CosBeauty Magazine #102

A NEW FRONTIER
IN WEIGHT
MANAGEMENT
Commenting on the University of
Pennsylvania study of semaglutide,
The Sydney Morning Herald
declared: ‘The emergence of the
new drug, marketed locally as
Wegovy, promises to revolutionise
weight-loss treatments.’
Professor Brian Oldfield, a leading
obesity researcher at Monash
University, told SMH: ‘As these
drugs become more effective and
available, it will be harder for people
to ignore them.’
Although governments worldwide
have invested significantly in public
health campaigns to promote
healthy eating and exercise, these
efforts have not caused significant
weight loss.
‘While healthy eating and physical
activity are vital for good health,
decades of evidence suggest they
simply do not lead to large amounts
of weight loss,’ said Prof Oldfield.
‘They are not enough by themselves.
They typically give a 3-5% reduction
in body weight.’
As such, introducing a new
drug like Wegovy could make a
significant difference in the fight
against obesity.
Tiffany Petre, director of the
Obesity Collective, shared a similar
sentiment, expressing her hope
that semaglutide drugs like Wegovy
will change conversations about
obesity in society. ‘People with
obesity haven’t been able to get
appropriate healthcare. Now
there is something on the market,’
she said.
RISKS AND
CONTROVERSIES
Ozempic and Wegovy’s rise
in popularity have also been
accompanied by various claims and
controversies surrounding its usage
and side effects.
Commonly reported side effects
include reflux, nausea, vomiting,
constipation, diarrhoea and
abdominal pain. In some instances,
more serious side effects can occur,
such as severe allergic reactions,
kidney problems, pancreatitis and
diabetic retinopathy.
Ozempic has also been linked
to an increased risk of developing
thyroid cancer in animal studies.
Although there is currently no
definitive evidence that the
medication poses a similar risk in
humans, it has resulted in a warning
on the drug label.
There is also the question of
what happens to your body after
stopping Ozempic or Wegovy. Like
many medications, semaglutide only
works for as long it’s used. As soon
as you stop taking it, any weight
loss is likely to come back. More
worryingly, if you abruptly stop using
it, the amount of glucose in your
body can spike due to sudden shifts
in blood sugar levels and may cause
serious medical complications.
Concerns have also been
raised about the massive uptake
in individuals who do not have
diabetes or obesity and are using
the drug for “quick fix” weight loss.
This hyper-demand for off-label
weight loss – seemingly reserved
for the wealthy elite who can afford
paying prices of up to US$1,300 a
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