If you’ve never seen a commercial play casually to the 1970s hit “It’s Magic,” you might recognize Ozempic from celebrity weight loss journeys. From Kim Kardashian to Elon Musk, some of pop culture’s most influential figures are said to have used Ozempic to lose weight.
But the drug isn’t just another weight-loss fad for wealthy influencers.
Physicians and patients have struggled to treat obesity and diabetes for decades.obesity rate 3 times over the past 60 years, and $1 to $4 in U.S. healthcare costs It is spent on treating diabetics. Although these indicators are not without flaws, there is no denying that obesity and related complications remain one of the most impactful and costly healthcare challenges in our country.
Drugs such as semaglutide and Ozempic (the brand name and general umbrella term for these new diabetes and weight loss drugs) are revolutionary. For the first time in history, obesity, a major health problem in the United States, can be safely and effectively treated.
This new category has three main drugs: Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. The first two of his are the trade names for semaglutide and Munjaro is the trade name for tirzepatide. Ozempic and Mounjaro are only approved for type 2 diabetes, but all three have shown strong weight loss results with few temporary side effects. In a 17-month clinical trial, Munjaro helped her 230-pound obese man lose 50 lbs.
Ozempic and Wegovy are GLP-1 agonists, meant to mimic naturally occurring hormones released in response to food intake. After eating, GLP-1 triggers the release of insulin, returning blood sugar levels to normal levels. It also suppresses appetite and controls the timing of gastric emptying into the small intestine. Hormones are satiety signals that help our bodies start regulating after a meal.Munjaro mimics GLP-1 and his GIP. This is another hormone that has been shown to decrease food intake.
Healthy people release GLP-1 after ingesting adequate amounts of food. But our bodies are always reacting to our actions. If you continue to eat after your body has signaled you to stop, you are telling your body that a hormone was accidentally released.Obese people produce less of her GLP-1, adding to the vicious cycle of eating. to apply.
Ozempic helps patients restore normal GLP-1 secretion and helps people with type 2 diabetes regulate insulin levels and control their diet.The patient cooks himself a normal-sized dinner, eats half, and has no appetite for the rest. loved.
There is good reason for endocrinologists and users to hail these drugs as miraculous. I am writing about what intrigued me.Baptism by injection.”
Ozempic is only approved to treat type 2 diabetes, but there are many loopholes for those who can afford it. His monthly supply of Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro costs about $1,000 out of pocket. That’s a lot of money to lose weight safely.
Consider two fictional college friends, Ellie and Lily. They both want to lose weight, but they also want to be happy with their bodies. Neither are severely overweight.
Their excess weight affects their mental health more than their physical health. They both hear about the Ozempic, but only Ellie can afford it.
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Ellie received a prescription for pre-diabetes and lost unwanted weight. Ellie still tells Lily she should be proud of her body. But Lily sees Ellie actively avoiding bodies at Ozempic, so it’s hard for Lily to believe her. I feel that “beautiful” applies to bodies that are more slender than others.
This is Ozempic’s ethical dilemma. We live in a country where overnutrition is rampant, but image is also a focus. An anxiety recipe. On the one hand, Ozempic helps people lose weight safely and effectively. On the other hand, however, it fosters body image insecurity among young people like Lily.
Moral concerns are unlikely to stop the Ozempic frenzy. A profit-driven telemedicine company 15 minute phone callEven ethical doctors prescribe it to patients who want it mainly for cosmetic purposes.
Think again about Ellie. If she asks for a prescription for your patient, would you say no? Ozempic can help prevent weight gain and related health problems and help you feel better. It’s much healthier than eating a mess or taking Adderall, an amphetamine mixture that suppresses your appetite.On top of these reasons, she pays you her $1,000 a month!
Could Ozempic stop treating millions of people with diabetes and obesity because it perpetuates the beauty standard? Of course not. I truly believe that these medicines will have a very positive effect that far outweighs the harm done to the health of the United States. But I think their massive impact has blinded some doctors to the potential harm.
Weight loss is hard. Ozempic makes it easy. For some, Ozempic makes it possible.
I don’t know what will happen to someone like Lily. But I do know that the Ozempic craze has started. This is just the beginning.
Alex Clark is a junior studying neurobiology and economics. Do you think Ozempic raises questions about medical ethics? Send all comments to Opinion@dailycardinal.com
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