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What's To Lose? How Mounjaro Has Taken Over As The Cult Weight Loss Drug In The UAE

First there was botox, now there's Mounjaro. Gaining popularity at warp speed, the potion that promises to banish food noise from your brain is swiftly needling its way through the UAE – but at what cost? 'Looks like Ozempic face to me.' 'No one loses that much weight just from hiking.' Choose any celebrity who has recently undergone a dramatic 'body transformation', and their – alleged! – usage of weight loss injections haunts social media accounts. A quick scroll of the comments on every major red carpet sees armchair juries rechristening events as the 'Ozempic Games', a nod to increasingly thinner bodies at premieres, galas, and photo calls. 'Everyone I know is on it,' says Noor, a Dubai-based PR specialist, adding, 'It's become beyond casual to take as needed; we all micro-dose it. It's become totally accepted. It's hard to believe that anyone who has suddenly lost weight, even gradually, has done so naturally anymore, when every other person you know is now on Mounjaro.' Dr Aws Khidir Jassim, a general consultant and bariatric surgeon at Dubai's Gargash Hospital says he sees roughly 15 patients daily seeking advice for weight loss either by medications or weight-reduction surgeries. 'These medications have revolutionised weight reduction management,' he says. He describes them as a means of prevention, reducing the risk of more extreme intervention in the future. 'Obese patients with certain BMI criteria are eligible to take GLP-1s, otherwise they will keep putting on weight to the point that medications will be of no use and surgery will be needed,' he adds. Originally developed to manage diabetes, the weekly, self-administrated shots are increasingly used off – label for weight loss – catapulted into the mainstream as the newest must-have to achieve one's ideal appearance. Known collectively as GLP-1s, and utilising the active ingredients semaglutide and tizepatide, products like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy work by stimulating the body's insulin release, which reduces glucose levels and suppresses the hormones that cause feelings of hunger. The actual weight loss is the natural effect of eating less. According to analysis group Trilliant Health, one-third of GLP-1s prescriptions worldwide are now for off -label usage. Aesthetics authority Dana Omari welcomes discussions about body modifications, tracking trends including GLP-1s usage on her Instagram account @igfamousbydana. The Palestinian commentator agrees that the medication should be seen as a helpful tool for weight loss, rather than a shortcut. 'These medications are amazing because they help address biochemical issues like cravings,' she notes. 'For people to say it's cheating means they believe your figure must be earned, which is wild to me. If I'm fit, it doesn't take away from other people being fit. I don't believe a body must be earned because that implies that socially undesirable bodies are punishment, and that we're in competition with each other.' Dr Jassim is also sceptical of the blanket criticism. 'The concept that these medications are cheating tools is far from reality,' he explains. 'It is just like telling someone [with a] severe bacterial infection, don't take antibiotics and your immunity will take care of your infection and resolve it.' Dana maintains that GLP-1s' ability to change lives means they will be much more than a passing trend. 'We are seeing people smoke less, drink less, binge eat less, bite their nails less, have better cholesterol, better blood sugar, lower incidence of heart disease, improved fertility, fewer PCOS symptoms… This is a medication that will stick around beyond weight loss.' On the fertility front, Noor adds, 'Many of my friends in their late 30s struggling with IVF have been prescribed it to boost their fertility as well as lower their weight gained by the steroids and medication taken during the process. It's been very helpful for them.' Of course, the jabs aren't without risks, with potential side effects including decreased kidney and pancreas function, hair loss, lupus, poor eyesight, and other symptoms commonly related to low nutritional intake. Dr Jassim advises that women consult with a doctor before starting an appetite suppressant, who can advise them on the best brand for their needs, when to update their dosage, and then once at their goal weight, how to taper off their treatment for maintenance. But with several brands available without prescription and over the counter in some Gulf states, it's estimated that the majority of regional users are not under the supervision of a doctor. Sara*, a creative professional in her early 30s who lives outside the UAE says she considers the injections to be an addition to her beauty and wellness routine, like Botox or collagen supplements. She stocks up on her syringes when visiting Dubai for work. 'It's more expensive, but much easier to buy in Dubai,' she explains, 'so it depends on how much you're willing to spend for the convenience.' While she knows self-administrating may have risks, she's confident in her ability to judge when to go up to the next dosage level. 'So many of my friends [in the UAE] use Mounjaro. We are all very open about it. It's hard to hide it when we go out and end up with five of us sharing two starters for dinner!' Like Sara, Noor confirms that administering this weekly injection is just another part of a contemporary health regime, like taking a Pilates class or a vitamin. 'Most of my friends, both men and women, take it as extra support in addition to an exercise routine and dieting, helping to alleviate hunger and cravings.' Social media has played a significant part in the popularity of GLP-1s. Sara points to a corner of TikTok known as 'SkinnyTok' in being instrumental to teaching her the ways of the jab. On this side of the algorithm, you can scroll through videos of influencers sharing their 'what I eat in a day on Ozempic' food diaries, time-delay montages of women jabbing themselves in their ever-shrinking stomachs, and tutorials on how to hack the pre-filled pens in order to suck out every last drop of appetite-inhibiting elixir. The vibe swings between cheery and bright, and an almost solemn reverence to the act of getting thin. There's a touch of '90s diet culture around it, with pictures of Calvin Klein-era Kate Moss and other waify icons serving as style inspo for once the viewer loses those hip dips. While positioned as a dream drug for those with higher BMIs, SkinnyTok also showcases women who appear to be using the drugs to go from a medium or slim build to extra thin; a concerning development for mental health advocates. Dana acknowledges that SkinnyTok videos are damaging as they promote thinness as aspirational. 'But let's be honest. That [ideal] never left the building. At the end of the day, I think honest and factual information [for] education is better than misinformation or no information.' As for the celebrities who suddenly dropped a third of their body weight from 'running after their kids' or by 'switching to coconut oil', Dana says that fans will respect those who are upfront about their routines. 'My take is to be honest, or be quiet. It's better if you're open about it because you're more relatable and destigmatising something that helped transform your life.'