Is Wegovy a Weight Loss Wonder Drug?

Medical weight loss is a growing field that utilizes medications to aid the weight loss process, in conjunction with the usage of specific drugs. The popularity of this craze has risen through word of mouth, news, and social media.

Recently, we’ve seen an uptick in what is now known as one of TikTok’s heavily promoted weight loss drugs, Wegovy. What started as a few medical videos intended to boost sales for the anti-obesity medication (AOM) the exposure has now snowballed into exponential demand among those hoping to shed pounds quickly. While it’s true that Wegovy can help people lose weight significantly in a short period, it is far from the simple and universal wonder drug social media platforms have framed it to be. If anything, Wegovy–and other similar AOMs–are complex medications meant for a select few.

What exactly is Wegovy?

Wegovy is a semaglutide drug that was approved by the FDA in 2021 for people who are obese or overweight. Manufactured by Novo Nordisk, Wegovy is essentially a repurposed and higher-dose variation of the company’s diabetes drug, Ozempic. Both of these medications are part of the GLP-1 for weight loss methods and are injected in the stomach, thigh, or arm once a week to suppress the appetite. This is a result of the drug’s ability to mimic the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1, which delays gastric emptying and prolongs feelings of fullness.

For this reason, Wegovy has been successfully incorporated into the healthcare system; often prescribed alongside lifestyle programs in medical weight loss interventions. These solutions address not only psychological and environmental factors contributing to weight gain but biological ones as well.

As a complex disorder, obesity predisposes certain people to excessive weight. Through these medical interventions, the playing field is leveled, and those struggling with their weight can lose up to 15% of their weight. While this may seem insubstantial, research shows that losing even just 5% of weight is crucial for the health of obese and overweight individuals since obesity drastically reduces the risk of developing complications like hypertension and cardiovascular disease. This is just one of the reasons why Wegovy has been in high demand among those who truly need it. Nonetheless, these nuances are often glossed over by social media posts hyping the drug, which focus solely on the results and not much else.

Wegovy beyond weight loss

Since its initial rise to fame, Wegovy videos have generated 481.8 million views on TikTok–a trend that has medical experts increasingly worried. Scrolling through the videos reveals a hyper-focus on the drug’s ability to help users quickly shed weight. This reflects an obsession with body size that has driven the demand for the drug to surpass the supply. Aside from the shortage that has made access increasingly difficult for people who need the medication, experts are also concerned about the implications for those using the drug recklessly.

Wegovy, for example, has been reported to cause gastrointestinal complications ranging from indigestion, nausea, and vomiting to constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Other undesirable effects include dizziness, headaches, fatigue, bloating, and gas. While these are mostly mild and go away with time, the drug’s active ingredient, semaglutide, has been linked to more severe conditions such as retinopathy and pancreatitis. Without the proper medical supervision that the prescription-only drug is required to entail, side effects could come as an unwelcome surprise to those who are ill-equipped to deal with them.

It should be noted that taking these types of weight loss drugs could require a lifetime commitment. Clinical studies have shown that suddenly stopping Wegovy could cause weight regain of up to two-thirds of what was lost. This has served as a barrier for many users since these drugs are expensive, costing approximately $1,300 a month. With most insurance companies refusing coverage, the financial commitment could put a huge dent in a patient’s wallet.

Ultimately, Wegovy is a powerful and effective medication that can bring positive changes for those who have long struggled with their weight. Nevertheless, it is not for everyone and is certainly not a magical, quick-fix solution despite what social media has painted it out to be. As with all things health-related, the use of the drug must complement and not substitute a healthy diet and regular exercise; especially strength training. Only then can it work as it’s designed to with medical supervision. Please consult with your healthcare professional. The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.