Latest news with #NaveedSattar
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
The ‘golden dose' of Mounjaro that experts warn could be deadly – as slimmers rave about it saving money
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GROWING number of slimmers are trying to squeeze extra jabs out of empty Mounjaro pens in a risky bid to cut costs. The weight-loss injections, which can cost hundreds of pounds a month, are designed to deliver a fixed amount once a week, typically over four weeks. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Experts have warned against trying to get an extra dose from the weight-loss pens Credit: Getty But online users claim there's still a small amount of drug left after the final shot. They say the 'fifth' dose can be drawn out with a syringe for a bonus jab, dubbed the 'golden dose'. One TikTok user claimed the trick saved her a fortune. By getting five jabs from a four-dose pen, users reckon they can claw back £615 a year. The reports come after NHS England said only a small number of people will be able to get Mounjaro from their GP. It means most people will still have to pay for it privately. 'The drugs are expensive but weight loss is strongly desired, so as a commodity, these drugs are hotly sought-after,' said Professor Naveed Sattar, a cardiologist and obesity expert at the University of Glasgow, said. 'It's no surprise people are going to such extraordinary lengths," she told the inews. Medics say the DIY hack is dangerous and could lead to infection, overdose or death. "People are reading these tips on online forums and being tempted to use them to save money," said Professor Penny Ward, a pharmaceutical expert at King's College London. Women taking fat jabs need 'effective contraception' - as health chiefs warn of serious harm to unborn babies "But they're risking serious side effects from overdosing by doing this - as well as the potential to develop a life-threatening infection. "The potential to develop a life-threatening infection. It's not a good idea at all," she told MailOnline. Talk of the so-called 'golden dose' is also spreading on Reddit weight-loss forums. In one thread with more than 50 comments, a user wrote: "After four pumps of your uk injection pen they tell you to throw it away. "But there is an extra dose or thereabouts in the pen you can self inject with an insulin needle." Another replied saying: "Known much more on here as the fifth dose." 2 There's also the danger of taking too much Mounjaro, experts warn Credit: Alamy Slimmers have also taken to TikTok to rave about the 'discovery'. In one video, a nurse demonstrates how to use a needle to extract leftover medicine from the pen. She wrote: "I do not condone or encourage anybody to take their golden dose this is just what I am doing." Huge risks Professor Penny warned that this practice can be dangerous for "several" reasons. "These injections contain a slight overfill to ensure the full recommended dose is delivered each time," she said. "But by drawing this out with a separate syringe and using it as a so-called fifth dose, you're exposing yourself to serious risk of infection.' Once the pen has been used, it's no longer sterile, meaning any leftover liquid could be contaminated with harmful bacteria. Injecting it could lead to abscesses or, in extreme cases, life-threatening sepsis. The bigger the dose, the bigger the risk of pancreatitis Professor Penny Ward There's also the danger of taking too much. 'If you're using your own syringe, it's difficult to measure the correct amount - you may end up taking more than intended,' she warned. Overdosing on the jab can trigger nasty side effects like vomiting and diarrhoea, or in rare cases, pancreatitis - a serious and painful condition that may need hospital treatment. Around one in five cases result in serious complications, with up to 30 per cent proving fatal. The risk rises sharply with higher doses, as the drug can trigger digestive enzymes that begin attacking the pancreas itself. Symptoms include sudden, severe tummy pain, often spreading to the back, along with fever, nausea and a racing heartbeat. "The bigger the dose, the bigger the risk of pancreatitis," Professor Ward warned. Everything you need to know about fat jabs Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases. Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK. Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market. Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year. How do they work? The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight. They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high. Can I get them? NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics. Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss. Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk. Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health. Are there any risks? Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia. Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health. Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines. Mounjaro - dubbed the "King Kong" of weight loss jabs - works by mimicking hormones released by the body when you're full. This makes people feel fuller for longer and therefore less hungry. It appears to be to be more potent than Wegovy - another popular weight loss jab - causing about 20 per cent weight loss after a year's use, compared with Wegovy's 15 per cent. Mounjaro's active ingredient is tirzepatide, a lab-made compound that mimics two gut hormones - GLP-1 and GIP - which help control blood sugar and appetite. This is why it was initially approved to treat diabetes type 2, which happens when people can't control their blood sugar. But in December 2024, it was also cleared for use on the NHS for weight loss in people with a BMI of over 30, or over 27 plus one weight-related condition. 'Excess solution' should be 'discarded' If you notice there is a considerable amount of medication left in your pen after the last dose, Professor Penny added, it may mean that you're not using the injection properly. "Speak to your pharmacist about your technique, or check that you definitely have the right size syringe, as this can impact the amount of medication left over," she said. A spokesperson for Lilly - the drug's manufacturer - said users should not do this, as the remaining liquid may not be a full dose. 'It is important to note that there will be a residual amount of medicine left after the fourth dose," they said. "This does not correspond to a full dose." 'Any excess solution in the pen after use should be discarded.' Dr Alison Cave, chief safety officer of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, added: "Medicines are approved according to strict dosage guidelines. "Failure to adhere with these guidelines, such as tampering with pre-dosed injection pens, could harm your health or cause personal injury. "People should follow the dosing directions provided by their healthcare provider when prescribed weight-loss medicines and use as directed in the patient information leaflet."
Daily Record
12-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Weight loss jabs may prevent cancer due to health benefits 'beyond weight loss'
Experts think weight-loss jabs may have a role beyond simply helping people slim down Cancer is a cruel disease that touches the lives of many. There were 36,036 new cancers registered in Scotland in 2022, with welcome reductions in smoking prevalence having occurred in the country to bring figures down. However, there remains huge potential to prevent more cancers through cutting the number of people who are overweight or obese, improving diet and reducing alcohol consumption. And weight loss jabs may play a part, too. Weight loss jabs, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, curb food cravings and are available on the NHS for people with a high BMI, or via private providers. GLP-1s have big names behind them, some of which are used to treat diabetes, including semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic), tirzepatide (Mounjaro), and liraglutide (Saxenda). But new research, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine and presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, found that these first generation GLP-1s may have staggering anti-cancer benefits. In fact, co-lead author, Dr Yael Wolff Sagy from Tel-Aviv, Israel, said researchers found a "direct effect" of GLP-1s beyond weight-loss "to be 41 per cent more effective at preventing obesity-related cancer" than bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, is a surgical procedure designed to treat severe obesity by altering the stomach or small intestine to reduce food intake and absorption. Common types of bariatric surgery include gastric bypass, gastric banding, and sleeve gastrectomy. Experts think weight-loss jabs could cut cancer risk by almost half because weight loss jabs cut inflammation. And newer drugs possibly having the biggest effect. In the new study, researchers analysed electronic health record data for obese people and those with type 2 diabetes who had no previous history of cancer and who were treated with GLP-1s. Nearly 300 patients were diagnosed with obesity -related cancer over a typical follow-up of seven and a half years, most commonly breast, bowel and womb cancer. The analysis found that obesity-related cancer occurred in 150 of 3,178 weight loss surgery patients and in 148 of 3,178 patients taking GLP-1s. However, Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, said larger trials with carefully matched groups of people were needed to test the theory. "This study, whilst interesting, cannot confirm or refute any links of incretin-based therapies with cancer as the design was not a trial but rather observational," he warned. "There were quite marked differences between the groups in baseline characteristics that simply cannot be matched,' he said. "It is better to wait to see further large outcome trials versus placebo to get closer to the truth." Sattar added larger trials "are needed to understand links between such medicines and cancer risks, and several should report over the next five years." Being overweight or obese is the second biggest cause of cancer in the UK, causing more than one in 20 cancer cases. The risk is higher the more overweight people are and the longer they are overweight for. Keeping a healthy weight reduces the risk of 13 different types of cancer, including breast, bowel, pancreatic, oesophageal and gallbladder cancer. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Latest Data from SURPASS-3 Trial Gleans Insight Into the Association of Tirzepatide Treatment with Changes in Muscle Composition in Type 2 Diabetes
