Weight loss is one of the most important aesthetic concerns for millions of people. That’s why there is a whole market of medicines, diets, teas, supplements and all kinds of medicines that promise: Reduce the number of kilos of consumers.
However, it’s a promise that often isn’t fulfilled without the help of other factors, such as healthy eating and continued physical activity. In fact, the National Institute for Food and Medicine Control (Invima) has issued many health warnings about weight loss products that do not have any type of registration and therefore have not been able to prove their extraordinary abilities in making consumers lose weight. of weight.
One of the latest alerts in this regard was published last November, when Invima warned that a product called Lipofiber Batido Verde was not authorized for sale in Colombia, despite being sold on portals and social networks.
However, in recent months, a Medicine that has shown weight loss results has become widespread in some countries.
It is known as Ozempic and is currently produced by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. It was originally used to treat patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It is also marketed under the name Wegovy, which is used to combat obesity.
The active ingredient is semaglutide and has shown good performance in reducing the weight of patients. Indeed, it became known in November that Great Britain’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) had conducted a study in which it had indeed found that Wegovy could be useful in the fight against obesity.
In fact, the results showed that patients, on average, lost 12% of their weight after 68 consecutive weeks of using this medication. Despite everything, the British health authorities indicated that the medicine could only be supplied with a prescription.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the Food and Medicine Administration (FDA) has already granted marketing authorization for the Medicine. But it is indicated only for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, not for weight loss.
Despite everything, the Medicine also gained importance because celebrities started buying it. “Within months, it’s getting worse in Hollywood, especially as its most enthusiastic users are not diabetics and don’t need the Medicine,” Variety Magazine reported in a recent publication.
For his part, tycoon Elon Musk admitted through his own Twitter account that he actually used the Medicine to maintain weight.
It is Very Popular in Europe
The injectable Medicine was a resounding success in Europe, causing a sensation among patients. According to the Spanish media La Vanguardia, which cites “solvent supply”, its sales have risen by up to 6,000% in recent months.
It has become very common in prescriptions from private slimming clinics, and availability has become ‘irregular’, because demand is not covered by stocks arriving in countries like Spain, as determined by the aforementioned method.
They also pointed out that, according to sources from the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, the medicine generated a greater demand than the initial expectations.
“We understand and appreciate the uncertainty and anxiety these conditions cause in the diabetic community. Our priority is to continue working with all our strength to resolve this situation that is temporarily affecting us.”
In countries like Colombia it is also possible to purchase this product, although it is very expensive (about US$ 250,000 per box) and availability is irregular. Experts recommend that it is always consumed in the form of medicine, as it has some side effects described on the official page of the medicine itself. Other symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation and abdominal pain.
