Ozempic; a drug created to improve the blood sugar of those with Type 2 Diabetics, has received the reputation in popular culture as an abusive weight-loss drug. Since 2019, Ozempic sales have doubled, skyrocketing because of its publicised use by many well known celebrities. The widespread, casual use of Ozempic among celebrities poses significant concerns to not only the user, but the general public as well.
The glorified use of this drug promotes unhealthy body images to young viewers. It’s often used to promote drastic, unnecessary weight-loss. The drastic weight-loss creates unrealistic beauty standards, encouraging young people to prioritize and seek unnatural weight-loss rather than healthy, sustainable habits. Many celebrities also tend to promote the use of Ozempic without disclosing the health risks and negative side effects, which creates an unrealistic perception of the drug.
With its unnecessary use, come the side effects. The avoidable reactions due to Ozempic use include nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, dizziness, fatigue, and headache. These side effects are simply not worth the unrealistic weight-loss factor. The use of Ozempic can also lead to more long term health risks, such as gall bladder disease, kidney problems, low blood sugar, cancer, tumors, vision changes, and facial aging. These are much bigger risks that come with the abuse of the drug.
Many celebrities have stopped taking Ozempic because of the health risks that come with it, like Amy Schumer, who suffered intense fatigue, nausea, and vomiting, which caused her to stop taking the drug. The same thing also occurred with Sharon Osbourne, who experienced intense nausea and vomiting which eventually led to her cease of using Ozempic.
The redundant use of Ozempic has led to a decrease in its medical purpose. There has been an evident shortage of Ozempic for those with diabetic needs. The increased demand for weight loss has created apparent critical shortages, making it all the more difficult for diabetics to get the necessary medication. These shortages prompted the creation of risky, non-FDA approved counterfeits of the drug, increasing the severity of the possible health risks.
The use of the drug has caused widespread issues, affecting the mental health of those who take it or are influenced to take it because of the glorification of drastic weight-loss. It poses a threat to the stock of the drug, and the health of its users. Overall, the increasing demand in Ozempic paired with the blatant ignorance to its harm for the user along with those who need the drug for medical reasons, pose severe consequences that people have been choosing to ignore.
