THE DANGERS OF SEMAGLUTIDE, OZEMPIC, WEGOVY AND MOUNJARO WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS – Part II

This doesn’t mean there is a direct causal relationship between the medicine and thyroid cancer at this time, but that they need to determine whether it exists. The manufacturer of the drug states there is no evidence that links them. However, a group of French researchers who analyzed data from the French national health care insurance system database observed a risk of thyroid cancer among those taking these drugs, particularly after 1-3 years.

While stating that there is also a known risk between thyroid cancer and obesity that already exists, the manufacturer (Novo Nordisk) acknowledges that semaglutide caused dose-dependent and treatment duration dependent thyroid tumors in rodents, but that its impact on humans hasn’t been determined. So, they are saying that, depending on the dose and how long a rat was on this medication, they did see thyroid tumors. As such, the FDA is advising people with a family history of thyroid cancer against using semaglutide.

Another Epoch Times article in June of 2023 discussed that Health Canada, which is responsible for Canada’s national health policy, issued a warning recently regarding Ozempic. They have stated that, when using Ozempic for weight loss purposes, it can cause significant side effects, including pancreatitis, severely low blood sugar, gallbladder issues, severe allergic reactions, thyroid tumors and kidney problems, including kidney failure and sometimes hair loss.

A report in the Wall Street Journal of April 2023, says there can also be psychiatric consequences from Ozempic. Many people who use Ozempic and similar medications are reportedly experiencing bizarre dreams. Once again, Novo Nordisk has heard of reports from users having abnormal dreams but insists that they are unable to link this to the medication.

In the meantime, the New England Journal of Medicine found that Ozempic can result in weight loss in those with a BMI equal to or greater than 30, “when combined with a lifestyle intervention.” However, the weight loss might not be long-lasting. Health Canada cited a 2022 study which found that non-diabetic people who took semaglutide ended up gaining much of their weight back within a year of stopping the medication.

So, how do the 3 medications, Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro compare for weight loss? Mounjaro (or tirzepatide) has the highest weight loss in studies ranging from 21-26.6% body weight at the highest doses of 15 mg over 84 weeks! That’s seven and a half times the amount of Ozempic! So, if you weigh 200 lbs., you’re talking 42-53 pounds in about 1 year and 6 months.

Wegovy has shown 15% weight loss and Ozempic 6-7% over 1.3 years. So, with Ozempic or semaglutide at 200 lbs., you’re talking 12-14 pounds. At 300 pounds, you’re talking 18-21 lbs.

All three drugs are given weekly as an injection in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) has the greatest maximum dosage at 15 mg., which is 6 to 7.5 times greater than the dosage of Wegovy and Ozempic.

While the benefits and side effects are said to be the same (with tirzepatide appearing to be better tolerated), Dr. Mitch Roslin, the director of bariatric medicine at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York, says that it’s too soon to tell.

He states that nothing does as well in real life as it does in clinical trials, and that this is just the beginning of learning about these drugs. Like Dr. Berry said, “You are the guinea pig!”

A very important aspect of all these drugs is that the weight loss benefits occurred in conjunction with other lifestyle changes, like diet and exercise.

So, let’s skip the side effects and just change our lifestyle!