A recent post-hoc analysis of Lilly's SURPASS-3 trial unravels the impact of tirzepatide treatment on muscle volume and fat infiltration in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes LINKÖPING, Sweden, May 01, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AMRA Medical, as part of a collaborative effort composed of researchers from the University of Glasgow, University Hospitals Cleveland, and Eli Lilly and Company, recently conducted a detailed post-hoc analysis of Lilly's SURPASS-3 trial. The analysis explored data from the trial to determine the association of tirzepatide treatment with changes in thigh muscle volume, muscle volume z-score and muscle fat infiltration in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) The recent publication builds on previous joint efforts between AMRA and Lilly regarding the SURPASS-3 MRI substudy, which used AMRA's unique, MRI-based visceral, subcutaneous, and liver fat z-score biomarkers to investigate changes in fat distribution patterns. The results suggested that treatment with tirzepatide was associated with a shift towards a more favorable body fat distribution with prominent visceral and liver fat loss, indicating a potential targeted effect beyond that expected by the magnitude of weight reduction. Findings from this latest post-hoc analysis, which included data from over 200 participants analyzed using AMRA® Researcher, indicate that decreases in muscle volume with tirzepatide largely followed the overall association between changes in muscle volume and body weight, while decreases in muscle fat infiltration appeared to be larger. These data suggest an adaptive response to weight reduction for muscle volume and a potentially positive effect on muscle fat infiltration following tirzepatide treatment in this population. The study provides the field with highly anticipated data on muscle-related changes with pharmacologically induced weight reduction. In general, past studies have been limited by reporting gross changes in body composition using DEXA, which did not provide information on either muscle mass or myosteatosis. As anti-obesity medications are achieving greater weight reductions, it is important to determine if treatments under development are associated with an excess decrease in muscle mass (i.e., indicating a maladaptive response to weight loss), potentially leading to reduced muscle strength, mobility, and long-term physical performance – especially in more vulnerable patient populations. Professor Naveed Sattar, the first author remarked that "The results of this study are important as many people remain concerned about the muscle effects of newer weight loss drugs. However, these new data suggest that the amount of muscle volume changes with tirzepatide appears to be in line with muscle volume changes seen in the population for similar differences in weight. More importantly, these data suggest a clear reduction in the amount of fat in muscles, changes that may in fact improve muscle efficiency." Additionally, the study marks another important milestone in AMRA's pursuit to provide the field with reference data for weight-invariant assessment of fat and muscle biomarkers through the unique z-score biomarker technology from trials such as SURPASS-3 MRI. It also serves as the first report describing the associations between incretin-based therapies and changes in muscle composition in T2D using reliable, gold-standard MRI - perpetuating AMRA's commitment to pioneering innovation in treatment differentiation in T2D and beyond. As the metabolic drug development landscape continues to unfold at dramatic pace, AMRA is at the forefront of designing effective biomarkers that elucidate insights beyond weight loss, allowing emerging therapies to demonstrate their safety and efficacy across a number of disease areas. You can read the full publication in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, titled "Tirzepatide and muscle composition changes in people with type 2 diabetes: A post-hoc analysis from a randomised, open-label, parallel-group, phase 3 trial (SURPASS-3 MRI)", here. You can also learn more about AMRA's z-scores and how they're changing how we think about weight-loss by viewing our latest insights article here. About AMRA Medical AMRA Medical is a health informatics and precision medicine company that is pioneering body composition analysis, providing cutting-edge solutions to advance both clinical research and patient care initiatives. AMRA's gold-standard technology delivers multiple fat and muscle biomarkers - derived simply from rapid whole-body MRI scans. AMRA is committed to driving transformative care and simplifying vital decision-making in both research and clinical care settings by offering support services via their innovative platform. Learn more about AMRA Medical's MRI-based solutions at or connect with our team of experts for a detailed discussion at info@ Follow AMRA on LinkedIn for the latest updates in fat distribution and muscle composition assessments in metabolic disease research and beyond. View source version on Contacts AMRA Medical, Media Contact: Marie Börjesson at University of Glasgow Communications and Public Affairs Office:Elizabeth McMeekin at orAli Howard at
