Product Review: A miracle weight loss injection is taking TikTok, the NHS, celebrities and Australia by storm... you may have heard of it by the brand names: Wegovy, Rybelsus or Ozempic.
2024 Update: it's now well and truly arrived in New Zealand!
Semaglutide Injections: Does This Weight Loss Injection Really Work?
Could a magical weight loss drug really work? Semaglutide, Ozempic... there are a few different names as I write this (during a quick edit in 2024).
Despite being designed for diabetes patients a number of celebrities have jumped on board. With the authorities in England approving it's use, New Zealand specialists are now interested according to 1News.
So, Semaglutide Injections: Does This Weight Loss Injection Really Work?
Things To Consider Before Signing Up For Semaglutide
If you could take a miracle drug to regulate your hormones and appetite and help you lose weight more 'easily' than ever before it'd be tempting right?
Update in 2024: It has been shown to cause muscle loss, which is pretty darn dangerous in a world where as we age, many of us are already losing more muscle than we should. This also makes weight regain more rapid.
If you are seriously overweight or obese, it could seriously improve your health. But the debate is beginning already. This miracle drug can be prescribed for up to two years in the UK. What does a patient, who has been reliant on an injection to regulate their hormones and appetite do once they are set free and left to their own devices?
#1: First Impressions of Semaglutide
I was pretty astonished to be honest.
It doesn't seem remotely sustainable to me, but it can help with people's health - supposedly more quickly and effectively than anything that has come before. So, should the critics be arguing against it?
I believe there's always a piper to pay. And the list of side effects is pretty dire reading. But UK politicians are arguing that this is a better solution than imposing 'nanny state' restrictions on sugar and junk food.
Interesting. So, rather than regulating behaviour through making it less accessible or desirable... we'll inject them instead. Huh. The mind boggles.
#2: The Side Effects of Semaglutide
Not many really... just tumours, kidney issues, pancreatitis - oh and the usual nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting. This article by Forbes provides an interesting overview. One of it's mechanisms of action is the slowing of gastric emptying - yep, that's right - it literally makes you constipated which increases feelings of fullness. Fun. But I'd probably rather not thanks.
I am also concerned that following the treatment, with little to no education in nutrition, work on your mindset or building systems and habits to live a better life, as soon as the drugs are out of your system - what exactly is the next step? Binging? Weight gain again? I am sure doctors have a savvy management plan in place, but i reckon this could be a bit of a challenge for many.
#3: Pros and Cons of Semaglutide
Where to bloody begin...
Pros of Semaglutide Injections
- It helps you lose weight
- Without having to actively consider any additional education or time
- In the UK you'll soon be able to get it from chemists which makes it highly accessible
- Supposedly it's a net benefit for governments to not have to impose 'nanny state' restrictions on sugar laden and processed food
You can read more about Semaglutide and the side effects here at WebMD - it's not pretty reading.
Cons of Semaglutide Injections
- The side effects for starters (nausea & constipation...no thanks)
- A loss of love for food (as reported in The Guardian)
- Removing the responsibility of health from the individual to a jab
- The cost to governments (on resources that could be spent elsewhere)
- Contributing to the rhetoric that jabs/pills are better than education
- No consideration the mental health benefits of investing in your own health
- The potential dire mental health consequences if people feel they don't need to eat well or exercise
- The lack of sustainability of a solution, that in the UK is currently going to be perscribed for up to two years
#4: The Final Score
In the words of Paula Moore and so many other friends who have responded to my question of 'If you could take a jab to lose weight, would you?'... it's a hard 'no' from me.
Many have admitted to finding it tempting...sure. But for the value this drug offers, it takes a huge amount away. It means people are taking even less care of their own health. Less responsibility for learning. Less consideration of how they interact with consumption spaces and the world around them. And how do you even quantify a proportion of the population 'losing the joy to eat'. Family dinner times, get togethers with friends, meals out and BBQ's in the sunshine somehow become joyless.
I am sure this isn't the last I'll be writing about this topic. Gosh if it works, I could be out of business, but something inside me tells me that may not be the case.
#5: What's The Alternative?
When people come to me for help to lose weight. It isn't their lack of a jab... or generally their shortage of insulin.
The key issues with weight loss lie in:
- Fatigue, Tiredness, Stress
- Lack of knowledge on nutrition
- Habitual behaviours that are hard to unlearn
- Sugar laden staples that mask themselves as healthy options
- NZ Nutrition Guidelines that advise eating grains with every meal (the same tactic used to fatten up cattle before the slaughter - a fun fact for you)
The alternative methods that I work through are my know means 'easy' but they are effective. As the saying goes “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”
My 5 Step Framework:
- Knowledge & Mindset
- Habits
- Your Environment (read the article of designing a healthy environment)
- Movement
- Your Nutrition
The Harsh Reality (it's pretty rough)
- Getting clarity & gaining confidence
- Building new habits that align with your goals
- Designing an environment that makes healthy choices easier
- Moving in ways that you love and that improve your mental health
- Making easy and sustainable swaps to delicious whole foods
The Results
- Mood changes and confidence
- Weight Loss (often more than 1kg a week)
- Improvements in relationships
- Better mental health and sleep
- Reduced stress levels
- Significant medical changes like reduced cholesterol, balanced stress hormones, reduced blood sugar, reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.
These are results you will not get from a jab.
That's my rant over. I would love to know your thoughts.
Would you consider taking Semaglutide? Do you agree or disagree with my opinions?
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