A peer reviewed paper published by JAMA on May 22 suggests that young people using prescriptions like Ozempic, Wegovy, and other GLP-1 receptor agonists have jumped by an astonishing number. Between 2020 and 2023, the number climbed from a mere 8,700 people to over 60,000. The reason? Weight loss. These drugs are typically used as a medication for type 2 diabetes, but have become a popular option as weight loss drugs in recent years. Some, like Wegovy, are even approved for use in children.
GLP-1 receptor agonist medications can have some potentially serious side effects, and it’s important for anybody that is considering taking them to have a full understanding of this. These include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, low blood sugar, fatigue, and loss of muscle mass. Unfortunately, there is not a clear understanding of the long-term efficacy of these medications for weight loss.
Sources:
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, June 29). Do any diabetes drugs help you lose weight?. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/expert-answers/byetta/faq-20057955
Joyce M. Lee, M. (2024, May 22). Dispensing of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists to adolescents and young adults, 2020-2023. JAMA. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2819128
Garvey, W. T., Batterham, R. L., Bhatta, M., Buscemi, S., Christensen, L. N., Frias, J. P., Jódar, E., Kandler, K., Rigas, G., Wadden, T. A., & Wharton, S. (2022, October 10). Two-year effects of semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity: The step 5 trial. Nature News. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02026-4
Rosen, M. (2024, May 22). Young people’s use of diabetes and weight loss drugs is up 600 percent . Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/diabetes-weight-loss-drugs-glp1-ozempic
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