The weight-loss version of semaglutide is officially on the market! But the first batch of people who took it to lose weight regretted it

On November 17, Novo Nordisk China held a press conference to announce that the weight loss version of semaglutide was officially launched in China.

This means that Chinese people who are trying to lose weight no longer have to rely on word of mouth or secretly scramble for the blood sugar-lowering version of semaglutide, but can now use the weight-loss version with a clear conscience.

In the past, semaglutide has been controversial due to off-label use and abuse. Will the controversy over semaglutide stop after the weight loss version is launched?

1. "Good news for fat people" - semaglutide

I believe that everyone who has tried to lose weight has experienced this: whether it is starving yourself - ignoring milk tea, hot pot, and barbecue, or exercising to lose weight - various jogging, abdominal muscle tearing, and Liu Genghong's aerobics, persisting for a month, but the weight remains almost the same, which is painful.

As a new type of weight loss drug, semaglutide only needs one injection per week, which can make people lose their appetite and not recognize food. They can easily lose ten pounds a month by lying down. This highly effective way of losing weight is undoubtedly hard to refuse.

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that mimics the effects of GLP-1 hormone in the human body, enhances insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, and thus lowers blood sugar. More importantly, semaglutide can delay gastric emptying, enhance satiety, and reduce food intake.

The weight loss effect of semaglutide has been widely clinically verified worldwide, and it can be said to be very strong! Studies have shown that the average weight loss of patients using semaglutide can reach 17% to 18%, and the weight loss effect can be maintained for a long time after stopping the drug.

After using semaglutide, most domestic netizens reported that they had achieved good weight loss results.

In addition to weight loss, semaglutide can also improve metabolic problems related to obesity, such as lowering blood sugar and improving blood lipid levels, and has a positive effect on the prevention and control of type 2 diabetes.

Image from social media

Due to its significant weight loss effect and innovative mechanism of action, in 2023, Science magazine selected GLP-1 drugs as the top ten scientific breakthroughs of the year!

2. Although semaglutide is so effective in weight loss, many people regret taking it.

Although semaglutide has significant weight loss effects, its safety and standardized use have also attracted widespread attention.

First, let's look at security.

Although the safety of semaglutide has been extensively clinically verified, its adverse reactions still exist.

The most common adverse reaction is gastrointestinal adverse reaction. About 40% of people will experience nausea after using semaglutide.

Image from social media

Nearly a quarter of people also experienced adverse reactions such as diarrhea, vomiting, and constipation. Stomach pain, bloating, belching, and other problems were also very common adverse reactions.

In addition, when using semaglutide for weight loss, you need to pay attention to the possible occurrence of pancreatitis, cholecystitis, and thyroid tumors. In addition, some people have experienced some depression after using it. A study of 6,000 samples also showed that non-diabetic men are prone to impotence when using semaglutide.

Image from social media

The official instructions for Novowin (the trade name of the weight-loss version of semaglutide) also clearly state that the following groups may not be suitable for use:

Patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome 2 (MEN 2);

People who have had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in Novolin;

People with pancreatic or kidney problems;

Patients with existing diabetic retinopathy;

People who have or have had depression, suicidal thoughts or mental health issues;

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding (if planning to have children, stop using the product for at least 2 months before starting to prepare for pregnancy).

Secondly, as a prescription drug, semaglutide, whether it is the blood sugar-lowering version or the weight-loss version, needs to be used under the guidance of a doctor.

However, at present, semaglutide is undoubtedly being abused.

Previously, due to lax supervision and other issues, people could easily buy semaglutide on e-commerce platforms, and the drug could even be prescribed in 1 minute without any examination. As a result, many people bought it online and took it home for injection without the supervision and guidance of a doctor.

Some people who clearly do not meet the weight loss indications buy drugs and inject them without authorization, and some people increase the injection dose on their own in pursuit of rapid weight loss results. According to media reports, due to lack of professional guidance, a patient injected 2.4mg of drugs at a time and sent himself to the hospital.

Here, it must be emphasized again that the weight loss version of semaglutide, as a prescription drug, has strict applicable populations and contraindications. Only the following two groups of people can consider using semaglutide for weight loss:

Obese people with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30.

· People with a body mass index (BMI) between 27 and 30 who also have one or more overweight-related comorbidities, such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and cardiovascular disease. Note: BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height (m)²

Others should avoid using it blindly.

3. Price factors will cause chaos to occur again

At present, reservations for the weight-loss version of semaglutide can be made on e-commerce platforms. After searching, the current price of the weight-loss version 1mg is 1,630 yuan. However, it should be noted that the price of the blood sugar-lowering version 4mg dose is only 680 yuan.

E-commerce platform, price comparison between weight loss version and sugar reduction version

The left picture shows the price of the 1mg weight loss version, and the right picture shows the price of the 4mg blood sugar reduction version

If calculated by milligram unit price, the weight loss version is 1,630 yuan/mg, and the blood sugar-lowering version is 170 yuan/mg, a price difference of 10 times. This raises a question: will many people choose the blood sugar-lowering version of semaglutide (Novota) to lose weight because of the price issue?

We believe the answer is yes. After all, it is human nature to choose cheap and affordable things. We still have reason to believe that for a period of time, due to price factors, the chaos of semaglutide weight loss will not stop, and there will still be cases of mixing and abuse.

So, can the weight loss version and the blood sugar lowering version be mixed?

Novo Nordisk said that the two injectable drugs containing semaglutide, Novotel (diabetic version) and Novowin (weight loss version), are both prescription drugs. Although the main ingredient is semaglutide, there are differences in the applicable population, dosage and method of use.

Taking dosage as an example, the standard dosage of NovoX is 2.4 mg/week, which is used to achieve long-term weight management. However, NovoTec adjusts the dosage according to the specific situation of the patient under the guidance of a doctor. The standard dosage for type 2 diabetes is usually 1.0 mg/week.

Here I would like to remind everyone who wants to use this medicine that all medicines are poisonous. Please maintain a basic respect for prescription drugs.

Finally, it is important to emphasize that weight loss with semaglutide is not something that can be achieved with drugs alone. Weight rebound after stopping the drug is basically a common problem for all people who use semaglutide, and it is also the main reason why the first batch of people who used semaglutide finally gave up.

A large amount of clinical research data shows that although semaglutide has a considerable weight loss effect, it is also based on the participants' lifestyle intervention of controlling their diet and strengthening their physical exercise.

Only by controlling your diet, moving your legs, exercising moderately, and developing healthy living habits, including maintaining a relatively small food intake after stopping medication, can you achieve the most stable weight loss effect.

【References】

1. The latest study of more than 6,000 samples shows that non-diabetic men are more likely to suffer from impotence when using semaglutide

https://www.163.com/dy/article/J39O3N9Q0534A4SC.html

2. The weight loss injection that is given once a week on Xiaohongshu, will it help you lose weight or will it kill you?

https://www.163.com/jiankang/article/HI1ECGU5003898LA.html

3. The weight-loss version of semaglutide is launched in China: it is a prescription drug, and e-commerce has reservation services. The price of a single dose is over 1,000 yuan

https://www.163.com/dy/article/JH727LOI0514R9P4.html

4. Will the “magic weight loss drug” semaglutide be approved in China soon? Don’t be happy too soon

https://www.163.com/dy/article/I6NJDDV50553VXMQ.html

5. Be alert! Someone has been hospitalized due to overdose

https://www.163.com/dy/article/J7PCJL060550B6IS.html

6. Instructions for use of Nuoheying

7. Instructions for use of Nohetai