Weight loss pills like Ozempic are all over the news. Here’s what I’ve been reading to stay a lifestyle reporter.

Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound: Blockbuster weight loss drugs have been the biggest health story of the past few years – and there are no signs of their popularity slowing down anytime soon. Millions of Americans have taken the drug, commonly known as GLP-1 agonist medications. Their potential benefits, beyond treating obesity and diabetes, are increasing as research continues to grow.

As a health journalist, I do my best to keep up with all the weight loss drugs out there, but with the headlines breaking out every day, it’s not easy! If you’re trying to stay on top of the latest, consider this your own quick reference guide. Here’s what I read about Ozempic and more.

1. We have learned more about how these drugs work

What excites me most about these medicines is what they teach us about how our brain, metabolism and heart health are connected. Speaking of – in August, a clinical trial showed that GLP-1 drugs do not make fullness last longer, but increase metabolism. That’s great because it means that the drug doesn’t just help you lose weight, it changes the way people’s bodies work. [Newsweek]

2. Drugs appear to have benefits beyond weight loss

Not only does tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound) help control blood sugar and increase pancreatic insulin production for people with diabetes, but it also reduces the risk of developing diabetes. chronic in the beginning – by 94%. , according to new research on Eli Lilly’s drug. That’s great news, but not too surprising considering that the drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration specifically to fight diabetes and obesity. It’s surprising how many benefits these drugs seem to have. People taking Wegovy are 33% less likely to die from COVID-19, another study found. In fact, those taking GLP-1 weight-loss drugs were less likely to die from all causes, including heart disease. Semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) “has more benefits than we thought before,” Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist at the Yale School of Medicine, said at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2024. Can these drugs keep people healthy and young for a long time? Researchers seem to think so. “It wouldn’t surprise me that improving people’s lives in this way would slow down aging,” Krumholz said. [BBC]

3. But they have potential risks

Among all the promising findings, one scary story also caught my eye: A woman claims that taking Wegovy and Ozempic caused part of her colon to “die.” Juanita Gantt had to have her colon removed, now has an ileostomy bag and is suing the drug maker, Novo Nordisk. We can’t say for sure if the drug caused her problems, but Ozempic can cause life-threatening bowel obstruction. The FDA last year added a warning about a rare but serious risk to Ozempic’s label.

A recent study has raised concerns about the link between weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and an increased risk of suicide. However, experts are skeptical and UK authorities have ruled that there is no definitive link after an analysis of a year’s worth of safety data. [CBS News and Reuters]

4. Cost is still a big issue. Both patients and drug manufacturers are trying to solve it.

The list price for a month’s supply of Ozempic is about $1,000 (although some insurance plans may cover the medication at a lower cost). The high prices of semaglutide and other weight loss drugs have caused some patients to break their injection pens to stretch their supplies. In an effort to provide a cheaper option (and prevent patients from seeking cheaper combination drugs from other vendors), Eli Lilly is offering a version of its Zepbound drug that can save patients up to 50 %. The catch? They will have to buy their own syringes and draw the medicine from a vial to inject themselves instead of using the expensive but convenient injection pen that the full price Zepbound comes in. [The Atlantic and Futurism]

5. The shortage continues as drug makers try to combat synthetic GLP-1

Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, says the drugs will continue to be in short supply for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly said that the shortage of its drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro will soon be over. Eli Lilly’s new packaging strategy for Zepbound could help ease supply pressure. The company is also going to court to try to stop compounding pharmacies to make cheaper copies of its drugs, which is the only law among the shortages. Will all this help people use drugs or make it more difficult? We will see. [Washington Post]