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From ‘Ozempic face’ to ‘Ozempic fingers’ and even ‘Wegovy butt,’ the potential side effects of weight loss medications have been well-documented.
But now, a new study has revealed yet another troubling by-product of the drug – and this time, it’s not physical, but mental.
The research found a link between weight loss drugs and an increase in both depression and suicidal ideation.
Put simply, GLP1 drugs – which are often called GLP1 agonists – are used in weight loss drugs like Ozempic. These mimic the hormones the body releases when we consume food, triggering the pancreas to release insulin and convert the sugar in our bloodstream into energy.
Published in Current Neuropharmacology, the study explains that while these drugs can prove helpful for brains that produce too much dopamine (often called the ‘feel-good hormone’ that makes us feel pleasure), for those who naturally run on too little, it might cause more harm than good.
So, why is this? It’s all because when used regularly, these drugs can actually disrupt the production of dopamine, which can then lead to symptoms of depression, mood swings, and thoughts of suicide.
The authors have warned that their findings should be taken seriously, as senior author Dr. Kenneth Blum, research professor at Western University Health Sciences and Ariel University, urged ‘the clinical prescribing community to proceed with caution to avoid another tragic wave of “people dying to lose weight.”’
Dr Mark S. Gold, addiction psychiatry pioneer and co-author, even believes that it should be considered enough to ‘re-evaluate the widespread use of GLP1 receptor agonists.’
‘The FDA and other regulatory agencies should carefully consider our findings when it comes to labelling and monitoring these drugs,’ he added.
I won’t be shamed for taking weight loss injections — they changed more than just my body
Of course, some patients do report more pros than cons. Amanda Strowbridge struggled with her body image after she started going through the menopause in 2019, when she says she put ‘more and more’ weight on.
After considering her options, in November 2023, she decided to put herself forward for Wegovy. Filling out the consultation form through Boots Pharmacy, she quickly received her first prescription.
Amanda decided to start her own Instagram account to document her own weight loss journey. It was here that she soon connected with other people on a similar pathway.
‘Because of the algorithm, other people on weight-loss drugs started coming up on my feed,’ Amanda, who is 55, previously told Metro.
‘There are so many nuances, twists and turns along the way and it seems that people who are ahead of others are “paying forward” their experiences to help others.’
Amanda also says there is a wonderful sense of ‘camaraderie’ among her friends, which makes a change from the feelings of shame people often feel when using weight loss jabs, or are trolled for being ’lazy.’
’As a community, I think we rise above any of these comments as we’re too busy looking after our health,’ she explains.
‘Once people who have been trying to lose weight for years finally find something that works and is helping them, they feel empowered and don’t really care what others think.’
This isn’t the first study to warn of the potential impact of weight loss injections on mental health.
Research revealed that between January 2021 and May 2023, 481 psychiatric events were associated with not only semaglutide, but also other similar drugs liraglutide and tirzepatide, often sold as Mounjaro.
Around half of the effects recorded included depression, followed by anxiety, while 20% experienced thoughts relating to suicide, according to research published in the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy.
What are the side effects of weight loss medications?
As our understanding of weight loss injections has deepened, those taking the drugs have increasingly shared their experiences taking them.
Over the last few years, prescriptions for weight loss medications have skyrocketed – and they’ve become so popular that earlier this month, WeightWatchers announced it was filing for bankruptcy after failing to compete against the rise of ‘quick-fix’ weight loss tools.
50,000 people in the UK are currently taking either Mounjaro or Wegovy, according to Simple Online Pharmacy, with data from Oushk Pharmacy further revealing that Gen Z is leading the surge in weight loss injections.
As Dr Adil Sheraz, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, previously told Metro, one phenomenon colloquially termed ‘Ozempic face’ refers to ‘sagging, ageing and lacklustre appearance of the facial skin and structures.’
Dr Paul Jarrod Frank, a dermatologist in New York thought to have coined the phrase, told the New York Times that he’d started seeing Ozempic face ‘every day’ since these drugs hit the mainstream.
‘The face has a layer of fat that essentially stretches the skin. Ozempic results in rapid weight loss and does so very effectively. This, of course, will lead to rapid loss of subcutaneous (under the skin) facial fat,’ Dr Adil further explained.
‘The overlying skin however will not be able to shrink at the same rate, resulting in a sagging, droopy and wrinkled appearance.’
That’s not all. Though these symptoms aren’t necessarily specific to taking semaglutide (it can happen with any case of rapid weight loss), people using the drug have also coined the term ‘Wegovy Butt,’ which refers to people’s bums getting smaller, saggier and more deflated.
Others have shared their experiences of so-called ‘Ozempic finger,’ which is essentially just rapid weight loss around the fingers and wrists, causing people’s jewellery to slip off.
Novo Nordisk, which manufactures Ozempic, previously told Metro that it couldn’t comment on the side effects caused by people using Ozempic off-label, and not for its intended purposes.
‘Regarding safety, the most common adverse events among people treated with Ozempic (semaglutide) for its indicated use, are gastrointestinal events including nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting,’ a spokesperson said.
‘Most events were transient, and mild or moderate in severity and resolved without permanent treatment discontinuation.’
What is semaglutide, and what’s the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?
Put simply, Ozempic and Wegovy are both brand names – but they’re both variations of a weight loss drug called semaglutide.
Ozempic is patented to treat type 2 diabetes, improving blood sugar to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular incidents. The Ozempic guidelines outline that the drug – which is injected – ‘may help you to lose some weight’ but specifies that it is ‘not for weight loss.’ The same rules apply in the US.
While Ozempic is used to treat type 2 diabetes, Wegovy – another form of the ingredient semaglutide, under a different name – it is also used to treat ‘adults with obesity or excess weight who also have weight-related medical problems’, its website reads.
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