What are Ozempic’s breasts, butt and face? Experts weigh in on problems with weight-loss drugs

When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ozempic as a treatment for type II diabetes, it didn’t expect it to revolutionize the weight loss market.

However, just a few years after its launch, Ozempic – a drug that makes you feel fuller – became a popular choice in the West and helped hundreds of people lose weight drastically.

However, like any other medicine that seems too good to be true, Ozempic also has side effects or impacts which unfortunately people discover after consuming this medicine. Last on the list are Ozempic’s breasts, butt, and face.

Learn more

But what is Ozempic?

We will discuss the possible side effects of the drug in a moment, but before that, let us tell you a little more about the drug.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Ozempic, semaglutide, Wegovy, liraglutide, etc. are some of the names you must have read if you have ever googled “how to lose weight fast”.

But what do these terms mean??

Let us explain:

Dr Sanjay Agarwal, Head of the Department of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolic Diseases, Sahyadri Super Specialty Hospital, Pune, explains:

• All of these medications we mentioned earlier belong to the class of medications called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.
• Semaglutide is one such drug marketed under two main brand names: Ozempic and Wegovy, both of which are injectable drugs.
• Ozempic is primarily prescribed to manage type II diabetes, while wegovy, a higher-dose variant, is specifically approved for weight loss and is prescribed for chronic weight control.
• However, Ozempic is now also used by many people as a weight loss medication.
• Wegovy can be used by adults and adolescents ages 12 and older who meet certain body mass index (BMI) criteria.
• Although people with type II diabetes can use Wegovy, it is not approved to treat diabetes.

• Another drug in this family of GLP-1 receptor agonists is liraglutide (available in India), marketed under the names Victoza and Saxenda, which also helps manage type II diabetes and weight by slowing the emptying of the stomach, preventing the release of glucagon and stimulating insulin synthesis.

How does Semaglutide AKA Ozempic work for weight loss?

Dr Tushar Tayal, consultant in internal medicine at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, tells India today Because semaglutide belongs to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1 PRs, it mimics the hormone GLP-1 that is released in our gut in response to food.

Typically, GLP-1 goes to the pancreas and helps it produce insulin – but only when the body needs it.

So when glucose levels rise, the body needs more insulin, and GLP-1 or Ozempic (its mimic) helps the pancreas release insulin.

“GLP-1 in higher amounts also interacts with parts of the brain that suppress your appetite and signal you to feel full, which induces satiety. This feeling of fullness or “fullness” suppresses your appetite. That’s why it works for weight loss,” says Dr. Tayal.

What are the side effects of Ozempic?

In addition to being expensive, Ozempic has many side effects that have made this so-called wonder drug for weight loss quite controversial.

Dr Manoj Chawla, consultant diabetologist at PD Hinduja & MRC Hospital, Khar, Mumbai, tells us that these GLP-1 ARs largely have gastrointestinal side effects.

Common side effects are:

• diarrhea
• belching
• acidity
• gastritis
• stomach bloating
• occasionally, constipation
• headaches and nausea
• possibly vomiting.

But he also mentions that there are also rare side effects of the disease, namely:

• medullary thyroid cancer
• pancreatic and pancreatic cancer (however, it is very rare and has not been observed in the recent past)
• worsening nephropathy (kidney disease)
• sugar levels drop significantly

“These side effects are generally dose-dependent in the first few days of use. Therefore, most of these medications are usually started at a small dose and then gradually increased every few weeks,” says Dr. Chawla.

But what are Ozempic’s butt, face and breasts?

In the list of possible side effects of Ozempic, social media users (who used the drug), have coined a new term they call Ozempic butt, face and breasts.

For example, Jessica Dennis, a mother of four currently living in South Dakota, said her breasts shrank while she was taking Ozempic, reported Daily mail.

However, Dr. Chawla says that when a person loses weight, you will see changes in the shape and structure of other parts of the body, including the buttocks and breasts.

“The volume and shape may change or there may be sagging of the breasts in women, due to weight loss, which is called Ozempic breasts,” according to Dr. Chawla.

This same definition is applied in terms of the Ozempic face and stock.

Dr. Agarwal says “Ozempic face” is caused by the thinning of facial features as facial fat decreases, sometimes resulting in a more gaunt appearance.

“For example, because of weight loss, the face no longer looks fluffy, it is sunken. Facial color, when an individual loses weight rapidly, also gets lost,” says Dr Chawla.

Similarly, “Ozempic butt” refers to the loss of fat from the buttocks, which can lead to sagging.

“But according to experts, these changes also occur with other forms of weight loss, including weight loss medications that cause drastic weight loss in an individual,” says Dr. Chawla.

Ozempic Alternatives in India

As Ozempic is not available in India, people get it from the gray market or import it, according to Dr Chawla.

However, Dr. Tayal and Dr. Chawla note that in India, people use two other types of medications for weight loss: liraglutide (the injectable drug), which has been available for many years, and an oral form of semaglutide called rybelsus .

“People are using it off-label to lose weight,” says Dr. Chawla.

Celebrities on Ozempic

Today, several celebrities have openly discussed their use of Ozempic, while others have chosen not to.

Notable figures include comedian Chelsea Handler, who mentioned using it unknowingly before stopping it due to ethical concerns, and Amy Schumer, who stopped using it after experiencing adverse effects.

Additionally, Elon Musk admitted to using this drug for weight loss purposes.