How to tell if Ozempic is right for you: How likely you are to suffer side-effects, the risks - and whether it will really work. Read our special report

From nan breathless sum 'miracle' weight-loss jabs Wegovy and Ozempic person had truthful far, you'd beryllium forgiven for reasoning they were nan cure for each ill.

Designed primitively to dainty type 2 diabetes – and transforming nan lives of those surviving pinch nan information – they person besides go a world panacea for group pinch obesity.

A-list celebrities allegedly committedness by them to support them bladed and glossy. Headlines propose they tin amended your bosom health. And if nan anecdotes are true, they mightiness moreover curb addictive behaviour specified arsenic gambling, smoking and drinking excessively overmuch alcohol.

But, arsenic pinch immoderate drug, location is simply a flip-side.

A study earlier this period linked nan progressive constituent successful some drugs, semaglutide, to an accrued consequence of a information that causes blindness.

Experts from nan Society for Acute ­Medicine person besides warned of a 'real increase' successful nan number of group coming to infirmary pinch complications specified arsenic nausea and ­vomiting linked to nan medication.

But really important are these risks, really? And, if you're funny astir taking it yourself, really tin you activity retired whether you really will benefit? Here, nan experts show you everything you request to cognize truthful you tin make an informed determination astir nan treatment…

WHO WILL DEFINITELY BENEFIT FROM THESE DRUGS?

IF you are obese pinch a BMI of complete 30 and different weight-related information specified arsenic precocious humor unit aliases type 2 diabetes, nan beardown grounds is that these medications could toggle shape your health.

Roughly half of group taking semaglutide arsenic a once-a-week injection successful tests mislaid 10 per cent of their assemblage weight – which they kept disconnected during nan 4 years of nan trial.

One successful 5 achieved 15 per cent weight loss, and 1 successful 20 managed to shed a 4th of their weight.

But location are different life-­changing benefits. The narcotics trim nan consequence of bosom attacks and strokes by 20 per cent, tin forestall type 2 glucosuria and protect against kidney disease.

They trim humor unit and cholesterin levels, and early ­studies moreover propose they tin little nan consequence of 10 retired of 13 ­obesity-related cancers.

Side-effects from taking nan narcotics see nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and ­pancreatitis.

However, obesity itself causes chronic illness and shortens lifespan – making these narcotics a 'no brainer', says Prof Naveed ­Sattar, astatine nan University of ­Glasgow. 'Ample grounds shows obesity tin beforehand aliases accelerate complete 200 diseases, including diabetes, strokes, galore cancers, diseases for illustration arthritis and intelligence health,' he says.

It is for this logic – that nan benefits are considered to ­outweigh nan known risks – that successful 2023, nan NHS approved Wegovy for those pinch a BMI complete 30 and astatine slightest 1 weight-related wellness issue.

The narcotics are besides licensed arsenic Ozempic to dainty type 2 glucosuria if modular narcotics nary longer work.

Trials show immoderate group suffer capable weight to put their ­diabetes into remission, and nan supplier tin besides trim nan consequence of diabetes-related kidney disease.

ARE THERE BENEFITS IF OVERWEIGHT, NOT OBESE?

YES. While nan supplier is offered only to a prime group of obese NHS patients, investigation shows that ­people who are overweight tin greatly benefit, too.

Earlier this year, a proceedings of much than 17,000 adults pinch a BMI of 27 aliases complete – which is considered overweight but not obese – ­concluded that they besides mislaid connected mean 10 per cent of their assemblage weight for arsenic agelong arsenic they stayed connected nan drug.

The participants – who were each complete 45 and had antecedently ­suffered pinch a bosom problem – were besides importantly little apt to acquisition further bosom issues. Experts opportunity this is because immoderate level of unhealthy weight increases nan consequence of life-threatening ­disease.

In 2017, researchers concluded that group pinch a BMI betwixt 25 and 30 were astir a 3rd much apt to get bosom disease, ­compared pinch those of a patient weight. People pinch a BMI of much than 25 are besides much at-risk of processing ­cancer, according to Cancer Research UK.

Private clinics are freely disposable to connection nan supplier to immoderate diligent they judge would use – sloppy of their BMI.

There are besides a number of online pharmacies which are trading nan drug, but only to patients who meet a minimum criteria.

WHAT ABOUT NAUSEA AND OTHER SIDE-EFFECTS? 

IN trials, astir a 5th of patients suffered from nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and they're among nan astir communal side-effects reported. It isn't clear why immoderate group suffer severely and others don't, but it tends to coincide pinch starting nan ­medication for nan first clip aliases upping nan dose – and wears disconnected arsenic nan assemblage adjusts.

The supplier slows down nan body's metabolism, keeping nutrient successful nan gut for longer, which whitethorn explicate these problems, experts say.

'It's self-limiting and will resoluteness wrong a mates of weeks,' says Professor David Strain, from nan University of Exeter.

Although tests haven't been done connected group who are a normal weight, location is anecdotal grounds that they mightiness beryllium much astatine risk.

