A leading metabolism expert has warned that the widespread use of Ozempic could lead to serious health crises in the near future.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr. Ben Bikman, a professor at Brigham Young University in Utah, outlined his primary concerns, especially the loss of muscle and bone mass.
اضافة اعلان
He referred to a 68-week clinical study in which participants who took semaglutide—the active ingredient in both Ozempic and Wegovy—lost about 23 pounds (10 kg) of fat but also lost approximately 15 pounds (6.8 kg) of lean muscle mass.
Loss of muscle mass and weakened bones are serious risk factors for infections, hospitalizations, falls, and disabilities, especially among the elderly, potentially increasing rates of early mortality.
Dr. Bikman also expressed concern that Ozempic may contribute to a kind of “mental fragility” among users. Some patients reported a reduced desire not only for food but also for other pleasures, such as sex and coffee.
This, he warns, may lead to depression, citing a study showing Ozempic users were 195% more likely to suffer from severe depression, and over 100% more likely to exhibit suicidal behavior. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) database, reports of suicidal thoughts linked to semaglutide were 45% higher than the average for other medications.
Despite these concerns, both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued statements in early 2024 denying any confirmed link between Ozempic and suicidal ideation.
Dr. Bikman also highlighted the risk of regaining weight after stopping Ozempic. In one clinical trial of 200 people who had taken semaglutide for over a year, participants lost 17% of their body weight, but regained 12% after discontinuing the drug.
Another study from Northwestern University found that most users regained two-thirds of the lost weight after stopping treatment. These individuals also experienced rising blood pressure, cholesterol, and increased risk of heart disease.
Regarding fat cells, Dr. Bikman noted that after stopping Ozempic, the body has no difficulty regaining fat mass. In fact, the drug may stimulate the formation of new fat cells, increasing the potential to store even more fat in the future.
While acknowledging the potential benefits of weight-loss drugs, Dr. Bikman advocates for cautious and low-dose usage. For type 2 diabetes, Ozempic typically begins at 0.25 mg per week, increasing to 0.5 mg if tolerated. In contrast, weight-loss patients are often given doses up to 2 mg weekly, which he considers “very high.”
He emphasizes the importance of periodically stopping the medication to reassess appetite control, aiming for sustainable weight loss without long-term dependence on pharmaceuticals.
(Source: Daily Mail)
