DR Jeff Foster is The Sun on Sunday’s resident doctor and is here to help YOU.
Dr Jeff, 43, splits his time between working as a GP in Leamington Spa, Warks, and running his clinic, H3 Health, which is the first of its kind in the UK to look at hormonal issues for both men and women.
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See h3health.co.uk and email at [email protected].
Q) ALL of my friends are taking Ozempic and Wegovy and they look amazing.
They’ve gone to reputable online clinics but lied about how much they weigh to get it.
Are there any real risks if you do it for a short amount of time?
Sarah Barns, Bradford
A) Wegovy and Ozempic are a family of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, and work by altering your feelings of satiety.
That is, they selectively reduce your appetite.
They were originally designed to help with the treatment of type 2 diabetes and results have been very successful.
They have proven, so far, to be equally as successful for weight loss.
The medication is given as a regular injection, with levels titrated up to meet the needs of the user.
The issue with using the medicine for a short time is you still run the risk of serious complications
Dr Jeff Foster
But once you stop, unless your lifestyle and diet have changed, you will go back to the same weight and food cravings you had before.
Minor side-effects include changes to blood sugars, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches and dizziness.
The issue with using the medicine for a short time is you still run the risk of serious complications such as pancreatitis, thyroid disease, kidney disease and gallbladder problems.
So the real question is: If you have a normal body weight, and want to use the medication for a short time, are the risks really worth it?
It would definitely be against medical advice.
How does Wegovy work?
WEGOVY works by suppressing our appetite – this is why it works for weight loss.
To do this, an ingredient found in the fat-busting drug, known as semaglutide, mimics the role of a natural hormone, called GLP-1.
The hormone is normally produced in response to detecting nutrients when we eat.
GLP-1 is part of the signalling pathway that tells your body you have eaten and prepares it to use the energy that comes from your food.
If you’re worried about your weight, speak to a GP or dietitian to work out what option would work better for you and your needs.
What foods can trigger the same reaction?
Energy-dense foods, which tend to be foods high in healthy fats, proteins or simple sugars, trigger GLP-1 secretion in the body, nutritionist Emma Beckett said.
“This means a healthy diet, high in GLP-1 stimulating nutrients, can increase GLP-1 levels,” she wrote in the Conversation.
Foods that help GLP-1 levels:
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Lean protein sources like eggs
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
“This is why high fat, high fibre and high protein diets can all help you feel fuller for longer,” Emma added.
“It’s also why diet change is part of both weight and type 2 diabetes management.”
Q) I HAVE had eczema since I was a child but, at the age of 27, it kind of disappeared.
Now I have got a scaly, itchy patch of skin on my chest which is driving me nuts, but I can’t get a GP appointment for a month.
I used to use Eumovate. Can I get anything similar over the counter?
And can eczema come back and be like this? I am now 37.
Sam Stamp, Brent, North West London
A) There are lots of reasons for itchy rashes, including eczema, psoriasis, allergic reactions and moles.
If you have a history of eczema as a child, you may be more prone to bouts as an adult.
In general, no matter what your skin condition, using a quality moisturiser three to four times per day will help reduce further inflammation, improve the quality of the skin cells and help keep your natural skin barrier in place.
Eumovate is a topical steroid that is often very effective in reducing or treating inflammatory skin problems, but it does not treat the cause and should only be used for a few weeks.
If you have a new rash, it is important to get a diagnosis from your doctor or pharmacist.