Miracle syringes called Ozempic and Wegovy
Give yourself an injection once a week – and the pounds will fall off. This message is currently haunting social networks and the media. We are talking about the preparations Ozempic and Wegovy, both with the active ingredient semaglutide. What is behind it?
Wegovy not yet available in Germany
Semaglutide works in a similar way to an endogenous hormone called GLP-1, which, among other things, suppresses appetite. As an active ingredient in the injection solution Ozempic, it has been approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes for several years. When used, it was found that many users lose weight as a beneficial side effect.
To improve this effect, Wegovy was developed – an even higher-dose medicine than Ozempic, which is also given as a solution for injection in a pre-filled pen. The EU Commission approved Wegovy for use in severe obesity at the beginning of 2022 – but it is not yet available in this country. “Unfortunately, at the moment we can’t make any statement about the time of the market launch of Wegovy in Germany,” the manufacturer Novo Nordisc told us when asked.
Approved only for certain patient groups
Wegovy is approved in combination with diet and physical activity for:
- Adults with obesity, i.e. a body mass index (BMI) over 30 as well as
- Adults with increased obesity (BMI over 27) and associated health problems such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.
Important: The active substance semaglutid is not intended and tested for use in the case of slightly overweight and without diabetes – and it also requires a prescription. Interested parties can therefore clarify with their doctor whether the injection is an option.
Other ways to get overweight under control
- take meal breaks. Intermittent fasting can help you lose some weight and has positive health effects. The effect of detox cures, however, has not been proven.
- Consciously enjoy instead of doing without. Our book Better food by the way has lots of suggestions ready to help you change your eating habits – including 30 quick and easy recipes.
- Get going. From e-bikes to cross trainers to yoga – we provide numerous recommendations for physical activities on our fitness and outdoor equipment topic page.
Studies show significant weight loss
What is known about the high-dose Wegovy so far? Several studies show that the drug can help people who are very overweight lose weight. For the largest of these studies, almost 2,000 severely overweight people – mostly women who weighed around 105 kilograms on average – were randomly divided into two groups.
Result: Those who injected semaglutide once a week lost an average of 15.3 kilos in 17 months, or about 15 percent of their body weight. In the comparison group it was only 2.6 kilos. The weight loss was more significant than in studies with other drugs.
Save calories and move
However, the risks of long-term use have not yet been adequately researched. About three out of four people developed gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea during the study.
The study participants were intensively supported in reducing calories and moving at least 150 minutes per week. No one is spared such lifestyle changes, even when losing weight with an injection. Otherwise, the pounds will come back all too easily after weaning.
Tipp: We have evaluated various prescription and over-the-counter weight loss supplements. You can find more information about this in our test of slimming products.