Health professionals list risks of fat-loss drugs

8 December 2024

-          Nezar Boufrahi

Health professionals are raising alarms about the effectiveness and long-term risks of popular fat-loss medications such as Ozempic and the newly approved Mounjaro.

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While these drugs have gained widespread attention for their weight-loss benefits, experts are warning that they may not be a sustainable solution for obesity management.

James Roa, a personal trainer, explained that while drugs like Ozempic work by slowing down food transit in the intestines, leading to feelings of fullness, the results can be temporary.

“People that have come off it have put on weight immediately,” Roa said. He added that true improvements in mobility and strength come from consistent physical training, not medication. “Trainers’ jobs are absolutely safe.”

The debate comes from a growing public interest in weight-loss drugs, fuelled by celebrity endorsements like that of Oprah Winfrey, who recently referred to Ozempic as "a gift."

However, not all voices are as enthusiastic.

Jess Miller, a nutritionist, warned that these drugs should only be used in certain circumstances, particularly for those with diabetes. “You should only take it if you are literally borderline diabetic or it can make people very sick and unwell,” she said.

Meanwhile, paramedic Adam Hale sees potential benefits of fat-loss medications in reducing the strain on the NHS. “This would reduce gastric bypass surgeries and potentially stop so many heart attacks, as being overweight is a risk factor,” he said.

Hale argued that the widespread use of these drugs could ease pressure on the healthcare system, which currently spends billions annually on obesity-related health issues.

Recent statistics underline the urgency of addressing obesity in the UK. The NHS spends around £6.5 billion a year on obesity-related healthcare, and over 26% of adults and 23.4% of children aged 10-11 are classified as obese, contributing to the nation's growing health crisis.

On 5 December, the NHS announced plans to roll out Mounjaro, a new weight-loss drug approved in 2023, over the next 12 years. However, experts like Prof Kamila Hawthorne of the Royal College of GPs urge caution.

Hawthorne warned that while Mounjaro may help some patients, it should not be viewed as a "silver bullet" for weight loss, since it carries its own set of risks. “It’s not the right course of treatment for everyone who is eligible.”

The announcement has sparked significant public interest, reflected in a spike in Google search trends following the news.

While Mounjaro was initially marketed as a treatment for extreme obesity, an investigation conducted by the Daily Mail on 8 December found that TikTok influencers have been selling and promoting the drug to women who “simply want to get beach body ready”.

Ozempic was the beginning of the “miracle fat-loss drug” online trend. Originally touted as a drug for diabetes, with weight loss as a side effect, Ozempic garnered over 69 million views across 100 TikTok videos, according to ScienceDirect.com.

Experts remain divided on whether these medications are a sustainable solution to the obesity epidemic or whether they merely offer a temporary fix to a complex health issue.