Wegovy and Ozempic, well-known celebrity weight loss drugs, can have serious side effects, according to Chinese researchers.
In a study set published in a monthly magazine Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica BResearchers believe that taking these drugs “increases the risk” of bowel obstruction.
The drug consists of the peptide semaglutide, a derivative of GLP-1, a hormone from the small intestine.
This is the hormone that semaglutide mimics and slows digestion, making you feel fuller for longer and leading to weight loss.
The drug can help treat ailments such as obesity and type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels in people and promoting weight loss, but there are growing concerns about its potential for unwanted side effects.
“While its efficacy and safety profile are widely accepted, long-term adverse events, such as an increased risk of intestinal obstruction, have been reported in patients with diabetes, which is higher than in patients receiving other glycemic control medications. is also 4.5 times higher,” the researchers wrote of the drug. .
“A real-world study of 25,617 subjects showed a 3.5-fold increase in bowel obstruction rates associated with GLP-1RA treatment,” the researchers said.
The Washington Post has reached out to pharmaceutical maker Novo Norodisc for comment.
In their study, the scholars also cited two studies that showed a correlation between GLP-1 and gut problems. 2020, the other 2022.
However, they were observational in nature and could not confirm a direct relationship.
Intestinal obstruction occurs when there is a blockage that prevents food or liquids from passing through the small or large intestine. Mayo Clinic.
If left untreated, the blocked intestinal segment can be fatal, leading to an infection called peritonitis.
According to the organization, the infection is often classified as a life-threatening condition that requires surgery.
In their letter, they explained that they observed an average 43% increase in small bowel length after 3 months of treatment with the GLP-1b drug in rats that received the drug, and reported to Wegovy’s clinical The exam tested only for 16 months.
They also said that clinical trials done on humans didn’t show the same changes in our gut.
The researchers explained that it can be difficult to determine the length of the small intestine in adults, and that constipation, a symptom of intestinal obstruction, is also the same symptom as delayed digestion, an effect of the drug.
However, independent experts not involved in the research told the daily mail He argued that “medicine should be safe for most people,” and that doctors should take a patient’s bowel history before prescribing the drug to them.
Common drugs are given in weekly injections that the patient can do on their own. Wegovy’s maximum dose is 2.4 milligrams.
Weight loss pills have taken Hollywood by storm in recent months, with many stars, including comedian Chelsea Handler, admitting to taking it at some point. “I did not know” She was on Ozempic.
She insisted that doctors just “pass it on” to anyone.
“I came back from vacation and injected it. A few days later I went to lunch with my girlfriend and she was like, ‘You really haven’t eaten anything. I have.” she remembered Appearing on January 25th “Call her daddy” podcast.
“And I was like, ‘I’m kind of nauseous too.’ But I just got back from Spain and I was jet lagged,” she continued.
Twitter owner Elon Musk also admitted to using Wegovy last fall.
