Doctors Are Warning That Ozempic's Severe Side Effects May Outweigh Its Benefits
As Germany's Deutsche Welle notes, people who take glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist/receptors, the class of drugs that the popular shots fall under, have reported everything from stomach issues and vision changes to erectile dysfunction and even suicide.
Though clinical trials for these kinds of drugs didn't report tons of adverse effects, King's College London physician Penny Ward explained in an interview with DW that real-world patients will often experience more — and more disparate — side effects after trials have concluded.
"Rarer side effects may emerge as more patients take these medicines in clinical practice, simply as a result of the much larger number of people treated than were included in the clinical development trials," the doctor noted. "This is why we continue to monitor the safety of medicines on the market."
In the few years since GLP-1s have flooded the market, changed American food consumption, and utterly upended the weight loss industry, a handful of studies have looked into some of their scarier side effects — and their results aren't exactly inspiring.
Last summer, Harvard researchers revealed a troubling link between semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition that blocks blood flow to the eyes and can cause blindness. In that study, people with diabetes who take semaglutide were found to be four times more likely to develop NAION than the average person — and although there are some complicating factors, that's nothing to scoff at.
More recently, doctors at Washington University in St. Louis found that people who take GLP-1s have increased rates of kidney problems and pancreatitis — a disorder that the United Kingdom's medical regulator has, separately, begun investigating.
While there's tons of studies into the constellation of health benefits these drugs can have outside of weight loss, there hasn't been as much research into their of adverse effects — and what's already out there might not represent the full population of people who take them.
Though women make up an estimated 65 percent of GLP-1 users in the United States, per the healthcare market analysis group Real Chemistry, there have only been a few studies that take into account how different genders respond to the drugs. According to Karolina Skibicka, a neuroendocrinologist from the University of Calgary in Canada, that's a problem.
"We need studies which include women," Skibicka told DW. "Women show unique side-effects to many pharmacotherapies, and still [in] most studies women are often underrepresented at various stages of testing."
Though the Canadian neuroendocrinologist still believes that the "list of benefits for this drug, if taken as prescribed, is still significantly longer and more impactful than risks," doctors and patients alike need to be able to make that cost-benefit analysis together.
And without sufficient study into risks, that analysis is skewed in the favor of high-grossing drug manufacturers — which is bad news for the people who may bear the brunt of these potentially serious side effects.
More on Ozempic: Something Comically Bad Just Happened to the Inventor of Ozempic
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
6 minutes ago
- Medscape
Wives of Farm Pesticide Applicators at Risk for Incident RA
TOPLINE: Among female spouses of licensed pesticide applicators, the personal use of organochlorine insecticides was associated with an increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Among women who did not use specific pesticides personally, the applicator's use of specific pesticides was associated with incident RA. METHODOLOGY: Researchers investigated whether the use of pesticides influenced the risk for RA in a cohort of female spouses of licensed pesticide applicators from North Carolina and Iowa (1993-1997). They included 32,126 female spouses and collected data on their direct pesticide use or indirect exposure, regular farming tasks, and other demographic and lifestyle factors. Cases of incident RA were identified using follow-up questionnaires, medical records, medication use, and claims data. The analysis included 410 participants with probable RA (median age, 51 years) and 21,850 without RA (median age, 45 years), with a median survey follow-up duration of 10 and 19 years and a median of 0.5 and 8 fee-for-service years among those with Medicare data, respectively. A total of 32 specific pesticides were included in the final analysis, and their associations with RA were estimated. TAKEAWAY: Almost half of the participants never used agricultural pesticides. Most reported using them for 20 days or less each year (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.26; 95% CI, 1.01-1.57 vs never use) and for 20 years or less, with no higher odds being observed among those who used them more. The personal use of organochlorine