SAN ANTONIO — The medication Ozempic has been all the rage among those trying to lose weight, which led to the shortage of the drug earlier this year.
Ozempic was originally designed to help those with diabetes. But we now know it also has a weight loss benefit for many taking the drug. But another side effect has arisen too.
Steve Carlton, the Chief Clinical Officer of Gallus Medical Detox Centers told us, "The third finding recently is anecdotally, these people were coming in and they were saying, Hey, doc, like, I'm also drinking a lot less than I used to. I just I just don't have the same level of desire or craving for for alcohol that I was having."
If you're wondering how this happens, semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, makes your brain think you are full and satisfied. So people don't eat as much, and in this drink as much either. But there are concerns about a rebound when the medication is stopped.
Carlton added, "Some studies have shown that people's weight loss sort of immediately rebounds. And so that would be the concern for alcohol use if we were to apply this substance to alcohol use disorder."
Gallus Medical Detox Centers says 60 percent of their patients are related to an alcohol disorder. In the U.S. the CDC says one in five deaths among adults aged 20 to 49 are because of excessive alcohol use, with deaths related to alcohol ni the U.S. totaling 140,000 each year. That's even more than fentanyl which claims about 110,000 lives annually.
Carlton added, "When we look at alcohol, it is something that's a really significant problem. But it's so common and so and so much more socially acceptable that we we it's easier to sort of brush off the fact that it is it is having a deadly impact."
There have also been a few cases of suicidal thoughts related to Ozempic, so make sure to talk to your doctor before starting any new medication and the side effects it could cause.
For more information about family health call 210-358-3045. You can also find the rest of Wear The Gown stories, just go to WearTheGown.com.