Injections of semaglutide, the drug behind the jabs Ozempic and Wegovy, have taken the world by storm.
The 'sport altering' weekly injections have helped hundreds of people that must shed extra pounds and enhance their well being.
However they’ve additionally been dubbed Hollywood's 'worst stored slimming secret' with a number of celebs reportedly utilizing the medicine in secret to maintain trim.
And an growing variety of common Brits additionally appear to be taking the drug secretly as a 'quick-fix' to develop into 'beach-body prepared', having obtained it from on-line pharmacies beneath false pretenses.
Right here, consultants reveal some the methods to identify if anyone is perhaps taking semaglutide on the facet, and what individuals can do to counteract the consequences.
They may lose their curves…
The flab-busting medicine doesn't discriminate which fats it targets.
That's as a result of the medicine mimic GLP-1, a hormone made naturally within the physique that helps gradual the passage of meals via the abdomen — which makes individuals really feel much less hungry.
This alters the mind's urge for food regulation, so that individuals really feel satiated regardless of consuming much less they usually additionally don't expertise cravings for deal with meals.
Consequently, individuals don't eat as a lot and shed extra pounds—however not simply stomach fats.
Chances are you’ll discover somebody who’s taking the drug begins to develop thinner legs and arms and an general much less curvy physique.
Among the unflattering side-effects reported by girls embody their breasts shrinking and their behinds turning into flatter.
'It might probably change look and for some those that is probably not welcome,' warns Professor Alex Mira, advisor endocrinologist at Ulster College.
He advised MailOnline this wasn't a side-effect particular to semaglutide and comparable results have been seen from different forms of calorie-restrictive weight-loss corresponding to gastric bypass surgical procedure.
'The looks modifications, corresponding to what individuals name Ozempic face, Ozempic backside, is not only an Ozmepic impact, that may occur with any type of weight reduction,' he mentioned.
'It doesn't matter what has prompted it, however the weight reduction modifications the facial look since you lose predominantly fats, the identical factor occurs to the butt and it occurs all through the physique.'
Customers of the slimming jab have additionally themselves warned in regards to the unwelcome consequence — 'Ozempic butt'.
The bottom is among the foremost areas the place subcutaneous fats — fats immediately beneath the pores and skin — accumulates, and because of this, is a few of the first to go throughout weight reduction.
It additionally comprises a bunch of three giant muscle groups, known as the glutes, which can additionally shrink if somebody takes the drug with out exercising and consuming a high-protein eating regimen.
In a single video posted to TikTok beneath the #ozempicbutt, social media consumer @jocelyngarcia3514 shared a full physique video of her unfastened pores and skin round her bum.
'What does an ozempic/semaglutide butt appear like?,' she wrote.
'You guessed it?' Unfastened pores and skin and cellulite (nothing to brag about, outcomes range).'
Equally, customers of the drug have additionally reported their breasts lowering in measurement on the identical time their waistline shrinks.
TV character, Sharon Osbourne, 71, beforehand confessed she misplaced 'an excessive amount of' weight on Ozempic.
She advised Day by day Mail in January that she misplaced 'nearly half' her physique weight.
'The outcome was that I had flesh hanging all over the place. My breasts have been flat and sagging,' she mentioned.
The music supervisor, who has three youngsters with rock star husband Ozzy, 74, needed to endure a string of beauty procedures to rectify the undesirable unwanted effects of her weight reduction.
It might probably't be denied nonetheless, that shedding extra flab from sure areas will enhance your general well being, as Professor Mira explains.
'Fats loss additionally occurs on the stomach which is de facto necessary from a metabolic perspective, not simply from an look perspective,' he mentioned.
'It’s good for the prevention of growth of diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart illness.
Nonetheless, it isn’t simply fats that individuals lose whereas taking semaglutide.
That's as a result of the weight-loss injections don't goal fats particularly, as a substitute, triggering weight reduction by affecting urge for food.
As a consequence, this implies sufferers may lose muscle mass by not consuming as a lot protein, the constructing block of muscle, as earlier than taking the drug.
Muscle loss could make you look much less toned and alter the form of the legs and arms in addition to the glutes, which is the most important muscle group within the physique.
