Vishnupriya
Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonists have transformed the weight loss field and helped millions to shed pounds and avert obesity-related conditions. However, little is known about the long-term effects of the weight loss drugs that mimic the action of natural GLP-1 gut hormone that aids satiety.
Recent studies have uncovered a range of benefits as well as worrying side effects of these medications. Some of the common side effects of Ozempic are nausea, diarrhea, constipation and acid reflux – or gastrointestinal symptoms which are considered mild. A latest study published in Nature Medicine also warns about the role of drugs in raising risk of pancreatitis and kidney damage in users.
Two other lesser-known side effects of GLP-1 medications has been revealed by a study published in journal JACC: Basic to Translational Science. While one pertains to a heart issue, the other relates to skin hypersensitivity.
Weakening of heart muscles
In the new study, it has been found that semaglutide can shrink heart mass in healthy people, which could potentially lead to heart failure apart from other cardiovascular issues. When heart mass shrinks, it means the muscle tissue of the heart is reducing in size, which can lead to a reduced ability to pump blood effectively. It can also manifest as fatigue, shortness of breath, and can be a sign of heart failure.
Researchers first carried out this experiment on mice where they administered semaglutide to both healthy and obese mass. The experiment discovered that semaglutide led to a significant reduction in overall heart weight, cardiomyocyte area, and mass in the left ventricle in both lean and obese mice. The test was then carried out on cultured human heart cells, which led to similar results.
“If these findings translate to humans, they may become important when considering the use of semaglutide in patients with existing CVD [cardiovascular diseases] and associated cardiac hypertrophy vs the population of individuals using GLP1-RAs for weight loss/management, in the absence of CVD and/or the metabolic syndrome,” wrote the authors of the study.
“This potential to alter cardiac structure in settings that may be impacted by reduced cardiac mass is important given the growing use, and guideline-endorsement, of GLP-1RAs in patients with and without CVD.”
Skin hypersensitivity
Another major side effect of Ozempic could be experienced in the form of skin hypersensitivity or a condition called Allodynia.
This condition causes pain when a light touch is applied to the skin.
“I think GLP-1 medications, in general, in some way sensitize cutaneous nerves or nerves of the skin and give people this reaction where they are hypersensitive to stimuli of the skin and causes the sensation in your brain of pain or burning or tingling or itching,” said TikTok, surgeon and weight-loss doctor Daniel Rosen, MD.
