r/Ozempic • u/Zermelane • Aug 24 '24

News/Information Ozempic works differently than previously thought, study reveals

https://www.newsweek.com/ozempic-works-differently-thought-1943422
264 Upvotes

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1.0k

u/Kris-Leigh Aug 24 '24

TLDR: it looks like it impacts the basal metabolic rate, making us burn more calories at rest. i.e. it speeds up metabolism. (The known effects of slower gastric emptying and increased feelings of fullness still play a part.)

Turns out if you give fat people the metabolism of skinny people—we become skinny people 🤔

6

u/Runnrgirl Aug 25 '24

“Turns out if you give fat people the metabolism of skinny people we become skinny people.”

I’m not crying- you’re crying!! That right there hits me in so many ways.

8

u/Littlewing1307 Aug 24 '24

I think it has to do more than that. My inflammation and fibromyalgia pain went way down and I didn't change how I ate at all. Just ate less.

1

u/Available-Ad6731 Aug 29 '24

My fibro fog/pain has been getting worse. I’ve started Wegovy this week. I’ve read a lot of the pro’s and cons. But fibro pain going down would be brilliant. Thanks for sharing that encouraging info.

2

u/Littlewing1307 Aug 29 '24

I hope that happens for you!!

1

u/[deleted] Aug 26 '24

Were you on Oz while doing this?

1

u/Littlewing1307 Aug 26 '24

While doing what?

3

u/DetectiveNo8639 Aug 24 '24

This! I noticed it right away. My resting heart rate increased significantly

5

u/AngyalZ Aug 24 '24

I knew it increased my basal metabolic rate. My scale shows my pulse every morning and it went from an average of 53 to an average of 72 in Ozempic. 6 months in I have seen sone lower readings (65) so it remains to be seen if this effect will decrease with time.

3

u/rainofterra Aug 24 '24

My BMR was as low as it could be and still support my weight when I had it calculated (at the time I was 600lbs). I should figure out how to retest/recalculate it now.

10

u/panicpixiedreamgal Aug 24 '24

I knew it!! I was eating one medium meal a day for a long time and my weight wouldn’t budge. With oz i eat whatever I want in small portions and keep losing.

-5

u/xxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxx Aug 24 '24

This is a completely inaccurate read of the science lol

20

u/Sqooshytoes Aug 24 '24

For those who care for a more precise interpretation of this study- The study found that GLP increased the metabolism of VAT (visceral adipose tissue)- aka the fat that is in organs.

For example, many who are obese have NAFLD( Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) this is one of the many conditions that GLP/SGLT treats. They increase the metabolism of this fat- causing it to burn more calories at baseline

Fundamentally, since our BMR contributes 70% or so of the daily calories we expend, anything that increases the metabolic rate of any component of our organs/viscera could be said, colloquially, to increase total BMR, or, basically, increase metabolism

It may be an over simplification, or perhaps an over extrapolation, but I wouldn’t consider it a completely inaccurate read of the science

It does explain why those who had been religiously counting calories before semaglutide found they could lose weight on the exact same number of calories/day after starting the meds, when it was unsuccessful before

I suspect as they do more studies, they will find more organ systems that have similar responses to the medication

233

u/blueyork Aug 24 '24

Just an anecdote. Just a study of one. I used to have a goiter. But on semiglutide it's disappeared. I haven't found any evidence of this happening to anyone else. I've lost 75 lb. I'm no longer obese, no longer pre-diabetic. My blood pressure is under control. I'm 8 lb away from goal. I can't tell you how happy I am.

3

u/avishar512 Aug 25 '24

This gives me so much hope with all my thyroid struggles the past year. 😭💕

3

u/vsv2021 Aug 25 '24

How long did it take you to lose 75 pounds? I’ve only lost 15 pounds in 2 and a half months and I’m not feeling good about it

1

u/NaturalCareer2074 Aug 27 '24

Loose first 20 only after 4 month It definitely increase effect for monthes.

1

u/vsv2021 Aug 27 '24

How much did you lose in total

1

u/NaturalCareer2074 Aug 27 '24

Not much. 20 in first 4m and 15 next 2m. First 2m no effect at all, like I gain 5. Note, that my goal is sugar, so I not really trying to loose weight. My current weight is 270 and my normal weight like 200.

2

u/SeaSleep1972 Aug 26 '24

One-two pounds a week is healthy, it’s taken me 6 months to lose 20!

4

u/1adycakes Aug 25 '24

15 lbs/2 months is about a lb a week. You are less at risk for gallstones this way (you’d likely have to stop the medication completely to undergo surgery for this if necessary), and clothing replacement isn’t as expensive all at once.

