It’s no secret that our modern day habits are terrible for our gut health. Living in an environment that has progressively worsened in the last 50 years has led over 94% of our country to become metabolically dysfunctional. Chalk it up to cheaply-available ultra processed food, a toxic atmosphere, a sugar industry that creates addictive products – our nutritional resilience is under attack from all around.
Unsurprisingly, 20-25% of young adults are dealing with fatty liver disease. More than 34 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, with over 88 million people dealing with pre-diabetic conditions.
In my clinic, I regularly see patients with complex metabolic syndrome. Symptoms can vary, from excessive weight gain to unexplained brain fog, gut sensitivities and insulin resistance. Metabolic disorders, especially in women have always been tricky to diagnose and treat, simply because the root cause differs from patient to patient.
Enter Ozempic – a magical cure that seems to solve the problems you’ve been dealing with all your life. Everyone from celebrities in their 50s to your neighbor next door has suddenly dropped 3 dress sizes. We even have a fresh batch of Ozempic content creators who go on about how life-changing the medication has been for them. You couldn’t escape the Ozempic craze even if you tried!
So, what’s all the fuss about? And is Ozempic the cure-all that we’ve been waiting for all these decades? Or is there something hidden behind the scenes that isn’t being popularized in the media? Let’s find out!
Ozempic, along with other popular medications, belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. These medications contain semaglutide as the main ingredient.
GLP-1 drugs mimic the action of the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) in the body. This hormone is released after eating and has several effects that help in regulating blood sugar and metabolism.
Side Effects of GLP-1 DrugsDespite their benefits, GLP-1 drugs are not without side effects. Common adverse effects include nausea, gastrointestinal distress, and an increased risk of pancreatitis. More severe issues can arise, such as retinopathy complications, thyroid cancer, cardiovascular events, impaired renal function, and medullary thyroid cancer. Another trial noted that after stopping Ozempic medications, participants regained the weight they lost and most of their metabolic markers were back to what they were originally.
Medications such as Ozempic, while beneficial for weight loss and blood sugar control, can have adverse effects on gut health. One notable risk is the development of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).
GLP-1 drugs delay gastric emptying, which means food moves more slowly from the stomach to the small intestine. While this can help with satiety and blood sugar control, it can also lead to stagnation of food in the gut. This slow movement can create an environment where bacteria can overgrow in the small intestine, leading to SIBO.
SIBO can cause a range of gastrointestinal symptoms, including:
These symptoms occur because the excess bacteria in the small intestine ferment food, producing gas and other byproducts that irritate the gut.
Studies have shown that while patients on semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic) lose significant weight, a portion of this loss comes from muscle mass. On average, users can lose up to 15 pounds of muscle during treatment.
Muscle is crucial for overall health, metabolism, and longevity. Losing muscle mass can lead to:
Older adults and postmenopausal women are already at a higher risk of muscle loss due to aging and hormonal changes. The additional muscle loss from using these drugs can be particularly detrimental for these groups, impacting their overall health and quality of life.
While Ozempic has gained attention for its weight loss benefits, its long-term efficacy and impact remain controversial. One significant concern is that these medications often serve as a temporary solution rather than addressing the underlying causes of weight gain. Research indicates that weight loss achieved with Ozempic is often not sustained once the medication is discontinued.
The Functional Medicine Perspective
From a functional medicine standpoint, weight gain is a complex issue influenced by numerous factors. Simply reducing calorie intake and exercising may not resolve deeper issues that prevent weight loss.
Factors like chronic inflammation, hormonal imbalances, metabolic dysfunctions, and gut health problems can all contribute to weight struggles. Without addressing these root causes, medications like Ozempic can only offer short-term relief. Infact, the metabolic dysfunction will return once you stop taking these expensive drugs.
At My Pure MD, we take a 360-degree treatment approach to all metabolic conditions including insulin resistance. We consider all aspects of your health history, including your unique genetic makeup, nutrition, exercise, stress, environmental toxicity, social relationships, and treat the body as a whole.
Our goal is to get to the root cause of ailments and not just to mask the symptoms temporarily. If you struggle with metabolic dysfunction or insulin resistance, reach out to us on social media or book a discovery call.
