Lottie Moss reveals how a stroke and seizure at Ozempic Hospital changed her life
Weight loss shots are a hot topic in the media at the moment, with hundreds of success stories of people shedding pounds.
In March 2023, the NHS announced it would make Wegovy, a drug made by Danish firm Novo Nordisk, available on prescription to thousands of obese Britons.
It contains the drug semaglutide, which is said to have helped reality star Kim Kardashian and Twitter boss Elon Musk lose weight.
Wegovy, which in studies helped a third of people reduce their weight by 20 percent, is now available from pharmacies such as Boots.
How do they work?
The injections work by suppressing your appetite, causing you to eat less and therefore lose weight.
To do this, semaglutide mimics the role of a natural hormone called GLP-1.
GLP-1 is part of the signaling pathway that tells your body you’ve eaten, preparing it to use the energy from your food.
GP of London and founder of wellgoodwellbeing.comDr. Zoe Watson, said: “Your body naturally produces an appetite-regulating hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1.
“These shots work by regulating your appetite, which can lead to eating fewer calories and losing weight.”
Aren’t they diabetes meds?
Semaglutide, the active drug in Wegovy, was originally sold specifically for diabetes patients under the name Ozempic.
But people started to notice that it helped suppress their appetite, so they stopped eating as much and they lost the pounds.
Novo Nordisk then developed Wegovy, which contains the same chemical but in higher doses specifically to promote weight loss.
Wegovy is not prescribed to diabetic patients.
Can I get them?
Wegovy is offered by prescription to overweight adults receiving specialist weight loss treatment.
The NHS also currently offers a similar drug called Saxenda, or liraglutide.
Both are only available through specialist weight management services, meaning you will need to be referred to expert-led clinics.
GPs cannot prescribe them themselves, Dr Watson said.
The jabs should be taken as part of an overall program to help with lifestyle changes and psychological support to get the best effect from the prescribed medication.
Are there risks?
Like all medicines, the injections are not without side effects.
About half of people taking the drug experience intestinal problems, including nausea, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhea.
Dr. Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical advisor at patient.info, said: “One of the more unusual side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and affects one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
What other options are there?
Mounjaro (brand name for tirzepatide) also came onto the market at the beginning of 2024.
Like Wegovy, tirzepatide stems from a drug originally designed to treat diabetes.
The weekly injection helped overweight people lose more than two stone in 18 months.
It is available to order online with prescription from pharmacies including Superdrug and LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor.
It works in the same way as Wegovy and Saxenda, but is more effective.
Dr. Mitra Dutt from Lloyds Pharmacy says: “Based on clinical studies, 96 percent of people were able to lose more than five percent of their body fat using Mounjaro. In similar studies, 84 percent of people lost more than five percent of their body weight with Wegovy, and 60 percent with Saxenda.
“Mounjaro works by activating two hormonal receptors (GIP and GLP-1), which increase insulin production, improve insulin sensitivity and work to reduce food intake.”
