From detox teas to shapewear, celebrities have endorsed just about everything to motivate their fanbase into getting the media-molded ‘perfect body’. Lately, celebrities far and wide have been turning to one particular weight loss drug to give them workout-proof results in next to no time. This miracle medicine, Ozempic, has taken internet diet culture to the next level. Let’s learn a little bit more about Ozempic.

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is a prescription only medicine given in the form of an injectable pen to be taken once a week. This particular pen comes in 0.25mg, 0.5mg and 1mg doses all comprised of the drug, Semaglutide. It works by increasing insulin levels in the body, Ozempic also helps to minimize feelings of hunger by slowing gastric emptying within the stomach. When coupled with a good diet and exercise regime this helps the patient lose weight.

How does Ozempic work?

Ozempic is made up of the drug, Semaglutide, which is also known as a GLP-1 agonist, or a glucagon like peptide agonist. This drug specializes in increasing insulin levels secreted by the pancreas which suppresses glucagon secretion when semaglutide binds itself to GLP-1 receptors. Alongside the decreased levels of glucagon, Semaglutide also changes the amount of hunger that the body feels through slowing gastric emptying that takes place in the stomach, making you feel fuller for longer. Naturally, this makes portion sizes smaller, and with a controlled diet and strict exercise plan, it becomes a fast way to lose weight. When using Ozempic, the injection site that works best for all patients is the front of your thighs, the front of your abdomen or your upper arms and that the injection site is switched after each injection every week.

Who uses Ozempic?

This year, Ozempic has been established as a life-saver to not just the public that struggle with obesity, but with A-List celebrities that want to lose weight in a flash. To name a few, the face of Twitter and Tesla, Elon Musk, was asked in October what his secret was to losing weight and getting ripped. Musk tweeted just three words: Fasting and Wegovy.

Wegovy is another variation of Semaglutide which has been FDA approved for weight loss. This comes in higher doses than Ozempic, but still remains as a weekly injection. Wegovy had been in the supply chain for just over half a year in 2021 before the demand had become too severe and factory production could not keep up. In light of this, more people suffering from obesity were turning to lower strengths of Ozempic to help lose weight.

Rumors have also circulated around fashion moguls Kim and Khloe Kardashian having used the drug to attain their killer figures. A specific story that had boggled people’s brains was the Met Gala carpet look this year, where she had the opportunity to wear the dress which Marilyn Monroe famously wore to wish JFK a happy birthday. When interviewed about her look, Kardashian told Vogue that she “[wanted] a physical change,” as she underwent a drastic 16lb weight loss in 3 weeks. Though Kim had spoken about undergoing a crash diet, many people – internet fanatics and nutritionists alike – have linked her weight loss to the miracle drug Semaglutide. Due to this rumor alone, the topic of Ozempic has amassed 300 million views on Tiktok in relation to weight loss trends.

It's clear to see that Ozempic has had a significant impact on the social media vernacular when it comes to weight loss culture in this era. After only being discovered as a weight loss miracle in recent years, Ozempic has now reached the same hype as other big name medication like Viagra. With this extreme near-cult following of the drug, Novo Nordisk has met many difficulties with keeping up with the increased demand. This has caused a lot of pharmacies nation and worldwide to be unable to source and prescribe Ozempic to their patients. Luckily, Pharmacy Planet have managed to obtain the 0.25mg, 0.5mg and 1mg doses of Ozempic, ready to help you with your weight loss journey.