Dr Vicky Price, from nan Society for Acute Medicine, says location has been a 'real increase' successful nan number of group misusing nan supplier coming to ­hospital pinch vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration.

This is because nan jab useful by mimicking nan 'hunger hormone' GLP-1, which is released by nan tummy successful consequence to eating and tells nan encephalon it is full.

People who are obese respond little good to this hormone erstwhile it is produced by nan assemblage naturally, which is why they support eating.

But this synthetic type is astatine a overmuch higher dose and stays successful nan assemblage for longer, suppressing appetite. People of a normal weight, however, are already responding good to their earthy GLP-1 hormones – getting a overmuch larger dose than they request intends they'll 'likely consciousness moreover much sick', Prof Strain says.

Most patients tin debar nan worst effects by starting connected a debased dose and easing it up gradually, ­according to Prof Sattar.

To negociate sickness, eat slow and only if hungry, portion much ­fluids and take healthy, non-processed foods.

ARE THEY RISKY IF CANCER RUNS IN THE FAMILY?

NOT for astir people. The charismatic Ozempic and Wegovy information ­information states that patients pinch a family history of medullary thyroid crab should not return nan drug.

This is simply a type of tumour that forms wrong nan thyroid gland.

Early investigation suggested mice fixed nan supplier were much apt to get nan disease.

There is nary grounds that it raises nan consequence successful humans.

However, arsenic a precaution, nan drugs' Danish ­manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, has warned that thyroid tumours could beryllium a imaginable side-effect.

People pinch a uncommon information called aggregate endocrine neoplasia type 2, aliases MEN2, shouldn't return it either, arsenic they person a familial mutation which raises nan consequence of these types of cancer.

However, less than 2,000 group successful nan UK person MEN2.

'It's a minimal, theoretical risk,' Prof Strain says.

'But Novo ­Nordisk don't want to consequence it.' For everyone else, early studies ­suggest taking nan jabs will trim your consequence of 10 retired of 13 types of crab known to beryllium associated pinch excess weight, including colorectal, endometrial, kidney, liver and ovarian ­cancers.

CAN THEY REALLY MAKE YOU GO BLIND?

IT is unlikely. Earlier this month, a caller study suggested that overweight patients taking ­semaglutide were much apt to create a blindness information called ­non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy – aliases NAION.

However, nan number of cases were still low. Out of astir 1,000 patients taking nan injections for weight loss, 20 knowledgeable NAION, pinch galore experiencing only impermanent imagination issues alternatively than imperishable blindness.

Many experts are besides sceptical of nan findings.

'We person been utilizing these narcotics successful glucosuria patients for 17 years now and this information has ne'er been linked to them before,' says Prof Alex Miras, advisor ­endocrinologist and teacher astatine Imperial College London.

'It's improbable that we're abruptly seeing cases now.'

The researchers progressive ­suggested it was imaginable that ­people who developed NAION whitethorn person had an underlying oculus problem specified arsenic glaucoma.

For this reason, they suggested medics cheque whether their patients person immoderate oculus issues earlier they commencement nan drug.

However, location are different superior semaglutide risks.

Pancreatitis, which whitethorn impact 1 successful 100, causes inflammation of nan pancreas, an organ successful nan abdomen which produces digestive hormones. This tin go 'very superior and life-threatening' if not treated, says Dr Vicky Price.

Gallstones – mini balls of cholesterin that shape successful nan gallbladder – are an further consequence for anyone losing weight rapidly.

I KNOW THE RISKS BUT DO THEY WORK IF I'M THIN?

THE truth is we don't know. ­Clinical tests person not been ­performed connected group who are a normal weight truthful we don't person grounds connected really good it useful and what nan side-effects mightiness be.

What we do cognize is that astir 15 per cent of group neglect to suffer immoderate important weight connected these drugs, which intends you whitethorn return it, and put yourself astatine consequence of side-effects, for nothing.

We each cognize astir 'Ozempic face' – nan gaunt, hollow-cheeked look caused by accelerated fat nonaccomplishment successful nan look which has affected celebrities specified arsenic Sharon Osbourne.

But successful addition, there's bully grounds that this accelerated weight nonaccomplishment (via immoderate method, and not unsocial to Ozempic) besides causes a melodramatic driblet successful musculus mass, too.

Experts judge this could beryllium dangerous, particularly for older people, arsenic a nonaccomplishment of musculus spot tin summation nan consequence of falls.

'When you return these drugs, you will suffer fat and muscle,' says Prof Miras. 'But, erstwhile you extremity utilizing them, you will apt summation nan fat back, but not nan muscle.'

However, possibly astir importantly, experts opportunity location is simply a civilized information for anyone reasoning of taking these drugs.

A nationalist shortage of semaglutide is expected to proceed until 2025, according to NHS England.

'These are game-changing narcotics for obese people, but we should not beryllium encouraging group to return them conscionable to look bully for a ­wedding aliases connected nan beach,' says Prof Miras.