Doctors warn of a “dangerous” trend of Americans making do-it-yourself weight-loss injections at home using crude chemicals bought online.
People are being directed to websites typically used by research groups to buy experimental chemicals amid a nationwide shortage of Wegovy and Ozempic.
The drugs, originally intended for people with diabetes, exploded in popularity after several celebrities and influencers were rumored to have used them to lose weight, including Kim Kardashian and Elon Musk.
DailyMail.com found nearly a dozen websites selling semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, for between $80 and $300 for up to two months. Two of the sites completely sold out of the chemical, and one had a tutorial teaching people how to mix and inject the ingredients.
But Dr. Shauna Levy, an assistant professor of bariatric surgery at Tulane University in New Orleans who serves on the American Board of Obesity Medicine, told DailyMail.com that making the drug at home is “incredibly unsafe on so many levels ” and is dangerous to humans. Risk of side effects, unsafe ingredients and overdose.
Some websites state that the product should only be used for “laboratory and research use”, but customer reviews on the websites calling it a “perfect weight loss product” recommend buying it instead of Wegovy
An online video, linked by one of the sites, showing how to prepare the drug at home, which is also used to treat type 2 diabetes
The websites – which often include words like “lab” or “asylum” in their titles – sell a range of research chemicals, including hormones and steroids, which they say are “not for human use”.
The lists of many chemicals indicate that they can only be purchased for scientific research purposes – a warning that allows the websites to exploit a loophole in the law.
DailyMail.com also found Semaglutide on 10 pages. It was sold in powder form to be mixed with bacteriostatic water before being injected into the abdomen.
Most websites state that semaglutide should only be used for “laboratory and research use”, but customer reviews on the websites that present it as a “perfect weight loss product” recommend buying it on Wegovy.
A review from Amino Asylum says: “The stuff is genuine and of high quality. This is the first Semaglutide I’ve tried and I’ve lost 15 pounds… The only reason I’m giving it three stars is because I can now find it at other places for almost half the price. Semaglutide prices are dropping compared to what I’ve seen.”
Rumor has it that Kim Kardashian used Wegovy to lose weight quickly to fit into Marilyn Monroe’s famous Happy Birthday Mr President dress at the 2022 Met Gala (pictured).
A global shortage of the drug was sparked last year by a celebrity and influencer onslaught, putting at risk people who rely on it to treat their type 2 diabetes and causing semaglutide to run out of stock even in the USA – Websites
This site offers the bacteriostatic water needed for mixing free with large orders
Big Pharma’s next golden ticket?
A new weight loss drug – believed to be even better than Wegovy – will be the best-selling drug of all time if it is approved this year.
Another review on a separate site reads: “My friend told me about this on Reddit and I tried them. New type WL [weight loss]which brings significant positive changes.”
Accelerate Labs even links to a video on how to prepare semaglutide injections at home, in which a woman dissolves the powdered chemical in water.
While most sites only sell the powdered chemicals, forcing users to spray and purchase the bacteriostatic water separately, one site offers the water for free with bulk orders.
Dr Levy said this increased the risk of contamination and sterilization problems and warned that Wegovy should be taken under the supervision of a doctor.
She said: “Wegovy is a prescription medicine and should therefore be taken under the supervision of a doctor. Although Wegovy is safe and generally well tolerated, there are side effects that are best managed by a doctor.
“Nothing about making this drug at home can be regulated; Patients are therefore at risk of exposure to unsafe ingredients, incorrect dosing and more.’
She added, “It seems incredibly unsafe on so many levels to make this drug at home.”
Wegovy’s drug manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, does not sell the drug to other manufacturers, which means that the semaglutide sold on these sites can be mixed with other substances not found in Wegovy or Ozempic.
Dr. Levy said: “There is a reason medicines are made in highly regulated environments by highly skilled people, and that is to ensure medicines are consistent and safe.
“I know patients would like to use Wegovy for weight loss, but this is not a good or safe way to access the drug. There is no generic version of Wegovy, and there won’t be one for a while.’
Wegovy has been in high demand since it first became available in the US last year after clinical trials showed its ability to reduce a person’s body weight by about 15 percent in 68 weeks.
But its popularity, combined with production problems, led to months-long shortages of both Novo’s Wegovy and its sister drug Ozempic.
Tirzepatide, another diabetes drug sold by Eli Lilly under the brand name Mounjaro, was also running out, according to the FDA’s online Drug Shortages Database.
Everyone from Hollywood stars to tech moguls are turning to the injectable to stay slim, with Elon Musk crediting the drug with his recent weight loss in October. Pictured above, Elon Musk in August 2022. Jeremy Clarkson, 62, revealed he started injecting himself with the ‘amazing’ drug Ozempic after fears he might develop type 2 diabetes. Pictured above, Mr Clarkson in 2017
Novo said in a statement to STAT News that alternative compounded products “do not have the same safety, quality and efficacy guarantees as FDA-approved drugs and may expose patients to serious health risks.”
There are currently no studies on the interaction between the active substance semaglutide and other substances that can be mixed with it.
Wegovy and Ozempic work by stimulating the body to produce a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1, which is naturally released from the intestines after meals.
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The hormone helps control blood sugar levels and makes people feel full so they know when to stop eating.
The results of a study of 2,000 people over 15 months show that the participants lost an average of 15 percent of their body weight, which is equivalent to 15 kg (34 lbs).
The group received individual counseling sessions from registered dietitians to help them stick to a low-calorie diet and exercise schedule in addition to weekly injections.
The volunteers reported an improved quality of life and reduced risk factors for the development of heart disease and diabetes, such as: B. reduced waist circumference, blood lipids, blood sugar and blood pressure.
But the drug-induced side effects included mild or moderate nausea and diarrhea, but the researchers said these were short-lived and resolved on their own.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