Business Wire
01-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Latest Data from SURPASS-3 Trial Gleans Insight Into the Association of Tirzepatide Treatment with Changes in Muscle Composition in Type 2 Diabetes
LINKÖPING, Sweden--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AMRA Medical, as part of a collaborative effort composed of researchers from the University of Glasgow, University Hospitals Cleveland, and Eli Lilly and Company, recently conducted a detailed post-hoc analysis of Lilly's SURPASS-3 trial. The analysis explored data from the trial to determine the association of tirzepatide treatment with changes in thigh muscle volume, muscle volume z-score and muscle fat infiltration in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) The recent publication builds on previous joint efforts between AMRA and Lilly regarding the SURPASS-3 MRI substudy, which used AMRA's unique, MRI-based visceral, subcutaneous, and liver fat z-score biomarkers to investigate changes in fat distribution patterns. The results suggested that treatment with tirzepatide was associated with a shift towards a more favorable body fat distribution with prominent visceral and liver fat loss, indicating a potential targeted effect beyond that expected by the magnitude of weight reduction. Findings from this latest post-hoc analysis, which included data from over 200 participants analyzed using AMRA ® Researcher, indicate that decreases in muscle volume with tirzepatide largely followed the overall association between changes in muscle volume and body weight, while decreases in muscle fat infiltration appeared to be larger. These data suggest an adaptive response to weight reduction for muscle volume and a potentially positive effect on muscle fat infiltration following tirzepatide treatment in this population. The study provides the field with highly anticipated data on muscle-related changes with pharmacologically induced weight reduction. In general, past studies have been limited by reporting gross changes in body composition using DEXA, which did not provide information on either muscle mass or myosteatosis. As anti-obesity medications are achieving greater weight reductions, it is important to determine if treatments under development are associated with an excess decrease in muscle mass (i.e., indicating a maladaptive response to weight loss), potentially leading to reduced muscle strength, mobility, and long-term physical performance – especially in more vulnerable patient populations. Professor Naveed Sattar, the first author remarked that 'The results of this study are important as many people remain concerned about the muscle effects of newer weight loss drugs. However, these new data suggest that the amount of muscle volume changes with tirzepatide appears to be in line with muscle volume changes seen in the population for similar differences in weight. More importantly, these data suggest a clear reduction in the amount of fat in muscles, changes that may in fact improve muscle efficiency.' Additionally, the study marks another important milestone in AMRA's pursuit to provide the field with reference data for weight-invariant assessment of fat and muscle biomarkers through the unique z-score biomarker technology from trials such as SURPASS-3 MRI. It also serves as the first report describing the associations between incretin-based therapies and changes in muscle composition in T2D using reliable, gold-standard MRI - perpetuating AMRA's commitment to pioneering innovation in treatment differentiation in T2D and beyond. As the metabolic drug development landscape continues to unfold at dramatic pace, AMRA is at the forefront of designing effective biomarkers that elucidate insights beyond weight loss, allowing emerging therapies to demonstrate their safety and efficacy across a number of disease areas. You can read the full publication in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, titled ' Tirzepatide and muscle composition changes in people with type 2 diabetes: A post-hoc analysis from a randomised, open-label, parallel-group, phase 3 trial (SURPASS-3 MRI) ', here. You can also learn more about AMRA's z-scores and how they're changing how we think about weight-loss by viewing our latest insights article here. About AMRA Medical AMRA Medical is a health informatics and precision medicine company that is pioneering body composition analysis, providing cutting-edge solutions to advance both clinical research and patient care initiatives. AMRA's gold-standard technology delivers multiple fat and muscle biomarkers - derived simply from rapid whole-body MRI scans. AMRA is committed to driving transformative care and simplifying vital decision-making in both research and clinical care settings by offering support services via their innovative platform. Learn more about AMRA Medical's MRI-based solutions at or connect with our team of experts for a detailed discussion at info@ Follow AMRA on LinkedIn for the latest updates in fat distribution and muscle composition assessments in metabolic disease research and beyond.
