About Ozempic/Mounjaro
I’ve been asked about my thoughts quite a lot recently, so here are my two cents on the new craze for GLP-1s/semaglutide/tirzepatide.*
Well, that’s the thing, they’re not that new, but have blown up in popularity over the year or so.
Ozempic is a GLP-1 agonist and contains a synthetic chemical which mimics the hormone glucagon: glucagon-like peptide 1 (i.e. GLP-1).
Mounjaro is a dual agonist, which means it mimics another hormone as well as GLP-1, which is GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide). Both of these cost about £180 for one treatment course here in the UK.
There is no doubt that tirzepatide/semaglutide absolutely works and I believe it is a powerful tool that can be used to help people shift large amounts of weight.
How they work
The reality? Mounjaro and Ozempic essentially puts users into a significant calorie deficit – they eat much less food (due to decreased appetite, slower digestion, more satisfaction after eating and better insulin regulation) and drop weight fast as a result. The powerful impact comes also from the reported drugs’ impact on our desire for food. I’ve listened to copious accounts of people who have taken the drug, as well as spoken to people personally who’ve taken it, and they all report the idea of ‘food noise’ (or other ‘addiction’ noises) quietening. Finally they’re not thinking about food in some capacity all day; they’re finding they’re more akin to that friend we have who says they’ve simply ‘forgotten’ to eat breakfast and lunch!
The drug has notable potential for those struggling with addictions/bad habits, food of course being one of them. Habits which tend to be linked to coping with stress, such as alcohol and substance abuse, gambling and online shopping. Ozempic/Mounjaro interact with a region of the brain called the mesolimbic system, which overlaps with the brain processes that dictate addictive behaviours.
It’s important to note that there are of course downsides – no medication is without its side effects and a lot of people are taking the drug in a nonsensical way. Micro-dosing (according to your body’s metrics) is the best way to take semaglutide, but most people take a one-size-fits-all dose (fault of the drug companies) which does not fit all, as we are not all the same. Visible side effects commonly found by people who take too much include: nausea/being sick, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhoea, and side effects around internal health include: severe hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) and vision issues. Visually, people can develop wrinkles, sunken eyes, a gaunt look, thinner lips and sagging skin.
Absolute non-negotiables to stay healthy taking GLP-1 agonists
If you decide to take the drug, there are some absolute non-negotiables while you’re doing so:
- Strength training. Being on a GLP-1 agonist means you drop weight fast, which will be about 40% muscle mass if the body is left to its own devices. You absolutely have to be lifting heavy, to retain your muscle mass and prevent osteoporosis as much as possible, along with high protein (c.2g per kg body weight). Without this, you will end up what’s known as ‘skinny fat’ – i.e. no muscle mass – which leaves you metabolically busted and does your future self a massive disservice.
- Work on your attitude to food. GLP-1 agonists can be very powerful at helping to alter behaviours to food while the drug is taken. However, this is the time you also need to work hard on figuring out the root causes of your poor relationship with food. Ideally, do therapy at the same time. Obesity is undeniably interlinked with mental health – there are often deep-rooted reasons why people overeat. This links to point 2! Don’t let GLP-1s be temporary relief/a plaster.
- Eat well when you do eat. Yes, you could just eat one share bar of Dairy Milk for your days’ food and feel full, but you’ll feel terrible and you’re not fixing the longer term issue of how your eating habits got you to the point of being overweight. If you’re eating barely anything, micronutrients have to be one of the top priorities. This ties in with point 2.
My thoughts
If you don’t use the time of mental clarity for improvement for future you, when you’re not on the drug, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Just like dieting, you’ll be someone who yo-yos on and off the drug. It’s the same if using it for addictions – without addressing WHY you get urges to drink and online shop etc., it’ll only come right back once the drug has worn off.
Overall, I am still learning a lot about GLP-1s, but I can safely say that no, I don’t think they’re ‘cheating’. They’ve got extremely powerful uses for those in real, immediate need. But, you can’t deny that having a drug dictate your weight loss means you’ve not gone through the emotionally difficult journey, education, lessons learned and hardship that fat loss truly entails. It’s the PROCESS which people are desperate to skip over, but that is what means you’ll keep the weight off sustainably in the future. Without education on top of the GLP-1s,you’re throwing money at a problem that is likely to not stop coming back.
*I must clarify, I am not a doctor or trained to give out medical advice. This article is about my opinions of the drugs and courses of action that must be taken alongside taking the drug, based on the research I have done.