Risks and side effects of weight loss (and they’re not all bad)

There is only one paper that reports the relationship between NAION and semaglutide and it is observational – which means it cannot prove that the drug was to blame, says Prof Sattar. “There is a need for better information in this area before any decisions can be made. This does not mean that there is no risk. We do not know and better information is needed before any decisions can be made.”

Stomach problems

Trials of semaglutide revealed that gastrointestinal discomfort – nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation – were the most common side effects of the drug, affecting a third of participants given the weekly dose. and 2.4mg weekly (Wegovy maintenance dose).

The researchers noted that most of the stomach problems were not severe but admitted that 7 percent of the group dropped out of the trial, usually because of stomach problems.

“Most people who take semaglutide have gastrointestinal side effects, at least temporarily,” says Dr Cork. “These are relatively mild, but in some cases they can be significant enough to stop taking medication.”

“This trend declines over time as people start to eat less and a new level of consumption is reached,” notes Professor Sattar.

Many patients can still tolerate semaglutide and doctors now know how to start giving the drug at a low dose before gradually increasing it, he says. Patients are also given advice on how to minimize these effects, such as choosing easily digestible foods such as soups and yogurts, drinking plenty of water and avoiding sugary and spicy foods, Professor Sattar adds.

It is important to remember that the side effects of semaglutide, including digestive problems, seem to be worse among people who do not have weight loss, Dr Cork said. we. “Although the risks associated with obesity far outweigh any risk associated with these drugs, this may not be the case for patients who are not obese but wish to take these drugs to lose a little weight.

He adds: “The challenge now is to strike a balance between what the drug is designed for (treating obesity) and what most people in society want (getting a ‘good’ body shape.” thin),” he adds.

‘Ozempic face’

Although it has not been studied, users of semaglutide who lose weight quickly have complained of wrinkled and wrinkled skin called “Ozempic face”.

Losing weight too quickly can also leave lips and cheeks looking thinner, puffy eyes and a generally dull face, experts have warned. It is thought that this effect is less severe if the weight is reduced gradually.

Prof Sattar said that people who are not obese but are accessing semaglutide privately to lose weight can have this effect, as he is not aware of NHS patients complaining of this. “People can always reduce their dose or stop taking semaglutide for a while if they feel they prefer not to have wrinkled and wrinkled skin,” he adds.

Hair loss

As well as fat loss, some semaglutide users have reported suffering from severe hair loss, left with bald spots and gray hair. The effect was reported among 3 percent of participants in Wegovy’s clinical trial, compared to 1 percent of the placebo group, but it was not listed as a side effect.

It is not clear what causes this effect but some experts have suggested that it could be telogen effluvium – hair loss caused by a change in the body, such as rapid weight loss. Although this unpleasant effect will stop when the person’s weight stabilizes, the hair will not grow back.

It reduces the risk of cancer

Being overweight or obese increases the risk of cancer – including breast, colon and pancreatic – because excess body fat fires signals that tell cells to divide more often, which can lead to tumor formation .

“As we believe that weight is associated with many types of cancer, it makes sense that significant weight loss will reduce cancer risks over time,” says Prof Sattar.

A small risk of cancer was not found in the Select trial – the largest and longest study of semaglutide. The rates were the same regardless of whether the patients were taking the drug.

However, subsequent research suggests that semaglutide may protect against this disease. Another trial analyzed data from more than 34,000 obese patients, who were taking a weight-loss pill such as semaglutide, who had undergone bariatric surgery or were treatment-naïve for years. 15.

The results, presented at a meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology in June, showed that the risk of developing 13 cancers related to body weight was 19 percent lower among patients who lost weight. physical and bariatric surgery. What’s more, those who took the vaccine were less likely to die from the disease – suggesting that the drug directly prevents cancer.

It strengthens heart health

UCL scientists who looked at data from the Select trial found that semaglutide reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke and death from heart disease by a fifth.

Researchers believe that this effect is not only the result of users achieving weight, but that semaglutide has an additional protective effect, says Prof Sattar.

“This may be a direct effect of the drug on the heart and blood vessels, [which are thought to] delay the formation of destructive plaques that lead to heart attacks,” he says.

Separate research has shown a significant improvement in symptoms among semaglutide users living with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction – when the heart pumps normally but has difficulty pumping blood properly. Obesity is a big part of this condition. “The results have pleased cardiologists,” says Professor Sattar.

It reduces the risk of dementia and slows the progression of Alzheimer’s

Oxford University researchers reported in July that semaglutide could cut the risk of dementia in half.

Researchers monitored 130,000 diabetic patients in the US for one year, who were taking Ozempic or other diabetes medications, and compared their neurological conditions.

The results showed the risk of developing dementia was 48 percent lower in patients taking semaglutide, compared to other drugs. The team said this provides the “first solid evidence” that the drug can boost brain health.

“We know that risk factors for dementia include high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, high blood sugar and obesity – and that GLP-1 antagonists [the class of drug semaglutide belongs to] reduce the risk of all this,” says Professor Sattar. “It makes sense that they should also reduce the risk of ‘dementia’. There is also a suggestion that GLP-1 agonists may have a direct effect on the brain.

A study from Imperial College London adds weight to this theory. Researchers followed more than 200 patients with mild Alzheimer’s, half of whom were given liraglutide, which works in a similar way to semaglutide. This drug appears to reduce shrinkage in the areas of the brain that control memory, learning, language and decision-making by about 50 percent. Tests have shown that cognitive shrinkage is reduced by 18 percent, after ‘of one year of treatment, suggesting that the vaccines slow the progression of the disease.

It helps to stop smoking

As well as reducing appetite, semaglutide is thought to reduce the urge to smoke – a leading cause of preventable death in the UK.

People taking this drug have reported a reduced interest in smoking within a month of taking the drug and this effect has been documented in animal studies.

Now, researchers, who monitored about 220,000 patients with diabetes medication, found that users were about a third of the possibility of being diagnosed with tobacco addiction. The team, from the US National Center on Drug Abuse, noted that larger trials will be needed to confirm their findings.