It’s a weekly injection formulated to help those with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels. But thanks to social media (the hashtag #Ozempic has garnered about 1.2 billion views on TikTok at the time of writing), it’s being hailed as the answer to countless prayers: a quick, (almost) painless solution to obesity.
Ozempic (with the active substance semaglutide) is a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, meaning it emulates the action of the hormone glucagon-peptide 1, which regulates blood sugar. It stimulates the pancreas to increase insulin, blocks the liver from producing glucose, and directly inhibits the appetite centre of the brain. It also decreases the rate at which the stomach empties, so you feel full for longer.
This addresses both diabetes and the obesity commonly seen in 80% of diabetic patients – all in a simple, self-administered shot. And for South Africa, where type 2 diabetes and obesity are exploding, the implications are huge. Half of all adults are overweight (23%) or obese (27%),
