Understanding Ozempic, Weight Loss, and Cancer Risk
- Stand-up comedian Tracy Morgan, 55, who has overcome a traumatic brain injury, has admitted to gaining weight while taking the blockbuster weight loss drug Ozempic, a brand name of Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide.
- The resilient actor said he learned to “out-eat” Ozempic, which is administered as a weekly injection, assists the body by helping the pancreas make more insulin, ultimately lowering blood sugar levels. Although it has not been FDA-approved for weight loss, the drug has been prescribed by some doctors
- Ozempic, the brand name of Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide, a highly popular drug also known under the brand names Rybelsu and Wegovy, is an FDA-approved prescription medication for adults with type 2 diabetes. The drug, which is administered as a weekly injection, assists the body by helping the pancreas make more insulin, ultimately lowering blood sugar levels. Although it has not been FDA-approved for weight loss, the drug has been prescribed by some doctors.
- If you’re considering taking a weight loss drug, talk with your care team about whether that’s a good option for you. And make sure you consider good diet and exercise practices as a part of your treatment plan.
- Being overweight or obese is clearly linked to an overall increased risk of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. One of our experts say “losing weight is a great way to reduce one’s risk” for cancers.
- It’s also important to know that conditions caused or exasperated by obesity like diabetes and heart disease can pose problems for people who’ve already been diagnosed with cancer.
Most people who take drugs like Ozempic, an FDA-approved prescription medication for adults with type 2 diabetes, have reported significant weight loss, but in Morgan’s case, he revealed in a recent interview he’s learned to “out-eat” Ozempic.
Read MoreDuring Morgan’s appearance this week on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” the beloved comedian revealed he’s actually gained weight while taking Ozempic, following a compliment from Fallon, who said, “You look good, bud. You look great. How you staying in shape these days?”View this post on Instagram
Morgan replied saying, “Thank you, baby. … Well, that’s Ozempic. Yeah … but I’ve learned to out-eat Ozempic. I out-ate Ozempic.
“I’ve gained 40 pounds.”
When Fallon said he’s “never heard of anyone gaining 40” pounds, Morgan jokingly replied, “I’m like Magic Johnson. I gained 40 pounds.”
It’s unclear if Morgan is still taking the drug, however, he previously opened up about taking the blockbuster weight loss drug with Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, the co-hosts of “TODAY.”
Last August, admitted to taking Ozempic “cuts my appetite in half,” humorously adding, “Now I only eat half a bag of Doritos.”
When asked how he’s been able to stay in shape, he explained, “That’s Ozempic. That’s how this weight got lost… I went and got a prescription and I got Ozempic.”
However, Morgan also noted that he has a strict workout regime, where he gets up at 7 am every day and goes to the gym at 10am, adding, “Then I go back to sleep and that’s my life.”
Tracy Morgan also shares his hot takes on some topics, from tattooing your partner's name to going to space. pic.twitter.com/aTWdpcxfwy
— TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (@HodaAndJenna) August 14, 2023
Morgan, who is also known for playing Tracy Jordan on “30 Rock,” has surely come a long way since recovering from a traumatic brain injury after being involved in a serious vehicle accident back in 2014.
The accident occurred when Morgan was riding in a limousine with some of his buddies in New Jersey when they were struck by a Wal-Mart truck, an event which led to the death of his friend Jimmy McNair and Morgan suffering a broken femur, broken ribs, broken bones in his face, and in an eight-day long coma, according to Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers.
After waking from his coma, it took Morgan a week to get back his eye sight and he had been suffering from a brain injury.
In the wake of the accident, his lawyer Benedict Morelli made the following statement to the Associated Press, “When you have a traumatic brain injury, it takes a very long time to find out how you’re going to do and how much you’re going to recover.
“You just don’t know. He’s still fighting and trying to live his life at the same time and trying to get better, and he’s just not better. We’re hoping and praying to get him back to where he was.”
Morgan appears to be doing incredible well years later, and it’s possible that Ozempic has helped him maintain his overall health.
As per UC Davis Health, when it comes to weight loss, “Ozempic works by mimicking a naturally occurring hormone. As those hormone levels rise, the molecules go to your brain, telling it you’re full. It also slows digestion by increasing the time it takes for food to leave the body. This is similar to the effect of bariatric surgery.
“When using Ozempic to treat diabetes, weight loss is a common side effect. It is designed to be taken long-term.”
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The academic health center, further explains, “Ozempic is not approved for weight loss. However, semaglutide is approved for weight loss under the name Wegovy. Ozempic has a smaller dose of semaglutide than Wegovy.
“Ozempic and Wegovy are made by the same company. They both contain the same active ingredient semaglutide. However, Wegovy contains higher doses of it and is designed for weight loss. Ozempic has lower doses of semaglutide and was developed specifically for type 2 diabetes patients.”
UC Davis Health also notes that Ozempic is usually covered by health insurance and Wegovy is often not.
Health Risks Associated With Ozempic
Although people have had success with weight loss thanks to Ozempic, which is the brand name of the drug Semaglutide, it’s important to understand there are dangers associated with the drug. Healthcare company Lexicomp recently revealed there are negative side effects of the medication, including an increased risk of cancer.
Lexicomp explains Ozempic as “an injectable prescription medicine for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus that: along with diet and exercise may improve blood sugar (glucose),” noting it’s not the first choice of medicine for treating diabetes.
As for the most important information people should know before taking the drug, Lexicomp says Ozempic may cause serious side effects. Some of the possible side effects include:
- inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis)
- changes in vision
- low blood sugar, kidney problems
- kidney failure
- serious allergic reactions.
“The most common side effects of OZEMPIC may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach (abdominal) pain and constipation. Talk to your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away,” Lexicomp states. “These are not all the possible side effects of OZEMPIC. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.”
