Weight loss injections such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have become extremely popular in 2024, which has caused revolutionary changes in the culture and approaches surrounding weight loss.
These injectable drugs, which were first created as therapies for type-2 diabetes, are currently taking over the dieting market because of their ability to reduce hunger and encourage noticeable, long-lasting weight loss without the need to naturally lose weight through traditional routes.
These weight loss drugs are hard to obtain through the NHS so many are resorting to private healthcare providers or even national or global providers who advertise and are easily accessible online, often promoting deals to new users.
Jennifer James, a lecturer at Liverpool university, said: “It’s really, really hard to get these drugs on the NHS, you need to be in a specialist weight management service, called a tier 3 service. So many people go privately.”
GLP-1 is a natural hormone that controls hunger and blood sugar levels and is mimicked by GLP-1 receptor agents. These drugs have changed the lives of patients with obesity and overweight problems.
According to studies, users can gradually reduce their body weight by 15% to 20% while also enjoying other advantages including better heart health and a lower risk of developing diabetes.
The safety, effectiveness, and morality of weight loss promotion are all called into question by the growth of an alternative industry of non-medical goods that claim to replicate the benefits of GLP-1 due to increased demand, high costs, and restricted access to these prescription drugs.
Brands such as ‘Lemme’, a supplement brand by Kourtney Kardashian, and ‘kind patches’, a health and wellness brand that delivers supplements through skin adhesive patches, have both released GLP-1 branded products, claiming to mimic similar effects as the hormone related injections.
Despite there being a limited amount of research into these products, customers have continued to purchase them and leave positive reviews about their experiences.
Duane Mellor, a member of the British Dietetic Association, recently wrote: “These supplements should not be used as a short-cut or quick fix to lose weight.
“The best way to improve health is through a combination of eating a healthy diet and being more physically active.”
Weight loss products are available in majority of retailers who provide health supplements, providing supply for the high demand in weight loss products.
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Featured image (c) Grace Scargill
