I was having a session with one of my clients the other day. She’s diabetic, and had been offered Ozempic by her doctor as a treatment to help her lose weight. (Ozempic is the same drug as semaglutide, in case you were wondering)

This prompted me to go on a research mission. I’ve seen plenty of headlines and anecdotal stories about Ozempic, but I wanted the detail.

• How does it work?
• Who is offered it?
• Is it a good idea?

Well, after digging deep into the clinical trials, this is what I found out:

• Ozempic mimics a hormone that’s made in the gut – GLP-1
• GLP-1 makes you feel full, stimulates the release of insulin, and inhibits glucagon. That means that not only does it help you to eat less, but it helps to keep blood sugar lower too.

Scientists believe that it could be useful for people who have:

• Low levels of GLP-1

Or

• Are resistant to GLP-1

….but there’s no test currently available to see if a person has low levels or is resistant to GLP-1.

It doesn’t work for everyone – perhaps because not everyone who is overweight has a problem with the GLP-1 hormone.

And it tends to give side effects of nausea, D&V, and may cause gallstones.

And it may possibly cause pancreatitis.

In trials, patients lost up to 15% of their body weight in 1 year, compared to 3% in people who were given diet and lifestyle advice only.

BUT....

....it needs to be taken long term to give long term benefits – a bit like thyroid medication – once you stop taking it the symptoms ( in this case obesity) return.

And in the UK it’s only approved for use for 2 years, so there is no option for taking it long term.

Also, in the UK you’ll only be offered it if you have a BMI over 35 (or BMI over 30 if you have medical conditions that lead you to be referred to a specialist NHS weight management service – I’ve never met anyone who’s been referred to this).

So you WON'T be able to take it if:

• You already have gallstones
• Your BMI is under 35
• You want long term help with your weight.

So basically,

• if you’re very overweight,
• but don’t have gallstones, and
• want to lose weight for 2 years only –

Ozempic may be an option for you!

If not, are you stuck with uncontrollable hunger forever?

Well, ignoring hunger is never fun, but there are other ways to manage food cravings.

And that’s what I’ll be covering in my free Snackbusters event.

In this fun, interactive session, you'll learn the 4 simple steps to break that snacking habit!

There’s only 100 spaces available, so reserve your spot now.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/snackbusters-break-your-snacking-habit-in-4-easy-steps-tickets-591338939687