Thread by @seanpk

Big Pharma is fooling you again with Ozempic.

It's everywhere. Half of Hollywood + your favorite celebrities use it.

While data shows it can result in weight loss...

Everyone is missing this scary truth in pursuit of shedding weight.

A thread 🧵

Americans are known for their obsession with weight loss pills, and it's no surprise that Ozempic is the new hot thing.

But to understand Ozempic, you must first understand America's rocky history with weight loss pills.

The first weight loss drug story trails back to WW1.

DNP, initially used in ammunition factories as an explosive, was later noted to cause weight loss in exposed workers.

In 1930s, it was re-branded as a fat-reducing remedy.

Soon after, it was found to be highly unsafe at high doses, causing blindness, neuropathy, and death.

In the 1940s, the amphetamine Benzedrine became the diet pill of choice.

In the 50s, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) emerged, a hormone from the placenta of pregnant women.

In 60s, Obetrol (now Adderall).

The side-effects like psychosis & death were ignored.

Then in 2004, the FDA banned ephedra.

It was a key ingredient in U.S. weight-loss and energy products.

While it caused modest short-term weight loss, it was linked to serious health risks like heart attacks, strokes, seizures, high blood pressure, and heart arrhythmia.

Throughout the history of American weight loss pills, many similar examples have emerged.

History tends to repeat itself, but does that mean Ozempic is as dangerous as past weight loss products?

Let's start by examining the drug.

Ozempic was first released in 2017 as a diabetes medication to lower blood sugar.

But the side effect of it was that patients shed weight.

The word started to spread and doctors started prescribing it off-label for weight loss.

And the results were pretty staggering:

In one study, the patients lost 15 pounds in just 3 months and about 27 pounds in 6 months.

All without annoying exercise or changing their diets.

This felt like a miracle.

But to understand why, you must understand how Ozempic works:

When you finish your meal, your gut releases a hormone called GLP-1.

This hormone signals to your body that you're full.

Ozempic is an artificial version of this hormone, forcing your body to feel full (even if you haven't eaten much of anything).

But...

When patients stop taking GLP-1 injections, their bodies usually revert to normal physiology and hormonal function, causing previously suppressed appetites to return to typical levels.

Normal eating patterns resume, & most people put the weight back on.

But it gets worse...

Ozempic can leave food festering in your stomach, causing it to rot.

It delays gastric emptying, making you feel worse as food decays inside you.

This woman reported her breath reeking of sulfur and rotten eggs, accompanied by relentless vomiting.

The other possible side-effects of Ozempic are even more devastating.

It can result in mild to serious abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, pancreatitis, kidney failure, intestinal blockage, etc.

And these are just the side effects we know about.

So should you take Ozempic?

I believe Ozempic is good for those who really need to lose weight (20+ lbs overweight and have been trying to lose weight for years).

But for people using it purely for vanity...that's dumb (and possibly dangerous).

Let me explain 👇

There are REAL side effects that people need to understand (and combat):

- Hair loss (collagen)
- Muscle loss (protein shakes)
- Nutrient depletion (supplements)
- Gut issues (probiotic + fiber regimen)
- Loss of skin elasticity (step-up skincare game)

Dr. Peter Attia explains:

Despite all of this, the industry is booming.

Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk is now worth more than $500 billion.

This surging demand lifted its market value and Ozempic sales topped about $13.9 billion in 2023.

About 66% of those sales came from the U.S.

If you're considering Ozempic, it's essential to have a plan for when you stop taking the drug.

Ozempic can be effective if it helps you change your behavior and serves as a Kickstarter.

Without those changes, you'll likely revert to your previous state, or even worse.

Ozempic is beneficial for those who truly need it.

However, using it to chase unrealistic beauty standards is dumb.

Like any drug, it serves as an enhancer, not a cure.

Without changing your lifestyle fundamentals (nutrition & exercise), no drug will be effective long-term.

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