My Thoughts on Ozempic/Wegovy
We are living in an interesting time. The earth’s hotter than it’s (maybe) ever been, there are definitely (maybe) aliens out there, and we (maybe) found a magical weight loss medication. Pills like ozempic, wegovy, and mounjaro are semglutide medications that show great promise for body-fat weight loss by mimicking GLP-1 hormones that manage blood sugar and can even suppress the appetite. And while I hope that semaglutides can be used as a tool for weight control, I do have a couple thoughts about these meds and their overall effect on society.
First, we don’t know the long-term or even short-term effects these meds will have on people. These drugs were originally made and marketed to be a drug for type-2 diabetes control. And while weight loss and type 2 diabetes do go hand-in-hand in a lot of ways, these drugs were never originally made to be strictly weight loss drugs. I think there is still a lot to learn about their long-term AND short-term effects. I have read about people having side effects from these drugs such as GI problems and stomach paralysis. These are individual cases and not happening en masse, so I’m not saying we need to go jumping off the rooftops, but the simple fact is that we need to learn more. There hasn’t been sufficient research on the GLP-1 medications to warrant an all out blitz by the general public to get a prescription.
My second point is more of a worry. I fear that medications such as ozempic, wegovy and mounjaro will be marketed by the pharmaceutical companies and seen by the general public as a magic elixir: the fountain of youth.
“I’m taking this pill and losing this weight, so I’m good. My health is covered!”
This is a problematic mindset because it fosters complacency. Losing weight is a good thing and will make you healthier, but there’s still work to do to ensure you are actually healthy. The fountain of youth does exist: healthy eating, exercise, hydration, quality sleep, stress management, and social interaction. Losing weight is a good first step, but the journey continues with the other pillars of health. And in all honesty it never stops if you are to truly adopt a healthy mindset and lifestyle. The heart, lungs, bones and muscles all need to be strengthened through exercise; your body needs to rest, repair and grow through quality sleep; you need to stay properly hydrated for energy, performance and toxin flushing; and you must give yourself the mental care necessary to not just survive but thrive in this crazy world. None of that happens with a pill. We live in a society where the majority of people want to do things the absolute easiest and fastest they possibly can, but when it comes to your health, the only shortcut is doing it the hard way.
Let’s get fit!!!
Sean