How do drugs like Ozempic work?
The active substance in Ozempic, as well as its related drug Wegovy, is semaglutide. This compound mimics the action of the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) in the intestines. GLP-1 is a multifunctional hormone. It is secreted during eating in response to the presence of specific nutrients. It stimulates the release of insulin and reduces blood glucose levels after a meal. Drugs like Ozempic also slow down the movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract, which helps prolong the feeling of fullness. GLP-1 receptors are also located in areas of the brain that regulate appetite.
Alarming side effects
Drugs containing semaglutide may cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Now, experts point out another danger, as reported in the January issue of the "International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy."
Between January 2021 and May 2023, 481 so-called psychiatric events (mental health problems) related to the use of three GLP-1 agonist drugs: semaglutide, liraglutide, and tirzepatide, were reported to the European database EudraVigilance, which collects information about the side effects of drugs. EudraVigilance is a centralized database maintained by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The data from this database are anonymous and publicly available.
- The most commonly reported psychiatric adverse event was depression, followed by anxiety and suicidal thoughts. There were 9 deaths (8 in the case of liraglutide and 1 in the case of semaglutide) and 11 life-threatening cases (4 related to liraglutide and 7 with semaglutide). Of the 9 deceased, 8 were men who committed suicide - report the authors of the report, Mansour Tobaiqy from the University of Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and Hajera Elkout from the University of Tripoli (Libya).
Experts believe that although these events accounted for only 1.2% of all reports related to semaglutide, liraglutide, and tirzepatide (substances acting similarly to semaglutide), their severity and outcomes, including the death of several patients, require further research.
Different results in the USA and Canada
Among researchers, there is not yet full agreement on the side effects of drugs containing semaglutide. The European Medicines Agency and British experts are more concerned than experts from the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Upon initial assessment, we found no evidence that the use of these drugs causes suicidal thoughts or actions
- inform FDA experts. Similar conclusions were reached by scientists in Canada. Writing in the journal "Nature Medicine," they state that their analyses "do not confirm a higher risk of suicidal thoughts when taking drugs containing semaglutide, compared to anti-obesity and diabetes drugs that are not GLP-1 agonists."
Source: ScienceAlert.com