The Guardian
29-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Weight loss pills could help tackle obesity in poorer countries, experts say
Newly developed weight loss pills could have a big impact on tackling obesity and diabetes in low- and middle-income countries, experts have said. Weight loss jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, that contain the drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide respectively, have become popular in countries including the UK after trials showed they can help people lose more than 10% of their body weight. Medications containing semaglutide and tirzepatide can also be used to help control diabetes. However, such jabs are not cheap, require an injection pen and needles, and must be kept refrigerated, limiting their using in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Experts say new oral medications that are expected to be cheaper as well as simpler to transport and store could help tackle a growing health concern in such regions. 'Medicines that could lower diabetes risks and simultaneously reduce risks for heart disease and other obesity-related complications could have sizeable benefits in many LMICs where such disease are starting to escalate fast in part due to rising waist girths,' said Naveed Sattar, a professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow. Dr Louis Aronne, an expert in obesity medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, agreed. 'What we're going to see is that as we move forward, patients and healthcare providers aren't going to wait for people to develop [complications of obesity] when they can prevent them,' he said. Aronne's work has shown that when people with obesity and pre-diabetes were given tirzepatide for three years, their risk of developing diabetes fell by more than 90%. 'An oral medicine is easier to distribute since it wouldn't need a cold chain to ensure sterility and activity like the current injectables. It would come in a box or bottle and wouldn't need refrigeration, so could be used anywhere,' Aronne said. Among the drugs causing excitement is orforglipron, which comes as a daily pill for glucose control and weight loss. Like semaglutide, orforglipron mimics a hormone in the body called GLP-1, helping people to feel fuller for longer as well as increasing insulin production, among other actions. According to the pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly, a 40-week phase 3 clinical trial of orforglipron in people with diabetes found the medication reduced blood sugar levels and helped patients shed pounds. Aronne noted that it had a weight loss efficacy in the range of semaglutide. While semaglutide is already available in pill form, orforglipron has further advantages. Sattar said a much higher dose of semaglutide was required in pill form than is used in jabs to achieve a near similar degree of weight loss, and semaglutide must be taken on an empty stomach and food should not be eaten for half an hour afterwards. Orforglipron is a small molecule, meaning it is more resistant than semaglutide, a peptide, to being digested in the stomach, and so can be taken alongside food and drink. What's more, orforglipron is unlikely to require as high a dose as oral semaglutide, potentially making it cheaper. Experts say research is ongoing to test orforglipron for weight loss in people without diabetes and to confirm its safety profile – an important step, not least as Pfizer recently ditched its small molecule GLP-1 drug over a potential drug-induced liver injury. It is also unclear if orforglipron is associated with a reduced risk of heart attack, stroke or death due to cardiovascular disease, as has been found for semaglutide. But scientists say that if orforglipron and similar drugs in development reach the market, they could aid efforts to tackle obesity and diabetes, including in LMICs where the prevalence of such conditions is rising rapidly. Aronne said: 'Better food supply and better diet is definitely something that can prevent obesity, but once it's established, a better diet is not going to treat the majority of people. Something physical changes in the brain that makes it hard for people to lose weight and to comply with the diet, and that's why medication appears to be necessary in this situation.' Such efforts are also important given the relationship between ethnicity and obesity-related diseases. 'As shown by us and others, south Asians and Blacks – and likely other ethnic groups – are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes at lower weight gains than whites across all ages, so that even small population-wide gains in obesity in many countries will lead to large rises in diabetes,' Aronne said, adding there was even some trial evidence that drugs that mimic GLP-1 may lower risks of heart disease by almost twice as much in Asian people than in white people. Sattar said: 'The more safe and effective weight loss medicines on the market, both injectable and especially oral, to help tackle rising girths, the better the health of many nations.'