They might have the gaunt look of Ozempic face…
Semaglutide may take away fats from the face making many individuals look gaunt, colloquially referred to as 'Ozempic face'.
This tell-tale signal could make individuals have sunken eyes, gaunt cheeks and saggy pores and skin.
For the reason that fats in our face helps provides clean plump cheeks and wrinkle free foreheads, quickly shedding it may possibly additionally make individuals quickly look a lot older.
Nutritionist Rose Ferguson advised the Times extra of her movie star shoppers have been 'freaking out' about creating so-called 'Ozempic face' from weight reduction medicine.
The 49-year-old former mannequin, who’s shut pals with Kate Moss, says a surge of individuals have come to her involved about their face remodeling from medicine like Ozempic and Wegovy.
Celebrities who’ve developed 'Ozempic face', both as a result of they’ve taken such medicine or on account of different weight reduction strategies, embody Robbie Williams, Scott Disick and Sharon Osbourne.
Dr Smita Ramanadham, a plastic surgeon in New Jersey, not too long ago advised DailyMail.com: 'Ozempic face is basically the identical traits that we see when sufferers have fast or common weight reduction.
'We see a lack of quantity within the face, and after we lose fats within the face we see indicators just like the cheeks are extra sunken in, extra sagging pores and skin and a normal hollowing out of the options.
'Generally, it may possibly have the impact of truly making an individual look older — as a result of the fats in our cheeks is what provides us a younger look.'
Pointing to the instance of singer Robbie Williams, Dr Ramanadham mentioned: 'You may see a hollowing beneath the eyes and the cheeks and extra wrinkles showing due to a lack of quantity. With Robbie, you possibly can see the direct outcomes of weight reduction.
So, are you able to counteract Ozempic butt/face/arms?
Muscle loss is usually seen as an undesirable side-effect of taking semaglutide medicine, however consultants are undecided on whether or not that is detrimental, or actually useful, to long run well being.
'One faculty of thought is that any type of muscle loss is dangerous,' Professor Mira mentioned.
He added: 'That's as a result of muscle is a metabolically energetic organ and it burns power. So, the much less muscle you may have the much less your power expenditure, and that's not good for weight reduction or for the absorption of sugar from the blood.
'So, it’s dangerous when it comes to the event of diabetes and it's not good from a metabolic perspective.'
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One other principle is if in case you have much less fats and fewer weight, you want much less muscle to hold that individual and that's why you lose muscle, Professor Mira explains.
Different consultants say we lose muscle as a result of if somebody is overweight their muscle may also comprise some fats.
So, due to this fact when fats is eliminated within the strategy of weight reduction, the muscle quantity additionally reduces.
However consultants say this might be more healthy muscle general as a result of it doesn't have that fats, Professor Mira explains.
Though there’s not but sufficient knowledge to verify which principle is appropriate, muscle loss just isn’t solely regarding from an aesthetic perspective, as its absence may improve your danger of falls and fractures and make you’re feeling weaker.
'The one option to shield your muscle groups is to extend your protein consumption,' Professor Mira warns.
Protein, which is discovered naturally in meat, fish, eggs and beans, is utilized by the physique to construct and preserve muscle.
Earlier this yr healthcare product firm, Abbott, launched a protein shake within the US, which comprises 30 grams of protein — about half the day by day quantity that the NHS recommends— particularly for individuals taking weight-loss medicine.
Research present {that a} high-protein eating regimen might help improve muscle mass and, based on Abbott, sufferers want to absorb 50 p.c extra throughout a weight reduction routine to take care of a wholesome physique.
Meals big Nestle has additionally taken to the semaglutide market, launching a variety of collagen and protein powders to counteract the unwanted effects of weight reduction medicine after a stoop in snack gross sales.
These new weight-loss pleasant merchandise embody a complement for hair development, electrolyte tablets with strawberry-lemonade flavour, plus collagen peptides to spice up pores and skin elasticity.
However quickly protein shakes may not be the one reply to keeping off issues like 'Ozempic butt'.
Professor Mira mentioned pharmaceutical corporations are at present creating drugs, particularly to counteract the muscle loss sufferers expertise, based on Professor Mira.
'Sooner or later, we’re more likely to have drugs that do counteract the consequences of weight reduction on muscle,' he mentioned.
