Originally designed for people with Type 2 diabetes, drugs like Ozempic have become better known for aiding weight loss.
But a number of weight-loss jabs have now been linked to hundreds of cases of life-threatening illness as well as 10 deaths, according to a new study.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is investigating after reports were made that 294 people have suffered acute and chronic pancreatitis after taking tirzepatide, the active ingredient of Mounjaro, and semaglutide, used in Ozempic and Wegovy.
None of the jabs have yet been proven to be the direct cause of these issues, but there are fears that not enough is known about the jabs, prompting health officials to launch a new study into any harmful side effects.
Around 5 per cent of Britons are reportedly using injectables like Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro in 2024. They work by mimicking the hormone GLP-1 to slow down digestion and lower appetite, which can lead to significant weight-loss.
What are the side effects?
The most common side effects of weight-loss jabs are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation. Other side effects include dizziness, headaches, increased heart rate and infections.
Harvard Medical School advises that small steps can be taken to manage some of these symptoms. For example, eating crackers, mint or ginger-based food and drinks about 30 minutes after taking GLP-1 agonists can help combat nausea.
Staying well-hydrated, avoiding dairy products and eating high-fibre foods can also help alleviate symptoms like nausea, diarrhea and constipation.
There are also a number of rare but serious side effects including pancreatitis, medullary thyroid cancer and acute kidney injury.
Dr Naveed Asif, GP at The London General Practice, advises that patients taking GLP-1 drugs should with a lower dose and gradually increase the amount to help minimise the risk of these serious side effects.
“Careful, gradual reduction of insulin doses and close monitoring of blood glucose levels are also essential,” Dr Asif said, “Additionally, I want to stress the importance of obtaining Ozempic from reputable sources. There have been instances of falsified products in the UK that can pose serious health risks.”
Drugs like Ozempic have also been known to cause sulphur-smelling burps. Data from West Virginia University Health Sciences suggest that around a fifth of people on a GLP-1 receptor agonist experience it.
There’s less known about why this might be happening, although Laura Davisson, the director of medical weight management at West Virginia University Health Sciences, told The Atlantic that it could be that semaglutide increases the amount of bacteria in patients’ digestive tracts. This in turn produces hydrogen sulphide, a gas that is expelled from either end of the digestive tract.
It smells a lot like rotten eggs, which might account for the stinky burps that some people experience.
Women taking any weight-loss jab are being advised to use effective contraception, as weight loss drugs have been said to increase fertility. Doctors have also warned that the drugs could interfere with the oral contraceptive pill.
The injections have been linked to a “baby boom”, with women reporting online that they have had surprise “Ozempic babies” despite using contraception.
To date, the MHRA has received more than 40 reports relating to pregnancy among women on the drugs.
See also: What are ‘Ozempic feet’?
Which side effects are most concerning?
According to Kiran Jones, a clinical pharmacist at Oxford Online Pharmacy, some of the most concerning side effects of GLP-1 drugs include gastrointestinal complications such as stomach paralysis, which can “significantly slow the movement of food through the stomach, causing long-term digestive issues that can cause severe medical complications”.
Jones added: “If used in combination with other diabetic medications, it can increase the risk of hypoglycaemia, and research indicates there is a link between the drug and pancreatitis. This is when the pancreas becomes inflamed and can quickly become serious enough to require hospitalisation.”
Another risk is cardiovascular complications, particularly for people with pre-existing heart conditions.
There have also been instances of dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), especially when Ozempic is used in combination with other diabetic medications or when it is misused,” Jones said.
