New weight loss trends dominated the discourse in 2023, and early signs point to that dominance continuing to build in 2024. Ozempic, Wegovy and other drugs containing semaglutide have taken over online pharmacies and lifestyle management clinics for their ability to promote weight loss through appetite suppression. As is often the case with cultural phenomena, the visible usage of these treatments by celebrities has only further increased the intrigue and popularity surrounding them. Tracey Morgan and Oprah Winfrey are just two of the many well-known personalities that have spoken publicly about using treatments like Ozempic and others to help manage the food cravings that can make weight loss so difficult to achieve.
These medications were often developed for alternative purposes before being marketed for their weight loss capabilities. Wegovy, for example, was developed to treat the health ramifications of obesity. Ozempic and Mounjaro, on the other hand, were designed to treat Type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, these medications can also trigger a variety of symptoms that include stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, constipation and indigestion.
Researchers are examining the long-term safety of these weight loss medications for
the general population, but they are struggling to keep up with the ever-expanding
demand for these treatments due to their convenience and growing presence in pop
culture. With even more weight loss drugs slated to come out in 2024, some medical
professionals are focusing on lifestyle management and other natural methods to
support healthy weight loss without the risk of harmful side effects.
Convenient Weight Loss
There are a multitude of factors involved with traditional weight loss, including regular exercise, a proper diet and healthy sleep patterns. Of course, eating less can promote weight loss. That can be more difficult for some people than it sounds, but these medications support weight loss by suppressing cravings for food. However, this effect of appetite suppression is a byproduct of what medications like Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy were actually designed to do.
That obviously has not stopped some pharmaceutical companies from moving ahead with marketing these types of drugs as weight loss treatments. The effects of this marketing push have only been further intensified by the increasing number of celebrities who have spoken about using these drugs to lose weight.
While Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy and other similar medications have been developed as injections to this point, some will soon be developed in pill form as well. Wegovy and Zepbound will be the first to be offered in pill form, but they definitely will not be the last. With the potential anxiety of needles being removed from the equation, it is safe to assume that the popularity of these medications being used for weight loss will continue to grow.
The Celebrity Boost
Oprah Winfrey recently spoke about her use of an unnamed weight loss drug, saying that “the fact that there’s a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift”.
When asked about his recent weight loss, Tracy Morgan bluntly admitted: “No, that’s Ozempic. That’s how this weight got lost.”
Even Elon Musk was quick to thank one of these medications when asked by a Twitter user how he had achieved his “healthy” look. “Fasting…And Wegovy,” he replied.
Potential Side Effects and Pushback
Dr. Katherine Saunders, an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and an expert in obesity and the long-term health ramifications of obesity at New York Presbyterian Hospital, prescribes these medications to some of her patients. She believes that people who are poor candidates for these medications are the most at risk of experiencing side effects.
“So if you take a look at nausea, reflux, constipation, those are the main complications that we’re seeing with GLP-1-type medications,” Dr. Saunders explained. She then added that the side effects are often “because patients are either on too high a dose, [or] they’re inappropriate candidates”.
According to many doctors and medical experts, including Dr. Saunders, these medications should be used in tandem with healthy lifestyle management techniques in order to achieve lasting results. In fact, it is now common knowledge in the medical community that a person’s weight will almost certainly return within a year of stopping one of these drugs.
A large number of the celebrities who have opened up about using these medications have also spoken about experiencing side effects.
Amy Schumer opened up about her experience, saying that she tried Ozempic for a short period of time before stopping due to the side effects. “I was one of the people who felt sick, I couldn’t like play with my son,” she said.
Sharon Osbourne also stopped using Ozempic after experiencing side effects. “You don’t throw up physically but you’ve got that feeling,” she explained. “I was about two, three weeks where I felt nauseous the whole time. You get very thirsty and you don’t want to eat.” Sharon also added that she believed her lost weight would return, saying, “I didn’t actually want to go this thin, but it just happened and I’ll probably put it all on again soon.”
Addressing Excess Weight and Obesity from the Root Causes
Dr. Terri DeNeui, founder and Chief Medical Officer of EVEXIAS Health Solutions, believes that the best way to lose weight and keep the pounds off is to address the condition that is often found to be the source of unexpected weight gain: hormonal imbalances.
“These medications are a game-changer in the weight loss world”, Dr. DeNeui said. “But trying to address weight loss without addressing hormone deficiency is futile. You can jump start weight loss with the medications, but keeping it off is different.”
“Adjusting hormone levels can be the cornerstone for weight loss, but you also need to look at dietary changes,” she added. “With these medications, people aren’t changing their lifestyle, just eating less. After a while, they report the drugs are not working anymore.”
The integrative therapy practitioners at EVEXIAS Health Solutions have been trained in all of the latest therapies and technology designed to support optimal whole body health from the root level. By offering a range of services that include lifestyle management assistance, peptide therapy, professional grade nutraceuticals and EvexiPEL hormone pellet therapy, EVEXIAS Health Solutions has the ability to tailor wellness plans for each individual client. When lifestyle management techniques are no longer enough to overcome unexpected weight gain and other symptoms of hormonal imbalance, the bioidentical hormone pellets used in EvexiPEL therapy have been expertly developed to help provide consistent hormonal balance with enhanced comfort for months at a time. Discover the nearest integrative therapy practitioner today to begin looking for the best individual path to optimal weight and whole body health.
