New details are emerging about the side effects of medications like Ozempic, which are being used for weight loss.
It’s estimated that one in eight Americans have used GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic—medications originally designed to assist those with Type 2 Diabetes.
Although Ozempic is FDA-approved for diabetes management, it has not been authorized for weight loss, as the FDA has not conducted studies on the drug for weight management purposes.
Similar GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide (Wegovy) and liraglutide (Saxenda) have been approved by the FDA to help treat obesity, however.
Ozempic might not have been cleared as a medication to take for weight loss alone, but some doctors are still prescribing it ‘off-label’ to patients without diabetes. It’s thought that approximately 30 million Americans have used Ozempic – and it’s unlikely that these figures come from just diabetes patients alone.
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Ozempic has not been approved by the FDA for weight loss (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Several celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey and Sharon Osbourne, have openly admitted to using Ozempic.
Fans recently voiced concern for Osbourne after she posted a photo of herself watching TV with her grandson. In the image, she appeared barefoot, and many pointed out that her feet looked unusually frail.
According to Health.com, weight-loss drugs like Ozempic can impact the skin. The site notes that some users have experienced what’s been dubbed “Ozempic face” and “Ozempic butt,” referring to loose, sagging, or prematurely aging skin on the face and buttocks as a result of rapid weight loss.
“The skin has less tissue to cover in either case, which can make it sag or seem less plump.”
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People have expressed concerns about Sharon Osbourne’s appearance (@sharonosbourne/Instagram)
5 Changes That Can Happen to Your Body After Stopping Ozempic
Commenting on the widely circulated photo of Sharon Osbourne, Dr. Barry Weintraub, a New York-based board-certified plastic surgeon, explained to the Daily Mail:
“Without examining Sharon in person, the veiny and sagging skin on the top and sides of her foot could be due to a reduction in water retention, linked to a lower BMI caused by Ozempic or similar weight-loss drugs.
“As the heart is relieved from the strain of carrying extra weight, the body tends to retain less water, making the foot’s underlying structures — like veins, tendons, and bones — more noticeable.”