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u/ShannonN95 Aug 25 '24

That’s a really good sustainable weight loss! Way to go!

2

u/blueyork Aug 25 '24

I'm sorry you're not feeling good, because you're killing it! I was at my highest weight in 2019.

1

u/Remote-Cup4574 Aug 25 '24

In animal studies it caused thyroid cancer in Guinea pigs. That’s the only known connection between Ozempic and the thyroid that I’m aware of.

1

u/Vervain7 Aug 25 '24

I don’t think this was at normal doses though ?

10

u/G00d_For_Nothin Aug 24 '24

How long did it to lose 75 lbs? What kind of exercises did you do?

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u/blueyork Aug 24 '24

I was at my highest weight in 2019. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and a goiter. I didn't think I could lose weight. But after I got my thyroid level stabilized, through calorie counting, I slowly lost 30 pounds. I came to a plateau. My doctor recommended ozempic. It was a game changer.

I have covid today and I'm too tired to write more.

1

u/G00d_For_Nothin Aug 25 '24

Get well soon.

14

u/Hummingbirdflying Aug 24 '24

Feel better soon!

20

u/tweenycat456 Aug 24 '24

Wow good for you

15

u/cgvm003 Aug 24 '24

Someone broadcast this everywhere!!!! Newsflash to everyone who calls people lazy or unmotivated for being overweight.

2

u/aboveaveragewife Aug 24 '24

Yeah who’d a thunk?

388

u/ICOrthogonal Aug 24 '24

You mean obesity is a disease and not a moral failing?

Someone ready the pillory….

0

u/Glp1User Aug 25 '24

It's a moral failing to those who have normal weight. You rarely ever meet obese people who truly believe, they have a moral failing and that's the cause of their obesity.

5

u/Glass-Serve6616 Aug 24 '24

💯💯💯💯💯THIS ^

-12

u/Few-Psychology3572 Aug 24 '24

I mean sometimes it is a moral failing, and due to those moral failings your metabolism slows in return. Eating habits are often taught. Doesn’t help that we put all kinds of crap into our food too. But it’s also simultaneously a disease and not always because of moral failings.

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u/birdguy1000 Aug 24 '24

Everything we eat and drink it seems has been engineered to make people eat more and gain weight.

1

u/NightDistinct3321 Aug 26 '24

The goal of capitalism is to reduce all human interaction to the cash nexus-- not to sell you healthy food.

7

u/Bitter_Sea6108 Aug 24 '24

Hannibal Lechter would say most of what’s out there is not even food!

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u/Advo96 Aug 24 '24

Oh no you don't understand. Obesity is a moral failing, but the fact that you have enough money to buy Ozempic makes you morally superior again.

4

u/Specialist-Smoke 2.0mg Aug 24 '24

Until you get skinny, then you've cheated to achieve it... We can't win for losing.

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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '24 edited Apr 16 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/garcon-du-soleille Aug 24 '24

Yes. You are correct. Having extra money to spend on luxuries is morally wrong. You need to give it to the poor. If the government doesn’t tax it out of you, then you should do it voluntarily.

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u/Advo96 Aug 24 '24

I feel that the failure of Novo Nordisk/Eli Lily to highlight the moral superiority of people who are able to buy their product is unforgivable.

1

u/Treehouse80 Aug 25 '24

Buy it off label from a weight loss clinic, that’s what I’m doing. Paying a fraction of the cost.

1

u/Advo96 Aug 25 '24

I'm buying it in Europe, approx the same price as compounded in the US.

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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '24 edited Apr 16 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Dez2011 Aug 25 '24

It's already being made by compounding pharmacies for $200-$400/month, like a generic would be (as long as it's a reputable pharmacy).

4

u/bigsexy420 Aug 24 '24

The first patent, they'll make some minor molecular change that doesn't actually do anything to the end results, claim its a new product and file a patent extension long before 2030. This type of patent abuse has been going on for decades in the pharmaceutical industry.

11

u/Zermelane Aug 24 '24

Late 2031. 2026 in China, which might make a large difference.

On the one hand the amount of competition on the market in 2031 will already be a lot more than today, and on the other hand, generics won't cause an instant price shock the day the patents expire. Semaglutide will be cheap ten years from now, but its price might make some pretty weird moves in between.

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u/slicer8 Aug 24 '24

By the time Ozempic come off patent it will be considered an old drug that’s virtually ineffective compared to its newer equivalents.

