The reality behind weight loss drugs.

Do weight loss medications like Ozempic truly work? A Dietitian weighs in.

Weight loss medication has become more in demand than ever before. We already know that restrictive diets do not work for sustainable, long term weight loss. Majority end up regaining the weight they lost plus more, within 2-5 years. This statistic can understandably leave us feeling relatively disheartened in regards to weight related goals. 

Background on weight loss medications -

Whilst weight loss drugs have been around for decades: 2023 presented us with a brand new player in the Monopoly game. Dubbed the ‘botox’ for weight loss, drugs like Ozempic have been gaining popularity amongst celebrities, influencers and the online community. 

The drug was initially released as a Type 2 Diabetic medication 5 years ago. They are the first drugs of their kind to specifically target insulin action and appetite simultaneously. These medications are now being used off label to restrict hunger and lose weight: does it actually work though and what dangers may be associated with taking these?

As a Dietitian working day in day out with individuals sick of the constant cycle of falling in and out of dieting, I am more than familiar with the hype and temptation surrounding the possibility of a magic ‘cure’.

Missing the underlying issues -

The reality is, when it comes to weight loss and pharmaceuticals, things are a lot more complicated than they seem. 

To put it simply, these medications alone will not miraculously enable our weight to drop. The drugs trigger a significantly reduced appetite, which automatically means we eat less & no longer act on cravings, therefore leading to weight loss over time. 

In many cases taking the drug may act as a physical band aid: if we are not tackling the underlying cause of the issue, often being a deeply unhealthy relationship with food, it is likely to be very challenging to maintain the weight related results once the band-aid (or medication) is taken away. 

Without tackling the fundamental psychology that may be driving us to lose control around food, eat compulsively or cycle in and out of dieting, we may be setting ourselves up to potentially worsen an already damaged relationship with food later down the track. This in turn will not only damage our mindset, but also make it incredibly difficult to keep the weight off if we have not addressed these underlying factors. 

Long term side effects -

Another concern is that we have seen this rise (and fall) before. During the 1990’s, Fen Phen weight loss medications were dubbed as the answer to weight loss. This was until they were eventually linked to heart damage, and removed from the market in the early 2000’s due to fatal health risks. Although this new class of weight loss medications do not seem to be triggering problems such as this, is it too early to tell?

So far, the known side effects of drugs like Ozempic include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Interestingly, once we stop taking it, it stops working, making the drug more of an indefinite prescription. So we actually don’t really know the long term effects of the medication, until the long-term users grow. 

There is already research suggesting that these drugs can exacerbate tumour growth and be linked to acute kidney failure, which does raise a few red flags. 

Of course, each individual is so different and this is not to say that someone weight loss drugs should be scolded: this is not the case at all and taking these will very much depend on the person, their medical history, medical team and their relationship with food to begin with.

At the end of the day, any kind of ‘quick fix’ will not help to heal our relationship with food. So if we are already struggling with how we feel and act around food, we may be making the problem worse than it already is in years to come.  

You can ready more about quick fix diets and the diet cycle here or learn more about how you can ditch the diet cycle for good with my newest A-Z guide to sustainable weight loss here.

Written by Bronwen Greenfield (APD).