insecticides was associated with a higher likelihood for incident RA (aOR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.14-2.07), especially with the use of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (aOR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.30-2.75) and lindane (aOR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.12-3.47); among the organophosphate insecticides, coumaphos use showed a stronger association (aOR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.29-4.19). Among spouses who never used specific pesticides themselves, the applicator's use of metribuzin was associated with increased odds of RA (aOR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.10-2.52). The use of any fungicide was associated with increased odds of RA (aOR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.24-2.38). Several farming activities, such as cleaning with solvents, driving a gas tractor, grinding feed, painting, applying chemical fertilizer, and planting, were significantly associated with RA. IN PRACTICE: '[The study] findings provide robust evidence that some insecticides may contribute to risk of developing RA in women. While insecticides are an important tool in controlling threats to crops and human health, our results provide evidence of potential risks,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Christine G. Parks, PhD, Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. It was published online on July 16, 2025, in Arthritis & Rheumatology. LIMITATIONS: Some cases of RA may have been missed by the algorithm, and clinical data and details such as serology of RA were missing. The study had insufficient statistical power to examine differences by risk factors linked to seropositive and seronegative RA. The exposure to pesticides was self-reported, and the frequency or duration of pesticide use in spouses was lacking. DISCLOSURES: This study received support in part from the intramural research program of the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the National Cancer Institute. The authors reported having no conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Medscape
6 minutes ago
- Medscape
MHRA Approves First Targeted Drug for SOD1-ALS
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved tofersen (Qalsody, Biogen) for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in adults with mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene, also known as SOD1-ALS. The approval makes tofersen the first targeted therapy in the UK against this rare form of motor neurone disease (MND) with a genetic basis. A Rare but Aggressive Condition SOD1-ALS causes the body to produce a misfolded, toxic version of the SOD1 protein. This triggers motor neuron degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. Patients experience progressive muscle weakness, atrophy, respiratory decline, and eventual paralysis and death. SOD1 mutations are responsible for approximately 2% of all ALS cases globally. Over 200 distinct mutations in SOD1 have been identified, each contributing to a wide range of disease progression rates. This variability highlights the importance of developing targeted therapies for SOD1-ALS. How Tofersen Works Tofersen is an antisense oligonucleotide that binds to SOD1 mRNA, promoting its degradation through an RNase H-mediated mechanism. This reduces the production of the toxic SOD1 protein. The drug is administered via intrathecal injection through a lumbar puncture at scheduled intervals, under the supervision of trained healthcare professionals. Success in Clinical Trials The approval was supported by data from the phase 3 VALOR study and its open-label extension (OLE). In the VALOR trial, 108 adults with SOD1-ALS were treated with either intrathecal tofersen (n=72) or placebo (n=36) for 28 weeks. The primary endpoint, the ALSFRS-R score — which assesses bulbar, motor, and respiratory functions — showed a positive trend with tofersen, although the difference was not significant. However, tofersen significantly reduced biomarkers of neurodegeneration, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) SOD1 protein levels and plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) concentrations. By week 28, plasma NfL levels decreased by 55% in the tofersen group, compared to a 12% increase with placebo. Clinical trends suggested improvements in respiratory function, muscle strength, and quality of life. These effects were more pronounced with earlier treatment and during the OLE phase. Safety and Tolerability The most common side effects in tofersen-treated patients included: Back, muscle, and joint pain Fatigue Fever Raised CSF protein levels or white blood cell counts These reactions were generally mild to moderate in severity. Further information, including the Patient Information Leaflet and Summary of Product Characteristics, will be available on the MHRA website within 7 days of approval.
