In 2017, Ozempic was accredited by the FDA for the usage of aiding weight reduction and managing kind 2 diabetes. The once-weekly injectable remedy, with energetic ingredient semaglutide, has been used for over a decade to assist handle blood sugar in diabetes sufferers. Nonetheless, Ozempic, and its different model title cousin Wegovy, could produce other makes use of.
Whereas testing remains to be wanted on security and effectiveness, there’s some proof that Ozempic could present reduction for folks with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
What Is PCOS?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal situation that impacts girls of their reproductive years. The situation causes many small sacs of fluid to develop alongside the outer fringe of the ovary, often known as cysts. These tiny cysts maintain immature eggs often known as follicles that fail to launch eggs repeatedly.
Individuals who have PCOS typically expertise irregular intervals that both don’t come each month, or final for a lot of days or perhaps weeks at a time after they do come. Some folks with PCOS even have an extreme quantity of the hormone known as androgen of their physique.
Whereas we at the moment don’t know the precise reason for PCOS, folks with PCOS are extra vulnerable to weight acquire, kind 2 diabetes, and coronary heart illness – which is the place Ozempic would possibly assist.
PCOS and Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance is a situation the place the physique isn’t capable of successfully use insulin and thus has points with regulating blood sugar. Insulin is a vital hormone created within the pancreas that’s answerable for shifting sugar within the physique’s cells to create power.
For folks with insulin resistance, the pancreas nonetheless produces insulin, however the physique is unable to make use of it to retailer extra blood sugar. When the blood sugar stays excessive, a lot of the surplus is saved as fats cells, leading to weight acquire and rising the probability of weight problems.
Between 50%–70% of individuals with PCOS are insulin resistant, placing them at a better threat of many long-term well being issues related to insulin resistance, equivalent to kind 2 diabetes, hypertension, weight problems, ldl cholesterol, and liver illness.
Blood sugar regulation is vital with regards to managing PCOS-born insulin resistance. For many who have already integrated life-style modifications with their weight loss plan and train to no avail, drugs like a diabetes drug known as metformin could also be used to assist regulate blood sugar.
How Ozempic and Different Semaglutides Work
Ozempic is the model title of a drugs often known as semaglutide that stabilizes blood sugar ranges in folks with kind 2 diabetes. When medical doctors seen weight reduction in sufferers who had been on the drug to handle their diabetes, they started prescribing off-label to help with weight reduction and deal with the well being issues related to weight problems.
Ozempic is run as soon as every week as a subcutaneous injection (which means that it’s injected proper underneath the pores and skin) that may be self-administered with a preloaded injector pen. Ozempic, and its cousin Wegovy, fall underneath a category of medication often known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.
GLP-1 is an appetite-regulating hormone that our our bodies naturally produce; medication like Ozempic lengthen the consequences of the hormone as much as every week, reasonably than the couple of minutes that GLP-1 usually lasts.
Ozempic triggers a series of reactions that end in weight reduction and blood sugar regulation by means of:
- Stimulating insulin launch to decrease blood sugar
- Reducing urge for food and rising satiety by slowing down the velocity at which meals strikes by means of the abdomen
How Ozempic Helps With PCOS
As we mentioned above, since insulin resistance is carefully related to PCOS, drugs equivalent to Ozempic and Mounjaro that increase insulin sensitivity could alleviate PCOS signs.
Furthermore, PCOS can even trigger metabolic issues that elevate the probability of being chubby or overweight and make it harder to lose or preserve weight even with weight loss plan and train modifications. The load loss related to Ozempic can cut back many PCOS signs by decreasing androgen ranges, which then improves signs equivalent to zits and irregular hair development.
Fertility issues are widespread amongst folks with PCOS, and weight reduction can assist with hormonal issues like irregular menstrual cycles, restore ovulation, and optimize fertility.
Though the FDA has not but accredited Ozempic as a remedy for PCOS, semaglutide-based medication equivalent to Ozempic are gaining popularity amongst younger girls affected by PCOS by means of platforms like TikTok.
PCOS is a posh situation that may be tough to deal with, and the irritating lack of obtainable instruments is maybe driving younger folks to seek out their very own options. Nonetheless, it’s necessary to keep in mind that whereas Ozempic could supply advantages for folks with PCOS, it isn’t a magical cure-all, and ought to solely be taken together with your physician’s approval.
Ozempic Aspect Results
All medication have negative effects, and Ozempic is not any exception. Semaglutide-based drugs like Ozempic typically trigger minor negative effects, which may enhance with the dosage. Nonetheless, less than 4% of individuals stopped taking the drug because of negative effects throughout medical trials, and most of the people prescribed the drug discover the negative effects manageable. Some widespread negative effects embrace:
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Stomach ache
If the negative effects worsen over time, you need to seek the advice of together with your physician.
