When Kim Kardashian showed up at the Met Gala in 2022, it left folks stunned for more than the fact that her dress was the one that Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe wore in 1962 while singing Happy Birthday to POTUS John F Kennedy. The 42-year-old media personality exhibited a dramatic weight loss — 16 pounds in three weeks — to get into the dress, going without “carbs and sugar”, even as rumours swirled of Ozempic.
A full-blown storm on TikTok ensued, as whispers grew louder around the ‘miracle’ weight loss drug. Ozempic became the switch you could flip to shed the flab and several stars took to the quick fix. But the use of this injectable prescribed for those with type II diabetes, has moved into the eye of the storm of late.
HOW IT BECAME A CELEB CRAZE
Dramatic weight loss tales have emerged of stars who are thought to have experimented with Ozempic. In March, Jimmy Kimmel made a clear reference to this during the 95th Academy Awards when he quipped: “Everybody looks so great. When I look around this room, I can’t help but wonder, ‘Is Ozempic right for me?’ And the drug has indeed created a huge following, among celebs especially, who are going in for semaglutide, the active ingredient present in it. Tech magnate Elon Musk disclosed to his followers on X that semaglutide, also sold under the name Wegovy, was behind his slimming down. “Fasting + Ozempic/Wegovy + no tasty food near me”, he said in response to a question on his weight loss.
The Kardashian-Jenners are poster girls for the buzz around the Ozempic trend. Fans were certain businesswoman Kris Jenner secretly had a type II diabetes drug after she posted a video from her trip last September, looking way slimmer than before. They were also convinced that makeup mogul Kylie Jenner had tried it, when she showed off a visibly thin frame at an awards show in November. Talk show icon Oprah Winfrey, too, hinted that she used weight-loss medication. “The fact that there’s a medically approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift, and not something to hide behind,” she told People.
On her 40th birthday a few weeks ago, Khloé Kardashian, who’s been struggling with body weight, shared photos of herself looking much slimmer, in a strappy silver dress, also sparking Ozempic rumours.
But can there be a single magic bullet to cure fatness? Doctors sound a warning.
SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS
Dr Ketan Pakhale, endo-bariatric and metabolic physician at Metabol, states, “The prevalent adverse effects associated with semaglutide include nausea, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhoea, projectile/non-projectile vomiting, heart burn, lightheadedness and poor appetite. There are serious side effects such as pancreatitis, allergic reactions, kidney issues, and other infrequent yet severe complications like severe gastroparesis — also known as stomach paralysis. The drug is also subject to an FDA boxed warning regarding thyroid C-cell tumours, medullary thyroid carcinoma and multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
INDIA: NO INJECTABLE SO FAR
Semaglutide is currently accessible in India in its oral form, having received approval for the treatment of type II diabetes. “Nevertheless, it is frequently employed off-label for weight loss. Unfortunately, many educated individuals opt for this medication for weight loss without fully understanding its effects and potential side effects, often neglecting to consult a doctor,” explains Dr Pakhale, summing it up with the warning that it is crucial to acknowledge the semaglutide is not a quick fix to achieve thinness but a therapeutic intervention in the comprehensive approach to addressing obesity. Efforts are underway to introduce and make it accessible in Indian markets.
‘OZEMPIC FACE’ and ‘OZEMPIC BUTT’
The rapid weight loss following taking Ozempic has been reported to cause sagging of the facial skin. Elaborating on this, Dr Stuti Khare Shukla, MD dermatologist, says, “It results in a depletion of facial fat pads, sunken eyes, high cheekbones and an overall thinner appearance.”
Likewise, the Ozempic Butt effect describes sagging of the skin on the posterior, believed to be a consequence of rapid weight loss induced by semaglutide.
Says Anmol Raina, content creator, “A band-aid solution like Ozempic might make you look good for a certain event, but keeping that weight off is going to be a lot harder, which might just make you give up on fitness as a whole.”
HOW OZEMPIC WORKS
Ozempic was originally prescribed to patients who have type II diabetes. Its active ingredient semaglutide mimics glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, which are released in the gastrointestinal tract in response to eating. One role of GLP-1 is to produce more insulin, which reduces blood glucose (sugar).
Rohit Malhotra is a medical expert and health journalist who offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being. His articles aim to help readers lead healthier lives.
