United States: The GLP-1 drug Ozempic has transformed societal perspectives about human body appearance during its brief three-year existence.
Rise of Ozempic: A Cultural Shift
The cultural enthusiasm for thinness has reemerged as a force that experts say destructed wine bars and terminated the body positivity movement.
The initial appearance of Ozempic as a life-saving medical product to help overweight patients struggle with health problems now leads to unregulated off-brand versions sold by telehealth services, which have been used by approximately twelve percent of the American population.
Ozempic (semaglutide under its brand name), together with other drugs in the GLP-1 class, imitates human hormones that trigger insulin activation while slowing stomach emptying after meals to enhance satiety.
Now there's a new proposed "fix": Ozempic.
— America 2100 (@America_2100) November 13, 2024
The drug is being hailed as a miracle.
It's supposed to help treat everything from cancer to drug addiction to knee pain. Even Alzheimer's Disease seem to respond to the drug.
Doctors are reportedly using it as an off-label cure-all. pic.twitter.com/ozjbcif5wq
Unregulated Use and Health Concerns
Because of their powerful weight loss capabilities, the potentially hazardous effects of GLP-1s become considerably dangerous for people struggling to consume adequate amounts of food.
Healthcare professionals have mentioned that a daily injection allowing reduced calorie intake resembles a drug-driven eating disorder.
Eating Disorder Risks: A Silent Crisis
According to Dr. Kimberly Dennis, a psychiatrist and expert on eating disorders in the US, “these drugs are rocket fuel for people with eating disorders,” the Guardian reported.
The doctor communicated during an interview with Bloomberg News about observing medical conditions that produced “drug-induced” anorexia in patients.
A large number of people with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are becoming worried because GLP-1 medication is now readily available.
Medical Debate: Should Everyone Have Access?
The psychologist and eating disorder expert Pamela Keel from Florida State University, along with other healthcare professionals, maintains that people with restrictive eating disorders should not take appetite-suppressant drugs.
Medicines should never be used to maintain the malnourished state of individuals regardless of their weight status, she argues, as the Guardian reported.
Apart from lowering food intake by reducing hunger signals, these drugs might motivate individuals to engage in harmful behaviors like purging.
The slow gastric emptying that occurs as a result of medication intake creates a condition that makes vomiting stomach contents more likely, according to Keel.