CALIFORNIA, USA — Mounjaro and Ozempic are becoming household names. Nearly everyone has seen the use of weight loss injections or semaglutide leading to dramatic results in celebrities around the world.
The drug connects with a receptor in the body that makes your brain think you're full. You eat less as a result. It was originally meant as a treatment for diabetes but the FDA just approved this drug for weight management last year. That sparked Pollock Pines resident Correen Bergquist to look into it.
"I started taking it once a week, saw dramatic results, lots of weight loss. Then after I lost the weight I wanted, I just started doing it as a routine regimen," Bergquist said.
She lost 15 pounds in a month and a half combined with exercise and a healthy diet.
"I don't think that people understand. If they want it to be a miracle cure where they can still eat whatever they want, it's not that," Bergquist said. "The motivation it gives you when it kickstarts that weight loss, and you see those results, then you can continue down that path of success, and nutrition, and exercise."
Nationally board-certified family nurse practitioner Alyssa Johnson began offering weight management services through her business Well by AM in 2019. She's experienced the boost of popularity firsthand.
"The last two years have just skyrocketed. This last year I had too many patients," Johnson said.
The FDA says semaglutide injections are best for people who have a body mass index of 30 or higher and at least one major diagnosis like type 2 diabetes, but Johnson said this isn't a quick fix. She said it's most effective when the weight is lost slowly. Insurance also does not typically cover it.
"A lot of my patients come to me and they don't need to lose 100 to 200 pounds, they need to lose 20 to 50 pounds and that will put them in the category of a normal BMI," she said. "If you have 50 pounds, 75 pounds, 100 pounds it may take you a few years to get that weight off realistically but in my experience, most all of my patients still come back if they continue to have weight to lose."
With benefit also comes risk. According to UCLA Health, semaglutide users could experience things like nausea, headaches and stomach issues. As research continues into the long-term effects of use, other studies show some major benefits. For example, semaglutide could help prevent heart attack and stroke.
"Like your patient who has diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity, this is a game changer for them because it creates longevity where they may not have had it before," Johnson said.
Johnson requires a consultation to determine if you're a good candidate for the injections. She will consider your medical history and tailor the treatment specific to the individual.
Watch more on ABC10 | New weight-loss pill could trick your brain into thinking you're full
