‘Ozempic head’, ‘Ozempic face’: what are the official side effects and reported on the networks? | Science and Health

This week, the term “Ozempic head” went viral on social media in reference to a supposed side effect of the use of semaglutide, the active ingredient of the drug that has been widely used for weight loss. Internet users pointed out that some people would have had their heads disproportionately larger than the rest of their body after the rapid weight loss, which would have been provided by the medicine.

But after all, what are the official side effects of Ozempic – which, although it is indicated for type 2 diabetes, is used off-label (a purpose other than the leaflet) to reduce weight – and similar medications, such as Mounjaro, Saxenda and Wegovy?

They all have a similar effect on the body: they simulate a body hormone called GLP-1. In the brain, this action activates satiety. In the stomach, it reduces the speed of food digestion. Together, these mechanisms make the individual feel less hungry and lose weight.

However, precisely because they act on the digestive system and interfere with nutrition, the main side effects observed in studies of these medications were gastrointestinal, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and constipation.

In the Ozempic leaflet, the manufacturer Novo Nordisk warns that “these side effects can cause dehydration (fluid loss)” and reinforces that “it is important that you drink a lot of fluids to avoid it”. However, the most common reactions tend to be temporary and disappear over the course of treatment.

In total, the effects listed as very common (occurring in more than 1 in 10 patients) in the Ozempic leaflet were nausea and diarrhea. The common ones (in up to 1 in 10 patients) were:

• vomiting;
• low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) when Ozempic® is used with another antidiabetic medication;
• indigestion;
• inflammation of the stomach (“gastritis”) – signs include stomach pain, feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting;
• reflux or heartburn – also called “gastroesophageal reflux disease” (GERD);
• pain in the abdomen;
• swelling of the abdomen;
• cold;
• burping;
• gallstones;
• feeling of dizziness;
• feeling of tiredness;
• weight loss;
• loss of appetite;
• gases (flatulence);
• increase in pancreatic enzymes (such as lipase and amylase).
• The leaflet also shows that uncommon effects, that is, which may affect up to 1 in every 100 patients, are:
• Change in the taste of food or drinks;
• Rapid pulse;
• Reactions at the injection site – such as bruising, pain, irritation, itching and rash.

There are also risks of serious adverse effects. It is important to remember that every medicine has a risk and benefit relationship, and that Ozempic, as well as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Saxenda, were approved by regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, in the USA, and Anvisa in Brazil, after analysis of this relationship.

One of these reactions was complications from diabetic eye disease (retinopathy). In addition, inflammation of the pancreas (acute pancreatitis), which can cause severe pain in the stomach and back, and severe allergic reactions, with a risk of anaphylaxis, have been reported. In case of any side effect, it is important to seek medical advice.

What other side effects of Ozempic have been observed?

Other effects have been observed after marketing, but have not been incorporated into the official list of possible adverse drug reactions. Last year, a large study published yesterday in the scientific journal Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) analyzed the class of medications and compared it with another drug used for weight loss, bupropion-naltrexone.

The results indicated a four-fold increased risk of stomach paralysis, a nine-fold increased risk of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) and a four-fold increased risk of intestinal obstruction – although such reports were rare.

“Given the widespread use of these medications, these adverse effects, although rare, should be considered by patients considering using them for weight loss,” said Mohit Sodhi, lead author of the study and a medical researcher at the University of British Columbia in Canada, in a statement at the time.

‘Ozempic face’

In addition, there are those more apparent effects that are reported on social media, which include rapid weight loss that causes the “Ozempic face, fingers and butt”, marked by a saggy appearance.

The “Ozempic face”, “Ozempic face” or “Ozempic face”, which gained more repercussion, refers to the “sucky” and sometimes aged appearance that some patients may present on the face due to the rapid loss of fat in the region.

However, in relation to the latter, Novo Nordisk says in a note that they “are not considered adverse effects” as they are not related to the drug, but rather to weight loss, “as they are a natural consequence of weight loss, such as that occurs in any type of treatment, even bariatric surgery”.