Serious Side Effects Linked to Weight Loss Medications Revealed in Recent Study

 

Serious Side Effects Linked to Weight Loss Medications Revealed in Recent Study

There's been a significant uptick in the demand for a class of diabetes medications known for their unintended but welcomed side effect: weight loss.

These medications belong to a category called GLP-1 agonists and include semaglutide, the primary component in drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus, tirzepatide found in Mounjaro, and liraglutide used in Victoza and Saxenda. While these drugs have proven effective in aiding individuals with diabetes in shedding roughly 15% of their body weight, they are not without their share of gastrointestinal side effects, which can encompass inflammation in the pancreas and obstructions in the digestive system.

But what's the extent of these risks for those who don't have diabetes but are increasingly turning to these drugs for weight loss? On September 28, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) called on the manufacturers of semaglutide-based drugs to include a warning on the medication label regarding the potential risk of intestinal blockage. This decision came after the FDA received approximately 8,500 reports of this condition from both diabetic and non-diabetic users.

Now, in a research letter featured in JAMA, scientists from the University of British Columbia have provided additional insights into the scope of these risks for individuals using these medications exclusively for weight loss. They found that among 4,700 non-diabetic individuals taking some form of GLP-1 and 650 people taking older, different combinations of weight loss drugs, those using GLP-1s faced a nine times higher risk of pancreatitis and a four times higher risk of both obstructed bowels and gastroparesis—a condition marked by delayed stomach emptying into the intestines.

Mohit Sodhi, a fourth-year medical student at the University of British Columbia and the study's primary author, remarked, "We wanted to examine these risks without diabetes as a factor since so many people are using these medications for weight loss without having diabetes."

While the study primarily focused on semaglutide and liraglutide, the researchers suggest that adverse gastrointestinal effects may apply to all GLP-1 drugs, including tirzepatide, which the FDA has approved for diabetes treatment but is still evaluating for weight loss purposes.

It's important to note that the absolute risk of these side effects remains relatively low. However, with an increasing number of individuals turning to these drugs not to manage diabetes but simply to shed a few pounds, these side effects could become more significant. Sodhi emphasizes, "Imagine a scenario where a million people are using GLP-1s. In our study, the incidence of gastroparesis was around 1%. If you take 1% of 1 million, that's 10,000 individuals potentially experiencing that adverse event. Extrapolate that to millions more patients using these drugs, and the numbers become quite substantial."

For individuals with diabetes, who are more susceptible to various health complications associated with uncontrolled blood sugar, such as circulatory issues, kidney problems, and eye abnormalities, the benefits of managing these conditions may outweigh the gastrointestinal risks. However, for those without diabetes, the risks may outweigh the advantages of losing a few pounds. While some studies have indicated positive health outcomes tied to weight loss drugs for non-diabetic individuals, including reduced heart disease risk, further research is necessary to validate these findings.

Additionally, more research is required to comprehend why GLP-1 drugs exert adverse effects on the stomach and intestines. Initial investigations, encompassing both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals, suggest that these medications slow down the natural motion of the stomach and intestines, possibly affecting the nervous system and causing inactivity.

"We hope that our study will inspire further research to corroborate our findings and ultimately offer individuals more informed consent when considering these medications," says Sodhi.