Taking A Shot

What is Ozempic and why is it trending these days? Tatler takes a deep dive into this weight loss craze 

- Angela Nicole Guiral

"Everybody looks so great,” starts American television host Jimmy Kimmel in his opening speech at the 95th Oscars. “When I look around this room, I can’t help but wonder, ‘Is Ozempic right for me?’” It was March 2023 then, and the hype surrounding the famed drug made even more noise. Social media sites and trends had a field day and now, the Ozempic hashtag has accumulated 1.2 billion views on TikTok alone.

For some people who are conscious about their looks, a drug like Ozempic is a dream come true. Doctors are quick to rebut this, however, and insist that it is no “miracle” weight loss drug. According to Filipino endocrinologist from St Luke’s Medical Center, Dr Aoo Felipe, the semaglutide, marketed as Ozempic, is a drug made for patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) to control their blood sugar. Weight loss is just a side effect, particularly due to its suppressive effects on appetite, which reduces hunger and increases satiety by slowing down digestion and creating the “feeling” of fullness.

“The Ozempic is one of the most talked-about injectable medications for diabetes nowadays. It’s used to control blood glucose in adult patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, prompting the body to produce more insulin and reduce blood sugar,” Dr Antonio Pescador, a diplomate of the Philippine College of Endocrinology Diabetes and Metabolism and current chief of Victoriano Luna Medical Center’s Endocrinology Service, explains to Tatler.