Everything you need to know about the ‘groundbreaking’ weight loss jab WeGovy

A weight-loss jab loved by Hollywood A-listers has given the green light to be offered on the NHS to Britons struggling to lose weight.

But is Semaglutide, sold under the Wegovy brand name, the miracle drug it was cracked to be?

Who will be eligible to take it? And what are the possible side effects?

Here, MailOnline explains everything you need to know about WeGovy and its cousin Ozempic.

Semaglutide, marketed as Wegovy for overweight or obese people, has been approved for use by the NHS

Wegovy and Ozempic work by stimulating the body to produce a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1, which is released naturally from the gut after meals

What is Semaglutide and how does it work?

Semaglutide belongs to a group of medicines known as GLP-1.

They are a synthetic form of a hormone that is naturally released by the body when you eat and stimulates the release of insulin, a chemical that helps control blood sugar levels.

It also slows the rate at which the stomach empties, instructing the brain to increase your sense of how full you are and reduce your appetite.

What is the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?

Confusingly, semaglutide is branded as two separate drugs, both manufactured by Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk.

Ozempic is aimed at patients with type 2 diabetes.

It lowers their blood sugar and reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people who also have heart disease.

Sister drug Wegovy contains a stronger dose of semaglutide and instead targets people who weigh too much.

Can I get Wegovy?

Wegovy will be available to people with a BMI of 35 or more – a classification that means they are morbidly obese.

Patients must also have at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as B. Type 2 diabetes to be eligible.

Adults with a BMI between 30 and 35 could also be recommended the drug if referred for specialist help following guidance from the NHS watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Could I get it private then?

Private clinics in the UK can give clients Ozempic off-label for just under £200 a month.

Doctors, however, have said off-label prescribing is “very sensitive” because medical professionals are not allowed to promote drugs for a treatment outside of the product’s license.

Novo Nordisk has warned that it does not support off-label prescribing, which may limit care for patients with type 2 diabetes who have been prescribed the drug.

Are there any side effects?

Like all medications, Semaglutide is not completely risk-free.

Users often complain of nausea, constipation and diarrhea, some also suffer from heartburn, fatigue and complain that the food tastes different after taking the drug.

It’s this side effect that some people blame for further aiding their weight loss – by making their favorite junk food taste bad.

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson (left) revealed he was taking Ozempic to lose weight. When asked in October if a healthier diet or the gym was behind his 30-pound weight loss, Elon Musk (right) credited “fasting” and “Wegovy.”

Kim Kardashian is rumored to have used Wegovy to lose weight fast to fit into Marilyn Monroe’s famous Happy Birthday Mr President dress at the 2022 Met Gala (pictured).

Thyroid cancer, pancreatitis — when the organ becomes inflamed — and kidney failure are rare but serious side effects.

Patients have also warned that their faces appear gaunt, exhausted and aged – a side effect dubbed “Ozempic Face”.

However, Avideh Nazeri, medical director of Novo Nordisk UK, says they can be limited by only gradually increasing the dose a patient is taking.

Will I gain weight again if I stop taking it?

Possibly.

Research suggests that people who stop the drug regain weight when their appetite returns, so you may need to take this drug for the rest of your life.

This is because the drug works by signaling satiety to the brain and suppressing appetite. Once a person stops taking the drug, their previous eating habits could return.

However, if people made significant lifestyle changes while taking the drug to combat weight gain, they could maintain a healthier weight.

Can I take a pill instead?

Although a pill form of semaglutide was launched in the UK last year, it is a formulation used to treat diabetes.

So far, no studies are underway on its use as a weight loss aid – basically, don’t hold your breath.

Is it groundbreaking?

Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum said semaglutide is “the weight-loss drug we’ve been waiting for” and urged health leaders to ration supplies to those most in need.

He said: “It’s a game changer and so successful that Hollywood A-listers are now using it to slim down and show off their figures.

“The real danger is that there isn’t enough in the short term.

“You shouldn’t just use it to shed a few pounds, as that could endanger the health of those who really need it, those who have type 2 diabetes and morbid obesity.”

But nutritionist Dr. Duane Mellor of Aston Medical School, Aston University, urged caution, saying the drug is not a “miracle cure” for obesity. He said: “It’s important to remember that semaglutide works alongside and supports a healthy lifestyle, and when people are offered semaglutide that they are also continually supported to make dietary and lifestyle changes and make those changes.” to maintain.

A British study found that people using Wegovy experienced rapid weight loss, losing 18% of their weight over 68 weeks. They regained two-thirds of that weight, or 12% of their original body weight, in the year after stopping the weekly injections. Experts say that to get rid of the pounds, the drug needs to be used for a lifetime

“As all individuals initially offered semaglutide through the NHS will be supported by specialist weight management services, this should include support from a specialist dietician.”

What other weight loss medicines are available on the NHS?

Two other weight loss drugs are available from the NHS – orlistat and liraglutide.

Orlistat is a pill taken up to three times a day that prevents fat from being absorbed by the digestive system.

The undigested fat is excreted from the body as feces instead.

While this keeps people from gaining more weight, it doesn’t help them lose it on their own.

Side effects include greasy or oily stools, oily discharge from the rectum, and severe gas and bloating.

Liraglutide is an injectable medication that is given daily and works similarly to semaglutide by altering the body’s metabolism, making the person feel fuller and less hungry.

This causes them to eat less and theoretically lose weight.

Liraglutide is generally only prescribed after a general practitioner has referred you to a specialized weight loss management service and when orlistat has not worked.

Side effects include aPain, diarrhea, fever, frequent urination and trouble sleeping.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grain, according to the NHS

• Eat at least 5 servings of varied fruit and vegetables daily. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Base meals based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This equates to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole wheat biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread, and 1 large baked potato with its skin on

• Have some dairy products or dairy alternatives (like soy drinks) and choose lower-fat, lower-sugar options

• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish per week, one of which should be oily)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small amounts

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water daily

• Adults should consume less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men per day

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide

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