Ozempic may not work the same way as scientists always believed
The weight-loss injection, which became all the rage with A-list celebrities, is now thought to affect user’s metabolism, not just their appetite.
The drug semaglutide, sold under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic, were known to promote feelings of fullness in the people who take them by interacting with fullness hormones and slowing down digestion so the stomach stays physically fuller for longer.
“It always seemed oversimplistic to me that these new treatments were just making people eat less,” said research lead Professor Donal O’Shea in a statement. “So, this study is an exciting step forward in our understanding of how these new medicines for obesity work.”
“The findings also provide science to support the fact that the treatment of obesity is not simply to eat less and move more—that’s the prevention piece. The treatment is more complex than that.”
The study saw 30 people with obstructive sleep apnea and obesity taking glucagon-like peptide 1 analogs lose weight and increase their metabolism and people with a sluggish metabolism at the beginning of the study seemed to experience the most benefits.
It came as Tory leadership contender Robert Jenrick admitted he previously used the Ozempic weight-loss jab but “didn’t particularly enjoy it”.
The former immigration minister confirmed he took the medication for around six weeks last autumn to shed some pounds.
Mr Jenrick was addressing rumours about his sudden weight loss over the past year after he reappeared in Westminster with a noticeably slimmer figure since leaving government.