The controversial weight-loss method, the Wegovy jab, will be available from high street pharmacies. Is it safe, does it work, or are there better options?
Wegovy is a drug which blunts appetite and thus aids weight loss. It is based on the same ingredient as Ozempic, the prescription weight loss drug which was used by Hollywood stars touting it as their favoured miracle weight loss solution. Both WeGovy and Oxempic contain the drug: semaglutide. Semaglutide is used as an anti-diabetic medication for treating type 2 diabetes and is an anti-obesity medication used for long-term weight management.
What is Wegovy?
Wegovy is a medication that belongs to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. These drugs mimic the effects of a naturally occurring hormone in the body called glucagon-like peptide-1. GLP-1 is a hormone released in response to eating food, and it helps regulate blood sugar levels and suppress appetite.
Wegovy works by activating the GLP-1 receptors in the brain, which can help to reduce food cravings and increase feelings of fullness after eating. This can lead to a reduction in calorie intake and can help people to lose weight.
How is Wegovy administered?
Wegovy is administered as a once-week injection given subcutaneously (under the skin) in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. The medication comes in a pre-filled pen device that is easy to use, and the patient or a healthcare provider can inject it.
NICE’s draft guidelines for England and Wales say it should be prescribed:
- By a specialist.
- To obese adults with at least one weight-related health condition, such as high blood pressure or heart disease.
- For a maximum of two years.
However, this is yet to be approved.
The slimming jab has just arrived in the UK, with pharmacies, including Boots and Big Pharma, using this opportunity to advertise this to millions of Type-2 diabetic patients and overweight people who want rapid weight loss… queues are beginning to form for the supposed miracle drug.
Of course, there is a big incentive to stay on Wegovy for a maximum of 2 years. However, with a likely launch price of £73.25 for a month’s supply, that’s a whopping £1,758 after two years. Also, the Wegovy jab could be supported by the Boots Online Doctor, so regular checkups, usually priced as additional services, are an added cost.
If only life were so simple!
The most common side effects of Wegovy include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal pain. These side effects are usually mild to moderate in severity and tend to go away over time.
One study from 2018 evaluated the safety and efficacy of semaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes. The results showed that whilst the injections were safe and effective, they carried a high risk of gastrointestinal side effects. Our gut health is now considered the foundation of longevity and insulin resistance management. So, anything that upsets the gut biome is never an excellent health strategy.
Other side effects that have emerged include aggravation of thyroid conditions and pancreatitis, and there is ongoing concern about links to pancreatic cancer. It should be noted that the drug is not licensed to be used to treat pre-diabetes at its current prescription state.
Like every other weight loss medication, the result is not permanent and thus not a cure (miracle or otherwise) for obesity. Most patients will regain their lost weight at the end of the course because they’ve been promised a “miracle instant cure”, not a sustainable and therefore, longterm lifestyle change. Doubtless, the manufacturer will apply for endless extensions so people will end up on another lifelong medication, thus swelling their coffers.
All Weight-Loss is NOT the same!
But perhaps of great long-term significance is the question of what “weight” is actually lost! What do we mean? Total weight loss inevitably involves losing some fat (good) and some muscle (bad!). Retaining muscle over your entire life is one of the best predictors of your longevity. Serial dieters are not just obese but also sarcopenic (lacking muscle). That alone will shorten their lives.
Peter Attia, a world-renowned physician specialising in longevity, wrote an article on the downsides of miracle weight loss drugs.
“Even among patients with obesity, not all can afford to lose significant lean mass. Sarcopenic obesity, which is especially common in older populations, is characterised by the dual hazards of excess fat mass and low levels of skeletal muscle. Further reductions in lean mass among those with too little to begin with could pose a more significant threat to health and longevity than the presence of excess fat.
Dr Attia also mentions on his social media how “2/3 of WEGOVY weight loss is lean mass. You are getting lighter but you are getting FATTER”
Instagram Reel Of Peter Attia
GLP-1 agonists have been celebrated for their potency in reducing body mass, but lean mass accounts for an alarming proportion of this weight loss. For patients without excess fat, this considerable risk just doesn’t seem worth the minimal benefits.”
ProLongevity vs Wegovy
ProLongevity is a programme which works through a detailed analysis of what triggers you to experience blood sugar spikes.
ProLongevity can help you lose weight, live longer, and reverse life-limiting diseases, including prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even dementia.
Juggling the Wegovy jabs and navigating all the issues associated with type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes can be too much. Not only this, but with the results of the jab being effective for only some patients, other options could be more effective.
Multi-award-winning ProLongevity is a 90-day program that puts effort into preventing and reversing such deadly conditions with virtually zero risk or side effects.
Here’s how they compare.
