A story about weight loss – Zoë Harcombe

There have been stories in the media recently about well known people who have been taking a diabetes drug for weight loss. Celebrities include Jeremy Clarkson, Elon Musk, Chelsea Handler, and Remi Barder (Ref 1). The drug is called Semaglutide. It is sold under the brand names Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus. Semaglutide is a prescription drug. It is injected into the stomach weekly.

Semaglutide belongs to the class of drug called “incretin mimetics.” They are used for type 2 diabetes (T2D) as they reduce blood glucose levels. The drugs are called “incretin mimetics” because these drugs mimic the effects of incretins. Incretins are hormones produced and released into the blood by the intestine in response to food. The incretin of key relevance with semaglutide is GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like-Peptide-1). GLP-1 increases the release of insulin from the pancreas, slows absorption of glucose from the gut and reduces the amount of glucose being produced by the liver. All three actions are intended to reduce levels of glucose in the blood stream – hence their use for T2D.