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He explains that because these drugs work by acting on the gastrointestinal tract, some gastrointestinal side effects are to be expected. He says these are typically mild and temporary, and should not be overstated. In rare cases they can cause more serious problems, and he says those with a history of gastrointestinal conditions like pancreatitis should be cautious and always consult with a medical professional.
Musgrave says for most people, the benefits of such medications outweigh potential side effects. “Because they’re so effective at controlling blood glucose as well as causing weight loss, and have very important effects in reducing things like cardiovascular risk, the risk benefit for people with type two diabetes or obesity is firmly in the benefit.”
The effects of rapid or yo-yoing weight loss
On social media, “Ozempic face” is said to be one of the most pronounced effects of the drug, characterised by a noticeably more hollow and aged face caused by losing weight quickly. But the effects of rapid weight loss goes beyond chiselled cheekbones.
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Dr Natasha Yates, a GP and clinical tutor at Bond University, says it’s important to remember that most people will regain the weight once they stop taking the drug. She adds that the effects of rapid weight loss or fluctuating weight can put a great deal of stress on the body.
“It does put a strain on the cardiovascular system. Interestingly, it tends to put less of a strain on people who are obese or morbidly obese, but who are overweight, which is a caution to people who might just be wanting to lose a few kilos to look better rather than from a health perspective.”
Yates says, “the most healthy way to lose weight is to do so fairly slowly, and to keep it off over a prolonged period so that your body develops a new set point”.
Ageing and long-term effects
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Associate Professor David Scott from Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition is concerned about the effect that short-term weight loss can have on muscle mass and bone density.
While there’s yet to be research on the long-term effects of semaglutide, he says studies conducted on weight loss over a 12 or 24-month period show most people lose more than just fat.
“When you lose a significant amount of weight on these drugs, about 30 to 40 per cent of that is muscle. We also know that within about 12 months of stopping these drugs, people regain around 70 per cent of the weight they lost. And I suspect that very little, if any of that would be muscle.”
He says this is concerning as it suggests a lower composition of muscle in the long term, which we know to be important for health as we ageand so weight loss drugs need to be accompanied by healthy lifestyle changes.
“Once they come off the drug we need to be making sure that people are doing effective exercise and consuming the right nutrition to preserve muscle and bone,” says Scott.
Yates agrees that those taking such drugs for weight loss must focus on a nutritionally dense diet. “If they’re simply losing weight by reducing calories, they’re not feeding their cells and growing them in a healthy way. And then in the long term, of course, nutritional deficiencies can be a big problem.”
‘[Ozempic] makes it harder for them to go out … you don’t actually deal with the psychological reasons someone might be overeating.’
GP Dr Natasha Yates
Social and psychological effects
As a GP, Yates is particularly concerned by the social and psychological effects of drugs like Ozempic.
“It’s having an impact on my patients in the way they interact with food. It reduces their pleasure in eating, and it makes it harder for them to go out and socialise, which are not good things if you don’t actually deal with the psychological reasons someone might be overeating in the first place,” she says.
“The holistic approach we try and take when someone loses weight is to get some psychological support as to why they have been struggling with obesity in the first place. And if all you’re going to do is give them a drug to lose the kilos, you’re not actually addressing the cause.”
Yates says there are also concerns that weight loss medication could contribute to eating disorders.
“We’ve come so far as a community on addressing the stigma of weight and shame. This medication does give people who are struggling with that a fairly powerful and toxic tool.”
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