‘Budget Ozempic’: five ways this dangerous TikTok weight reduction trend will harm your health

Social media is obsessive about the type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic. But Ozempic’s ability to regulate blood sugar isn’t the rationale it’s so popular online. Instead, the drug is trending since it has been shown in clinical trials to cause weight reduction in diabetic patients taking it.

This has led to an uptick within the number of individuals attempting to get their hands on Ozempic within the hopes of shedding weight – though the Ozempic is not really helpful for weight reduction. The drug’s soaring popularity online has not only contributed to shortages and bootleg versions of the drug, it’s also led to an influx of harmful weight-reduction plan trends.

One of those weight-reduction plan trends circulating on social media is what some have dubbed “Budget Ozempic”. Budget Ozempic is in reality by no means related to Ozempic, nor does it contain semaglutide – the drug component which is the lively ingredient in Ozempic. In most cases, what people online are calling “budget Ozempic”, actually refers to laxatives and stool softeners.

There are many the explanation why it’s best to avoid using “budget Ozempic” should you’re attempting to drop some weight – least of which is because they only have a small, short-term effect on weight reduction. Laxatives and stool softeners should not designed for use long-term, nor are they indicated for weight reduction. Using them improperly could be harmful for a lot of reasons.

Dehydration

Some forms of laxatives work by bringing water from elsewhere within the body into the intestines with the intention to soften the stool and make it easier to pass. But abuse of laxatives and stool softeners can result in water loss and dehydration. This may result in short-term symptoms akin to feeling more drained or thirsty than usual, in addition to dizziness and lightheadedness.

Water loss can even trigger the body’s renin-angiotensen response. The key function of this response is to maintain fluids and blood pressure balanced. If an excessive amount of water is lost in a brief time period, it’ll eventually cause fluid retention. This temporary fluid retention happens as a result of your body overcompensating for the dehydration. Chronic dehydration may result in hypertension and other cardiovascular problems.

But while laxative use causes water loss, it doesn’t result in fat loss. This signifies that any weight an individual loses from using laxatives is just temporary – and any water lost shall be regained.

Electrolyte imbalance

Using laxatives irresponsibly may additionally cause you to lose electrolytes.

Electrolytes (akin to sodium, potassium and chloride) are essential for the body to operate. They help to balance your fluid levels and keep your muscles and nervous system working. But when our body loses water or we develop into dehydrated, our body’s electrolyte balance is thrown out of whack.

In the short-term, electrolyte imbalance could cause muscle cramps and spasm, nausea, fatigue, headaches and even numbness within the limbs. But chronic, long-term electrolyte imbalance could be more dangerous – increasing risk of heart problems.

Poor nutrient intake

Our body requires many nutrients with the intention to function properly – including vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and protein. These nutrients come from the foods we devour, and are mainly absorbed within the small intestine.

Using laxatives and purging (as is typically seen in cases of bulimia nervosa) can result in poor quality nutrient intake. One study even found that the usage of laxatives led to 12% less absorption of essential nutrients.

Gastrointestinal issues

Laxative use affects the gastrointestinal system. If you utilize them for an extended time period, it may cause diarrhoea.

The reason this causes diarrhoea is because laxatives work to maneuver waste quickly through the intestine and secrete water into the bowel. This can even, in turn, result in an imbalance in mineral and salt levels in your body.

Health considerations

Although use of laxatives and stool softeners could temporarily result in weight reduction, this is just as a result of a lack of water weight, the detrimental effects of laxative misuse far outweigh any temporary weight reduction you could achieve. Misuse of laxatives could also increase risk of eating disorders, akin to bulimia nervosa.

Anyone who desires to drop some weight should attempt to follow a structured weight reduction programme that features a healthy, balanced weight-reduction plan paired with exercise. Laxatives should only be used to treat constipation if other methods haven’t worked and after speaking along with your GP.