CNN
8 minutes ago
- CNN
‘Ozempic face' may be driving a cosmetic surgery boom
About two years ago, celebrity cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank noticed a new type of patient arriving at his New York practice. Amid an explosion in the number of Americans losing weight with drugs like Ozempic, he saw a 'dramatic spike' in clients experiencing unwelcome side effects. 'Although they felt much better losing weight, in some ways they felt they looked older,' he said via a voice note. 'And this was due to the loss of volume in their face.' Frank started using the term 'Ozempic face' — a label he believes he coined — to describe the phenomenon. It has since become a social media byword for the sagging skin and hollowed-out appearance that can accompany the use of GLP-1 medications like semaglutide (the active ingredient in branded drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy). 'Usually, with people from their mid-40s and above, once you start losing 10-plus pounds, you can get this kind of deflated look,' said Frank, who is the founder of aesthetic health care brand PFRANKMD and the author of 'The Pro-Aging Playbook.' 'Certainly, people losing 20 or 30-plus pounds are going to have this problem.' 'You can only refill a deflated balloon so much, and often surgical intervention is necessary.' Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank Semaglutide works by stimulating the pancreas to trigger insulin production, curbing users' appetite and contributing to feelings of fullness. Although the US Food and Drug Administration approved Ozempic to treat type 2 diabetes, doctors now commonly prescribe it off-label for weight management. About 1 in 8 adults in the US has used a GLP-1 drug, and of those, around 2 in 5 did so solely to lose weight, according to health policy non-profit KFF in 2024. Today, more than 20% of Frank's patients are using GLP-1s as part of what he called their 'longevity regimen.' The treatments sought after their weight loss include injectable dermal fillers to help restore facial volume, facelifts and fat transfers. 'You can only refill a deflated balloon so much, and often surgical intervention is necessary,' he said. But for many patients, he added, 'just upping the dosage of their volume replacement is more than enough. 'Someone who may have used one syringe of filler in the past is now using two or three.' The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), which publishes an annual report on surgery trends, recently found that 2 in 5 of its members' GLP-1 patients were considering undergoing cosmetic surgery — and 1 in 5 already had. Among the patients opting for a facelift was Kimberly Bongiorno, a local government land use administrator from Mount Arlington, New Jersey. Having lost weight after gastric sleeve surgery in 2019, she regained 40 pounds during the Covid-19 pandemic and was prescribed Wegovy last year. Despite describing the drug's impact as 'almost a miracle' — taking her weight from 170 to 125 pounds — the 55-year-old faced new concerns over her appearance. 'Everything just kind of hung and was very loose,' she said over Zoom, recalling seeing her face in a photo shared by a friend. 'I no longer felt like I had cheeks, and I had a lot of loose skin under my neck. 'It looked like I had melted. It was horrifying,' she added. 'It was so disheartening to see how my face looked and how it had changed, I thought I looked a lot older than I am.' After consulting plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Berlet at his New Jersey office, Bongiorno underwent a deep plane facelift that lifted her skin and repositioned some of the deeper muscles and connective tissues. She also opted for a neck lift that refined and smoothed her neck contours while addressing excess skin left by her weight loss. 'Before I did this, I probably looked closer to 60, or maybe even older. And now I have people who I've recently met think I am in my 40s,' Bongiorno said, adding: 'People I haven't seen in a while say, 'You look so healthy and happy.' And that's nice to hear, because for a while, I didn't look healthy and certainly wasn't happy.' The number of facelifts performed in the US jumped 8% between 2022 and 2023, according to ASPS data. The use of hyaluronic acid fillers has meanwhile doubled from 2.6 million Americans in 2017 — the year Ozempic was first cleared for diabetes — to over 5.2 million in 2023. The organization could not attribute these upticks exclusively to GLP-1 use, but its former president, Dr. Steven Williams, said the medications have had 'a global effect on aesthetic surgery.' 'Now we have a brand-new tool that actually has efficacy for so many patients,' said Williams, a board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of California's Tri Valley Plastic Surgery, over Zoom. He noted that GLP-1s come 'without substantial drawbacks' when compared with invasive procedures like gastric bypass surgery. 'We can now have an honest conversation with patients about a nonsurgical tool that's effective in weight loss,' he added. 