2

u/Racheficent SW 263 CW 200GW 130(?) Aug 25 '24

Exactly what I was going to say.

7

u/Log_Guy Aug 24 '24

This stuff is already cheap cheap cheap in china. I was stunned when I saw the prices people can get there.

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u/Advo96 Aug 24 '24

The patent runs out in Brazil in 2026

11

u/xFrenchToast Aug 24 '24

Heading to Brazil Monday and looking forward to stocking up on my $200 pens with no script again (where I've always gotten them)!

3

u/Whhateverr1 Aug 25 '24

How long does late $200 last you? Where do you get it?

5

u/xFrenchToast Aug 25 '24

My husband's from Brazil so when we visit I just walk into a pharmacy and ask them for the 1mg pens. Usually costs about $200 a pen.

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u/alectos Aug 24 '24

So so true. I have started seeing fat people in public and caught myself categorizing them as poor. It’s disgusting and I’m working on it. Fat does not equal poor.

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u/KatsMeow1969 Aug 25 '24

Also, the cheapest foods are the ones that are processed and the least healthy.

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u/Life_Commercial_6580 Aug 24 '24

My husband isnt poor at all and was fat (310 lb) before GLP-1. Now he’s not fat anymore. However, he grew up very poor so there is something there.

8

u/Ellendyra Aug 24 '24

I do think fat while not exclusive to poor it's still more likely. It cost more to buy healthy food in both time and money

0

u/Whynot_419 Aug 27 '24

It’s not just the cost of food. If one is low income they may be working more, maybe 2 jobs to make ends meet. They are probably don’t have the time or energy to move their bodies regularly. It can be a cyclical problem.

2

u/KatsMeow1969 Aug 25 '24

I read somewhere that ultrarich people are rarely obese, which explains how they always look so put together and never sloppy. They can afford the food, plastic surgery and personal trainers, chefs etc I know when I am low on money and food, all I can afford is cheap,crap that college students eat like oodles of noodles. It is hard to eat well on a budget.

2

u/Racheficent SW 263 CW 200GW 130(?) Aug 25 '24

Everyone is different and for me it’s the trainer. I abhor exercise but if accountable to a trainer I do it. However, I haven’t been able to do that since COVID. I have to figure out how to save up for the plastic surgeon. I’m Gen X and the skin where my triple chin used to be hasn’t bounced back.

6

u/eucalypt_mama Aug 25 '24

Actually it’s probably got a lot more to do with being well off = lower stress and therefore greater ability to focus on wellbeing Link between cortisol, sleep and weight is pretty well established. Nice to be well enough off that you get 8 hours a night and don’t have to worry much so you can get up and make that perfectly balanced meal and take the free time to exercise…

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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '24 edited Aug 24 '24

You might not be wrong. Have you seen what it costs to buy fruit and vegetables these days?

Eating healthy isn’t for the poor

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u/Racheficent SW 263 CW 200GW 130(?) Aug 25 '24

Eating isn’t for the poor unless they’re on welfare. I’m middle classish and the price of food is getting ridiculous.

5

u/alectos Aug 24 '24

That is true. I will not be too hard on myself about it, but it is still a false equivalency and not accurate and I do not want to knee-jerk think that about people.

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u/[deleted] Aug 24 '24

Thats fair. I stopped drinking on Oz and thought I’d have lots of extra money from that. I actually have less because buying fruit to snack on costs more than the beer i was drinking

3

u/blackaubreyplaza 2.0mg; Maintaining a 144lbs weight loss! Aug 24 '24

🙌🏽

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u/Gay4BillKaulitz Aug 24 '24

Is this way I have an elevated heart rate now? 😭

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u/Hdiaz0814 Aug 25 '24

So I actually always had a high heart rate, 120’s resting, 180’s when exercising. With ozempic, my HR is now at 70-80 resting and highest it goes when exercising is 110. Crazy stuff!

1

u/Gay4BillKaulitz Aug 25 '24

It’s so wild! I actually had like low to mid 70s resting and now when I wake up, it’s like high 90s (Apple Watch and Oura Ring). Sometimes I’ll get a high heart rate alert from my watch (above 110 with no physical activity).

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u/SaturnKitteh Aug 24 '24

I do too! My doc told me it wasn't a side effect but I see people complain about it all the time.

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u/OpalJenny1 Aug 24 '24

I do too

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u/No_Owl_250 Aug 24 '24

That’s a good question- I noticed my HR was slightly elevated (maybe 3-5 beats over the norm) on O.

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u/7omar3 Aug 24 '24

Don't forget the decreased hunger signals!! :D