The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center also says, regarding Lexicomp’s warning, “This drug has been shown to cause thyroid cancer in some animals. It is not known if this happens in humans.
“If thyroid cancer happens, it may be deadly if not found and treated early. Call your doctor right away if you have a neck mass, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or have hoarseness that will not go away. Do not use this drug if you have a health problem called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), or if you or a family member have had thyroid cancer.”
The side effects that call for immediate medical attention, in regard to all uses of the drug, the MSKCC lists as:
- Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Signs of kidney problems like unable to pass urine, change in how much urine is passed, blood in the urine, or a big weight gain.
- Signs of gallbladder problems like pain in the upper right belly area, right shoulder area, or between the shoulder blades; change in stools; dark urine or yellow skin or eyes; or fever with chills.
- Severe dizziness or passing out.
- A fast heartbeat.
- Change in eyesight.
- Low blood sugar can happen. The chance may be raised when this drug is used with other drugs for diabetes. Signs may be dizziness, headache, feeling sleepy or weak, shaking, fast heartbeat, confusion, hunger, or sweating. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs. Follow what you have been told to do for low blood sugar. This may include taking glucose tablets, liquid glucose, or some fruit juices.
Severe and sometimes deadly pancreas problems (pancreatitis) have happened with this drug. Call your doctor right away if you have severe stomach pain, severe back pain, or severe upset stomach or throwing up.
For anyone using the drug for weight loss, they should speak with their doctor if they notice “new or worse behavior or mood changes like depression or thoughts of suicide.”
How Does Semaglutide Work?
Integral to blood sugar control, GLP-1 is a hormone released by the gut in response to food. It causes the pancreas to release insulin. A rising blood insulin level causes all the body tissues to start absorbing glucose (blood sugar) from the bloodstream, thereby lowering blood glucose levels. GLP-1 also prevents the release of glucagon, which is a hormone that raises blood sugar levels by stimulating liver cells to release glucose and helps people feel full for longer. These effects can also cause people to lose weight.
Modern studies on GLP-1 have shown that it has a role beyond glucose control. It modulates the immune system cells, including NK cells, in a way necessary for weight loss.
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, meaning that it mimics the effects of GLP-1 in the body. Given as weekly subcutaneous injections It is normally prescribed to manage blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. It also leads to a significant amount of weight loss in these patients.
Although semaglutide has been approved for blood sugar control in people with type II diabetes, under the brand name Ozempic, and for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy, it has not been approved for use as an immune booster and cancer preventative. Thus, it should not be prescribed for that purpose. Those taking it to control their diabetes or weight, however, can expect the additional benefit of improving their immunity. as per a recent study, and lowering their cancer risk, as a link between weight and cancer does exist.
Weight and Cancer Risk
Being overweight or obese is clearly linked to an overall increased risk of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. And in a 2022 study out of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, researchers found that childhood obesity may lead to an early cancer diagnosis.
In an earlier interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Andrea Tufano-Sugarman of NYU Langone Health talked about the importance of maintaining a healthy weight, saying, “While all cancers cannot be prevented, losing weight is a great way to reduce one’s risk.”
Major Reduction in Cancer Risk by Following Old Standbys Diet and Exercise
Dr. Stephen Freedland of Cedars Sinai Medical Center also notes that obesity can affect a person’s prostate cancer risk and prognosis.
“Some of the best data we have is that obesity increases the risk of not just getting prostate cancer, but actually dying from prostate cancer,” Dr. Freeland previously told SurvivorNet.
“Obese men are 35 percent more likely to die from prostate cancer.”
The Link Between Obesity and Prostate Cancer
Being overweight or obese is clearly linked with an increased risk of many types of cancer including the following:
- Breast cancer (in women past menopause)
- Colon and rectal cancer
- Endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus)
- Esophagus cancer
- Gallbladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreas cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Meningioma (a tumor of the lining of the brain and spinal cord)
Being overweight or obese might also raise the risk of other cancers such as:
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Male breast cancer
- Cancers of the mouth, throat, and voice box
- Aggressive forms of prostate cancer
It’s also important to know that conditions caused or exasperated by obesity like diabetes and heart disease can pose problems for people who’ve already been diagnosed with cancer. They can lead to treatment complications, prevent people from receiving the recommended first-line therapies and even increase the risk of undergoing surgery. Overweight patients might not even have the option of surgery since removing the cancer could pose potential complications that could outweigh the benefits.
Dr. Sairah Ahmed, associate professor in the division of cancer medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, previously said focusing on diet and exercise in a healthy way can help a person with cancer feel like they have more control.
“Diet, exercise and stress control are extremely important when going through cancer therapy, as well as once you’re done treating your cancer and trying to get back to the rest of your life,” she said.
Dr. Ahmed wants to remind people that none of the gimmicky diets are helpful for cancer-fighting. She says the main goal should be to simply consume nutritious foods.
What to Know about Diet and Exercise if You Have Cancer
“I’m asked about keto diets, alkaline diets, no-sugar diets,” she said. “Often I will tell patients there is not any one diet that has a better potential to keep their cancer away. There’s no data that shows that any of those help to treat cancer any better.
“You want to have a moderate diet where you’re including lots of fruits and vegetables, but you’re still eating fat and protein, and you want to maintain physical exercise,” she said.
Dr. Ken Miller says a healthy diet and regular workout routine are important
Dr. Ken Miller, the director of outpatient oncology at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center, recommends these four things for cancer survivors to do to try and avoid another cancer diagnosis:
- Exercise at least two hours a week, walking counts
- Eat a low-fat diet
- Eat a colorful diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, doctors recommend two to three cups a day
- Maintain a healthy weight
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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