‘Ozempics’: Busting Myths on the Ultimate Drug of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is the most prevalent condition affecting millions across the globe. But you know what’s more interesting than diabetes, it’s the most recently launched drug for it, Ozempic. This anti-diabetic medication is popularized as a weight loss drug due its claims of causing weight loss among celebrities causing drastic physical changes and misleading people to consume the drug. Dr. Khalid Zalmay, M.D., a family doctor (NHS GP) based in the UK and a YouTube content creator, addressed the concerns and misconceptions regarding Ozempic and similar antidiabetic drugs.

1. Can Ozempic/ Wegovy cause Thyroid cancer?

Though there hasn’t been any proper evidence to prove the correlation of Ozempic with thyroid cancer, some studies have shown the risk of thyroid cancer is less than 1%. ^[1] Other researchers propose that on long-term consumption of these drugs has a possibility of increased thyroid cancer risk when the patient took the drug for 1-3 years. ^[2]

Dr. Khalid Zalmay explains the benefits against the risk of using these drugs by assessing the patient's profile thoroughly and talking with the concerned doctor about whether the drug would benefit you with a lower risk.

 2. Do you need to take these drugs forever?

Dr. Khalid answers in detail about how weight loss is a complex process and results from intake of the drugs based on various factors like starting weight, genetics, diet, exercise habits. “If you are achieving a target weight and your weight is stable, then the aim would be always to take you off these medications. Remember that while being on these medications you should be having a healthy diet with regular exercise.”

3. Would you lose weight without any effort while on this medication?

Dr. Khalid explains that viral social media has made the drugs Ozempic and Wegovy a ‘miracle’ drug used to lose weight without any exercise or proper diet, which isn’t the case. The doctor also explains that these drugs aren’t always the ‘magic solution’. The drugs act by reducing appetite and thereby reduce the urge of overeating but not reduce the fat content in the body immediately. You still have to exercise and follow a proper diet in order to be in proper weight. Since the sense of fullness and cravings decreased with these drugs are taken, patients follow a low-calorie diet, which reduces the weight.

4. Is Ozempic and Wegovy only for diabetes?

“Ozempic is the name of the medication semiglutide is used by only type 2 diabetes patients to help they regulate blood sugar levels and on a plus side, also found they’ve lost weight which great that it helps to improve their general health,” said Dr. Khalid. National Institute of Clinical Excellence (N.I.C.E) a UK-based institute proved Wegovy can be used as a weight loss drug and it is also FDA-approved. Wegovy has the same active ingredient as Ozempic but is solely made for weight loss management in non- diabetic patients. They are taken in higher dosages as compared to anti diabetic drugs. ^[3]

5. What are the side effects of Ozempic/Wegovy and does it make you feel terrible?

Most common side effects can be nausea and vomiting but it is inconsistent with most people. Dr. Khalid says that the same symptoms may vary in different patients and for some it stays for a while. He also listed some possible side effects: nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation, fatigue, dizziness and headache, feeling bloated and even a runny nose.

6. Do you gain weight after stopping these drugs?

Weight gain is possible only if you are not following proper exercise and diet after stopping these drugs since not taking up semiglutide likely returns normal appetite levels.

7. Can anyone use Ozempic/Wegovy?

“No doubt there has been non-prescribed uses of this drug for people who have seen in the US in celeb magazines and things like that but a lot of people have jumped on that bandwagon without knowing what should be the right usage of it or even some of the side effects and some of its risks about taking it,” said Dr. Khalid.  Prescribing the drug requires the medical professional to assess your BMI (body mass index), medical history, other medications you are taking to determine whether its safe to take them. Weight loss drug Wegovy is prescribed for patients with a BMI greater than 30 or having weight-related issues with any kind of underlying issues like hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

8. You can get an ‘Ozempic face’. Is it a myth?

Dr. Khalid addresses the most commonly asked concern on taking these drugs, getting an Ozempic face, which is characterized less body fat underneath the skin in your face which makes the face can appear more wrinkled which occurs when you lose weight quickly.

Some studies have shown that taking the drug can lead to a hollowed-out appearance and wrinkled appearance making them look older and saggy which is called as ‘big face phenomenon’. It isn’t an adverse effect of the drug technically. “Anyone with a massive weight loss can start having some of these features irrespective of whether they took Ozempic or took marathon running or something like that," he emphasizes.

References:

1. Elena A., Brito J. P., McCoy R., Shao H., and Singh M. "GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and Thyroid Cancer: A Narrative Review." Thyroid, February 12, 2024.

2. Bezin, J., A. Gouverneur, M. Pénichon, C. Mathieu, R. Garrel, D. Hillaire-Buys, et al. "GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and the Risk of Thyroid Cancer." Diabetes Care 46, no. 2 (November 10, 2022).

3. Harvard Health Publishing. "GLP-1, Diabetes, and Weight Loss Drug Side Effects: Ozempic Face and More." Harvard Health, February 2025. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/glp-1-diabetes-and-weight-loss-drug-side-effects-ozempic-face-and-more.

By Sreepriya Pai