Wegovy & Ozempic: Scientists raise alarm over possible DEADLY side effect from celeb-favorite weight loss drug
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hollywood celebrities hooked on Wegovy and similar weight-loss medication may have exposed themselves to a potentially deadly side effect overlooked in trials. Wegovy is a drug used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, which is currently being used as an equivalent to anti-obesity medication. The blockbuster drug was developed by Novo Nordisk in 2012, and functions by slowing the movement of food through the intestines, making a person feel ingested for a longer period.
However, researchers in China believe the drugs may cause a person's small intestine to become enlarged, exposing them to a high risk of suffering from intestinal obstruction. If left untreated or unnoticed, intestinal obstruction can cause serious, life-threatening complications, including tissue death. The viral drugs used for type 2 diabetes started trending after several rumored celebrities like Kim Kardashian, including billionaire tycoon Elon Musk, and actress Chelsea Handler who admitted to using the drug to befit the standard beauty perception.
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What are Wegovy and its side effects?
The drug works as an equivalent to GLP-1, a hormone that slows the processing of food through the intestine, making them feel full for longer. Although this hormone is naturally produced by the body, people adapt to the anti-obesity medication for faster results. However, a recent study performed on mice showed their intestine enlarged around 20 months after taking GLP-1 drugs. Researchers in China noted that the clinical trials for Wegovy were only administered for 16 months, missing its significant long-term side-effect.
Researchers also highlighted previous studies tested on humans show users consuming these drugs are at four times the high risk to suffer intestinal obstruction. "Because [this class of drugs] could cause continuous increases in the intestinal length and villus height, the small intestine may become as inelastic... leading to long-term upper intestinal obstruction," a scientist claimed, according to Daily Mail.
Are doctors growing more adaptive to pharmaceutical treatments than natural methods?
Internal obstruction occurs when a blockage prevents food and liquid from passing through the intestines, which usually occurs when there is damage to the digestive system, cancer, or an inflamed intestine. The common signs of a blockage are loss of appetite and constipation. If left untreated the side effects could cause life-threatening injuries such as tissue death.
It can cut off the blood supply to part of your intestine and the lack of blood causes the intestinal wall to die. Sufferers are also at a higher risk of peritonitis, a potentially deadly infection within the abdomen. Subsequently, there are growing concerns about doctors promoting pharmaceuticals to fix the growing obesity crisis instead of suggesting more natural and effective solutions such as diet and exercise.
Dr Shauna Levy, an obesity medicine specialist at Tulane University said, "Physicians should consider a patient’s history of bowel obstruction before prescribing this medication."
Another study reveals users who discontinue the drug will regain all of their lost weight once they drop the weekly shots.