Ozempic is a game-changer. Here’s how it works.

This diabetes drug could be the future of weight management.

Ozempic, a medication developed to manage type 2 diabetes, has been in the news a lot lately because of one of its signature side effects: drastic weight loss. Both Ozempic and Wegovy, Ozempic’s counterpart approved specifically for weight loss by the FDA, are brand names of a drug called semaglutide. Semaglutide is one of several drugs that mimics a crucial digestive hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1, or GLP-1. It amplifies a process our bodies perform naturally.

GLP-1 is released in our intestines when we eat, and there are receptors for the hormone in cells all over the body. In the pancreas, GLP-1 promotes the production of insulin and suppresses the production of glucagon. This helps insulin-resistant bodies, like those with type 2 diabetes or obesity, manage blood sugar levels. In the stomach, GLP-1 slows gastric emptying, extending the feeling of being full. In the brain, GLP-1 suppresses appetite, which also promotes satiety and curbs hunger, so we eat less.

In late 2022, a rush to use Ozempic off-label for weight loss, likely prompted by its sudden rise in popularity in social media, led to a shortage of the drug for people who need it. But more drugs like semaglutide are currently in the process of being approved by the FDA to be prescribed for weight loss, likely signaling an end to the shortage and a promising new generation of medical treatment of obesity.

Further reading:

The New Obesity Breakthrough Drugs, by Eric Topol

The Discovery and Development of Liraglutide and Semaglutide, by Lotte Bjerre Knudsen and Jesper Lau

Note: The headline on this piece has been updated.
Previous headline: The game-changing weight loss drug, explained

[Vonononie]

“Maybe you’ve heard the jingle” no, because medication isn’t advertised in my country!

[angelina-pohq]

As someone who works in a pharmacy, I have seen how this hurts many patients who need this medication to control their diabetes. For almost 3 months straight we could barely receive this drug to dispense due to the unexpected increase in demand. I completely understand the want to lose weight and ozempic does help with this, but people with diabetes need medications like these to live their lives.

[ericshaker]

You guys should really bring on a credentialed source like a doctor or pharmacist for videos like this

[rosethompson]

I used to be 280 pounds, going blind due to a rare obesity complication called Intercranial Hypertension, but was able to take Ozempic for just 4 months and for the first time in my life felt full. I’ve kept up the initial weight loss and so far lost 80 pounds. Without this medication, I believe without a doubt I would be blind in my left eye by now.

[TammyJerkChicken]

I’ve been trying to lose weight after my dad ended up in the hospital due to diabetes, I had been hearing that ozempic from this is a quick fix to life long commitment but in the end the hype is causing a shortage for the people like my dad, who’s still here only thanks to his able to have access to these meds. I really hope that the supply issues improve but also doesn’t become out of reach due to expense too.

[TheHangryWoman]

Mila here! Thanks to everyone for your supportive comments and Vox for letting me share my experience. When I started Ozempic for diabetes management, few people talked about the effects, so I decided to document my progress.

I'm so grateful that it has made diabetes management easier for me but disheartened that vanity weight loss has made it out of reach for patients who need it. Jimmy Kimmel even made a joke about it at the Oscars – that's what I meant by vanity weight loss and trivializing the medication.

I hope this is a good solution for people living with diabetes and obesity, but even more so, that the long-term effects don't cause additional health challenges. That remains to be seen, and I'll be documenting it for as long as I need it (or can afford it or access it).

[averycoolgal]

I've heard A LOT that challenges Ozempic as "safe". I'm a little wary of how we grazed over Mila's heart palpitations... I understand many drugs have side effects and for those living with diabetes, Ozempic really is a game changer BUT as we see it presented more and more as a weight management tool, I just worry about how positively it's framed in this video. I'm not gonna lie, this feels like an Ozempic promotion to me :(

[ayarel]

Vox, I’m disappointed that the abuse of this drug by Hollywood and influencers for a “quick-fix” to weight loss wasn’t emphasized as much as it should be. I have a family member that is dependent on it to stay healthy, yet shortages are making it difficult for them to obtain and afford it. And what about the long-term side effects for those just wanting to drop weight quickly? This video should have been a lot more cautionary.

[BigDaddyWeightLossJourneys]

I lost 75 pounds on ozempic in 12 weeks!! I love it and I am a big guy with a type 2 diabetic this has been a life-saving game

[antipode]

I have type 2 diabetes but I am far from obese, and my doctor put me on Ozempic for a while. It did a good job with what it's supposed to do, but I HAD to stop. I was felt nauseated CONSTANTLY and I finally decided that life on Ozempic wasn't worth it. Those side effects are just too much.

[OrianaZ]

I was diagnosed type 2 on October '22 with an aic of 7.2 and I weighed 240 lbs. I was started on Mounjaro and lost twenty pounds over two months. Due to insurance not covering anymore I was switched over to ozempic and although the weight loss is slower my recent aic as of March 10 is now 5.6! I needed help with controlling my hunger and cravings and this definitely helped with that. Yes you still have to eat right and exercise to really see the benefits. As of today I'm 203 lbs (slow but steady). Ozempic and other drugs like it have made a huge difference.

[Jerguu]

I want to point out that this drug has been a game changer for several people I know in terms of weight loss. It's not just a few pounds - we're talking about 40-50 pounds on someone who used to be 200-210 pounds. It's a life changing amount that suddenly takes a lot of load off your body.

[somerandomfella]

In Australia diabetics are missing out on this medication due to the weight loss crowd creating shortages.

[bluejay]

Love that we heard from a YouTuber and not an Endocrinologist 😑

[royw-g]

In case people are wondering why the natural GLP-1 molecule has been changed, it is because in the body it has a very short half-life, to be used as a medication it would need to be in a permanently attached pump device, impractical and expensive. Hence longer acting forms were developed that resist DPP-IV the enzyme that breaks it down.

[SilkCrown]

Weight loss is not a trivial or superficial desire, it is a medical need that can drastically improve people's lives and save lives. We should not be pitting T2D against obesity, we should be asking for additional production of this drug.

[salmay]

This sounds too good to be true, and when you take into consideration the long history of pharmaceutical companies' predation on the most vulnerable, the whole thing makes me very skeptical.

[felipeallegro]

I struggled with my weight most of my adult life and finally had an solution with the Gastric Bypass. It’s important to understand obesity has a physical and mental aspect, so being in therapy for almost 4 years as well. So many people change one addiction to another or worse don’t follow all medical protocols and end up sometimes in a worse shape.

[sarahm]

In Canada they're not allowed to advertise the specific use of medications or use jingles, so we get a lot of extremely vague "[drug name]: ask your doctor" commercials and I never knew what Ozempic was used for

[bria]

I was prescribed Ozempic for diabetes 2. I loved it because I no longer had to take 3 pills a day. The side effects for me were horrible ..stomach pains, gas, diarrhea, constant burping, heartburn ..but I did lose 15 pounds in 2 months. My Doctor took me off medication because it also had negative impact on my kidney functions. The downside was as soon as I stopped using the medication, my food cravings came back and I gained all the weight back within 4 weeks.