appetite is decreased, and insulin secretion is increased. In the short term, this “trick” results in more “active” insulin, less hunger, and slower movement of smooth muscle that lines the stomach and intestines.
So much for the mystery of “why it works, huh?”
Now let’s look a bit further and raise a few questions.
SIDE EFFECTS
The less threatening and more common side effects include:
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal Pain
• Gas
• Bloating
These side effects might seem reasonable if you were swallowing a pill or a substance, but these “meds” are injectables. They go into the bloodstream and bring about alterations in your digestive activity. While these first-mentioned side effects may appear minimal, and a fair trade-off for the illusory promise of lasting weight loss, they’re a clear indication that this isn’t “natural.” Your digestive system is having a “food response” yet the catalyst has nothing to do with food!
Keep reading for more concerning side effects at the end.
When an exogenous substance is injected and alters digestive activity, this “trick” may have serious ramifications.
Want an example?
• Gastroparesis
• Paralysis of the stomach
• Digestive Shut down.
As more cases of digestive issues are reported, releases from manufacturers downplay the incidence, but its important to realize, these drugs have only been on the market since 2018, have only been prescribed for weight loss for 2 years, and are, just now hitting record numbers of prescription.
The October 2023 issue of the Journal of the Medical Association (JAMA) featured the results of a study concluding that users of semaglutide for weight management were at a heightened risk of developing “pancreatitis, gastroparesis, and bowel obstruction.”
WEIGHING OUT THE RISKS
OK, so you’re willing to risk some gas and bloating, you’ve made peace with the possibility of severe digestive issues, but you’re playing the odds, and you’re still tempted.
Let’s now go to that Black Box warning.
WARNING: RISK OF THYROID C-CELL TUMORS
In rodents, semaglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures. It is unknown whether Ozempic®causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans as human relevance of semaglutide-induced rodent thyroid C-cell tumors has not been determined.
Naysayers will dismiss such language, “that refers to rats, and I’m not a rodent.”
There are several reasons rodent studies provide vital insight.
1. Rodent lifespan is a fraction of ours, therefore “effects” show up sooner and can be predictors of “what might happen over a greater time period in humans.”
2. As warm blooded mammals that eat what humans eat and can live where humans live, they can serve as laboratory representations of outcomes with varied stimuli that might be directed at humans. As weird as this may sound, their organ structure, biological systems, and metabolic and neurological systems are quite similar to yours.
So, if rats studied, in significant numbers, are developing thyroid cancer from use of Ozempic, I’d consider that a reasonable consideration prompting folks to lean on the side of caution.
Is there a better alternative? ABSOLUTELY!!!
Set up a consultation with me. I’ll review your history, your desired outcomes, alternatives, and solutions. I won’t ever tell you what to do. That’s of course up to you. I will, however, share everything that arms you to make the best decisions possible.
I'll show you how the programs I've designed, the strategies I use with clients, deliver restoration of Metabolic Excellence, a "reboot" of optimal endocrine function, natural re-balancing of insulin and glucagon.
Let's Meet.
Oh, I promised you a more complete list of possible adverse effects and warnings (beyond nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.). Here goes:
• Elevated or thyroid nodules which may be indications of cancer
• Acute and chronic Pancreatitis
• Diabetic Retinopathy and Ocular Complications
• Hypoglycemia
• Acute Kidney Injury
• Hypersensitive Reactions (anaphylaxis, angioedema)
• Acute Gallbladder Disease
• Delay of Gastric Emptying and Impairment of Absorption of Oral Medications
Get in touch (kylecraig305@gmail.com)! And let's collaboratively determined the optimal way forward, ensuring this marks the final weight loss choice you'll ever need to make. Shoot me an email with the best phone number to schedule a 30 minute phone consultation.
Image/credits: Annushka Ahuja and Pixabay
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