Researchers at the University of British Columbia showed that popular diabetes drugs used as weight-loss drugs cause an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal problems.
Diabetes drugs like Ozempic, which have proven to be effective weight loss drugs, can increase the risk of serious digestive tract problems, says a new research.
University of British Columbia researchers showed that injectable drugs originally intended to treat type 2 diabetes, such as Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Saxenda, are associated with an increased risk of gastric paralysis, pancreatitis, and intestinal obstruction.
It was the first large population-based study to examine gastrointestinal side effects in people who do not have diabetes and are taking medications specifically for weight loss.
– 9.09 times greater risk of pancreatitis, which can cause severe abdominal pain and in some cases require hospitalization and surgery.
– 4.22 times greater risk of intestinal obstruction, which prevents food from passing through the small intestine, which can lead to cramping, bloating, nausea and vomiting. Depending on the severity, surgery may be necessary.
– 3.67 times greater risk of gastroparesis, or paralysis of the stomach, which limits the passage of food from the stomach to the small intestine and causes vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain.
Even a small risk causes many illnesses in large masses
CNN’s according to the study found that the risks of adverse effects for individual patients appear to be rare. For example, only about 1 percent of people taking Ozempic were diagnosed with gastric paralysis.
Because the demand for diet pills has grown explosively and tens of millions use them worldwide, a 1 percent risk, if realized, can rise to hundreds of thousands of cases, say researchers.
Researchers are also worried about the increasingly easy availability of medicines.
– It is worrying that in some cases people can just go online and order these drugs, without understanding what they can possibly cause, says Mohit Sodhione of the authors of the study and a medical student who studies the adverse effects of commonly prescribed drugs.
The medicine has also been in great demand in Finland
Earlier, it was reported that the demand for the medicine has been high in Finland as well, and that people drive long distances for the slimming diabetes medicine.
The drug has also been linked to suicidal thoughts. Finnish Medicines Safety and Development Center Fimea is aware of suspected adverse effects related to mental health problems.
In Finland, the holder of Ozempic’s marketing authorization, the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, has also instructed doctors in their shepherd’s letter that they should only prescribe Ozempic to diabetes patients.