Semaglutide: Safe Solutions for Weight and Diabetes

Semaglutide: Transforming Lives Safely in Weight Loss and Diabetes Care

Ray Jonnas

Semaglutide is a dual-purpose medication used for treating type 2 diabetes and managing long-term weight loss. Developed by Novo Nordisk in 2012, it gained approval for use in the US in 2017 under the brand names Ozempic (injectable) and Rybelsus (pill) for diabetes, and Wegovy for weight loss. Administered through subcutaneous injection or oral consumption, semaglutide is a modified peptide similar to the hormone GLP-1. It functions as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, regulating appetite and insulin levels by targeting glucagon-like peptide 1 receptors in the body.

Despite its widespread use, concerns about potential psychiatric side effects of weight loss and diabetes drugs have emerged. However, a significant study published in Nature Medicine in 2020 found that semaglutide has a notably lower risk of suicidal thoughts compared to other weight-loss medications. Analyzing the medical records of over 1.6 million patients with type 2 diabetes and 240,618 patients with obesity, the research concluded that patients prescribed semaglutide were up to 73% less likely to report suicidal thoughts than those on other medications.

Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, emphasized the importance of investigating semaglutide’s mental health effects, especially since it is being explored as a potential treatment for drug addiction. The positive data from the study were welcomed by experts like Dr. Andres Acosta, who noted the exciting revelation that semaglutide did not increase the risk of suicidal ideation.

The FDA is actively monitoring the safety of semaglutide and other GLP-1 receptor agonists amid reports of potential side effects. The rise in prescriptions for these drugs, increasing by 4,200% from 2018 to 2023, has led to varied findings about their impact on the body. While some studies suggest benefits such as reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes, others report adverse effects like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and, in some cases, thoughts of suicide. Novo Nordisk expressed confidence in the benefit-risk profile of their products but acknowledged the need for longer-term research, as the NIDA study only covered six months of data.

Doctors emphasize the need for extended research to assess the impact of semaglutide over the long term. The overall positive mood observed in patients using semaglutide in the short term aligns with doctors’ general observations, highlighting the rapid effectiveness of the drug in weight loss and its potential to improve patients’ mental well-being.