In a surprising study conducted by the University of British Columbia, it was found that popular weight loss drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic may be linked to serious gastrointestinal issues, including stomach paralysis, pancreatitis, and bowel obstruction. The study, published in JAMA, specifically focused on non-diabetic patients who were using these drugs for weight loss rather than for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, which is their primary purpose. These weight loss drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, work by stimulating insulin release, halting sugar production in the liver, and promoting feelings of fullness.
Health Canada has approved all four drugs for the treatment of diabetes, but the study revealed that when used solely for weight loss purposes, they can pose significant risks to patients’ health. Many individuals have reported experiencing severe vomiting and nausea after starting these GLP-1 agonists, with some suffering from these symptoms up to 15 to 20 times per day. The study’s researchers were surprised to find that using these drugs for weight loss was associated with an increased risk of gastroparesis, or stomach paralysis, confirming the experiences of those who had reported such symptoms.
To investigate the potential link between weight loss drugs and gastrointestinal problems, the researchers analyzed health insurance claim records of around 16 million patients in the United States. They focused on prescriptions of the two main GLP-1 agonists, semaglutide (Ozempic) and liraglutide (Saxenda), between 2006 and 2020. Patients with recent obesity history, excluding those with diabetes or who were prescribed other antidiabetic drugs, were included in the study. The researchers examined medical records to determine the occurrence of four types of stomach-related issues: pancreatitis, bowel obstruction, gastroparesis, and biliary disease.
Comparing the prevalence of these problems between patients using GLP-1 agonists and those using another weight loss drug called bupropion-naltrexone, the researchers found that patients on GLP-1 agonists had a nine times higher risk of pancreatitis, a four times higher risk of bowel obstruction, and a three times higher risk of stomach paralysis. Stomach paralysis can lead to symptoms like vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain, as it restricts the passage of food from the stomach to the small intestines. The researchers also observed a higher incidence of biliary disease, although it was not considered statistically significant. While these side effects are rare, the widespread use of these drugs means that hundreds of thousands of people may potentially experience these conditions.
The exact number of Canadians using these weight loss drugs is unknown, but the popularity of Ozempic has led to a shortage of the medication in Canada. The researchers hope that the manufacturers of GLP-1 agonists will update the warning labels of these products to include the risk of gastroparesis, which is not currently mentioned. Health Canada approved Ozempic for the treatment of diabetes, not for weight loss, in 2018. Wegovy, a higher dose version of the same drug, was approved for weight loss in 2021 but has not yet been available in Canada due to global demand and supply shortages. Rybelsus was approved by Health Canada in 2020 for diabetes treatment, while Saxenda was approved for weight loss in 2015.
This study from the University of British Columbia is the first epidemiological study to establish a connection between popular weight loss drugs and stomach paralysis and other serious gastrointestinal issues. Prior to this, there were only anecdotal accounts of such side effects. One such account was reported by Global News in August 2023, featuring Emily Wright, a Toronto elementary school teacher who began taking Ozempic to control her food cravings and blood sugar levels related to Type 2 diabetes. While she did experience weight loss, she also suffered from constant vomiting and nausea, as well as sulfur burps with a rotten egg smell. Her symptoms worsened over time, leading to hospitalization for severe nausea and dehydration. Wright was later diagnosed with gastroparesis, potentially linked to her use of Ozempic. She believes the drug may have exacerbated her condition and now requires medication to manage the motility of her stomach and daily nausea medication.
Dr. Ravi Retnakaran, an endocrinologist and professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, stated that while nausea is a common side effect of Ozempic and other medications in its class, severe reactions like Wright’s are rare. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic, emphasized that patient safety is a priority and that they take adverse events from the use of their medications seriously. They explained that gastrointestinal events are known side effects of GLP-1 agonists, with the majority being mild to moderate in severity and of short duration. They also mentioned that while diabetes is a known risk factor for gastroparesis, other factors such as obesity, gender, viruses, and nervous system diseases can contribute to its development.
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