'And as part of that conversation, there's an obligation to say, 'Look, this is really going to work, so you have to be prepared for what looking 20 or 50 pounds slimmer is going to be.'' The term 'Ozempic face' may speak to our times, but its symptoms — caused by a decrease in the subcutaneous fat that makes our faces plump — are nothing new. Cosmetic surgeons have long been treating the side effects of significant weight loss. In fact, one popular brand of dermal filler, Sculptra, was originally developed in the 1990s for HIV patients. As an adult, 'your body actually doesn't make more fat cells,' Williams said. 'As we lose or gain weight, those fat cells aren't multiplying or decreasing; they're getting bigger or smaller. And so as we lose weight, those fat cells now have decreased volume, and there's just less fullness.' Age can determine how patients' faces react to weight loss. People in their 20s and 30s, for instance, are far less likely to experience the appearance of aging due to GLP-1 use, Frank said. 'Because they have good skin elasticity, the skin rebounds much better,' he said. Patients aged 20 to 39 accounted for 14% of hyaluronic acid filler use in the US and just 2% of facelift procedures last year, according to the ASPS. But both figures are on the rise. Gabriela Vasquez, 29, is among the younger patients using GLP-1 to undergo cosmetic procedures after rapid weight loss. An employee of one of Williams' Tri Valley Plastic Surgery clinics, she has dropped around 50 pounds since starting Ozempic in November. Although Vasquez is still working toward her target weight, she sought preventative Botox injections (more visible lines and wrinkles are, along with thinning lips, among the other side effects of GLP-1 use). She has also recently undergone microneedling, a procedure used to stimulate collagen production. 'One of my concerns was my jowls, because I felt I saw them when I was a little heavier,' she said over Zoom from the Bay Area. 'I think the microneedling definitely helped. 'I never had a jaw line,' she added. 'And a couple weeks ago, someone took a picture of me, and I had one, and I was like, 'Well, that's new.'' Vasquez did not rule out further cosmetic procedures as she continues losing weight — and not only to her face and neck. 'I'm seeing little things in my body that I'm like, 'Whoa, that would be nice to take care of,'' she said, referencing the appearance of excess skin under her arms. 'I could see myself — later down the line, once I get to my goal weight — doing something to kind of tighten everything up.' Frank, the cosmetic dermatologist, noted that 'Ozempic face' may be accompanied by a phenomenon he dubbed 'Ozempic body,' adding: 'One of the other major side effects of weight loss, particularly when it's done at a rate of more than one to two pounds a week, is muscle loss. And we see this all over the body.' The ASPS similarly notes the emerging term 'Ozempic makeover,' a suite of procedures that might also include tummy tucks, breast lifts and arm, thigh and buttock lifts. For instance, Bongiorno, the New Jersey facelift patient, has also undergone several other procedures with Dr. Berlet, including arm and thigh lifts, to address her excess skin. She estimates that after her upcoming breast lift, fat grafting and lower eyelid surgery, she will have spent about $80,000 on cosmetic procedures. 'Skin is heavy and uncomfortable,' she said. 'This wasn't something I did to go out there and be a supermodel. It was just to be comfortable, so I could get clothes on and not feel like I was dragging around all this extra weight.' The long-term effect of GLP-1 medications on cosmetic medicine is yet to be fully understood. The assumption they might reduce demand for liposuction, for instance, has not come to bear: It remains the most common cosmetic surgical procedure in the US, growing in popularity by 1% last year, per ASPS data. What also remains to be seen is the effect that 'Ozempic rebound' — when patients regain weight after stopping the drugs — has on people who sought cosmetic procedures. A recent peer-reviewed study found that most people using the drugs for weight loss quit within a year. Data presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity meanwhile suggested that patients typically returned to their original weight within 10 months of stopping use, with University of Oxford researchers calling the findings a 'cautionary note' about using medication 'without a more comprehensive approach' to weight loss. For Williams, this further demonstrates why he and his plastic surgeon colleagues must take responsibility for their patients' 'entire journey,' not just their cosmetic procedures. 'We don't want these patients to be on these medications for a lifetime. We want it to be a temporary bridge to a healthier lifestyle,' he said, adding: 'It's our obligation to work harder with those patients, to talk about lifestyle changes, to get them plugged in to dietitians and to make sure that they're building muscle and exercising.'
