A new study has found that people using popular weight-loss injections like Ozempic and Wegovy might be at a higher risk of developing an eye condition that can lead to blindness. These injections contain semaglutide, an active ingredient used to treat diabetes and help with weight loss.
According to the study, people with diabetes who are prescribed semaglutide are more than four times more likely to develop a condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). This condition, although uncommon, occurs when blood flow to the optic nerve is reduced or blocked, leading to sudden vision loss in one eye without any pain. People often notice the issue when they wake up.
The study also found that individuals who are overweight or obese and use these drugs are more than seven times as likely to develop NAION compared to those using other weight-loss medications. Unfortunately, there are no current treatments for NAION, and vision often does not improve.
The research was led by Joseph Rizzo, a professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, and published in JAMA Ophthalmology. Rizzo emphasized that the use of these drugs has “exploded,” and he suggests that doctors should discuss the potential risk of NAION with their patients in the future.
Over three years, researchers found that 8.9% of people using semaglutide for diabetes developed NAION, compared to just 1.8% of those on other diabetes medications.
For those taking semaglutide for weight loss, 6.7% developed NAION, while only 0.8% of people on other weight-loss drugs experienced the condition.
Ozempic Side Effects
Using Ozempic and other semaglutide drugs for weight loss can come with some additional significant side effects and financial costs that need to be considered. Here are some potential side effects beyond the risk of blindness:
- Weight Gain After Stopping: Unfortunately, once you stop taking the medication, you might regain the weight you lost. What makes it worse is you lose muscle and fat during the weight loss period, and gain mostly fat back, leaving you with a worsened body composition compared to when you started the drug.
- Diabetic Retinopathy: This eye condition can worsen with these drugs.
- Gallstones: Increased risk of developing gallstones.
- Kidney Problems: Potential issues including kidney failure.
- Pancreatitis: Swelling of the pancreas is a serious risk.
- Thyroid Cancer: There is an increased risk of thyroid cancer, and other thyroid related issues.
- Allergic Reactions: Some people may experience allergic reactions.
- Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar levels, especially if you have diabetes, can occur and lead to symptoms like dizziness, headaches and low energy.
- Digestive Issues: Common problems include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
- Vision Problems: Blurred vision can occur.
- Cognitive Issues: Confusion and slurred speech are possible.
- Numbness: Some people may experience numbness.
These side effects highlight the importance of discussing all potential risks and benefits with your healthcare provider before starting semaglutide medications for weight loss.
Supplement Alternatives to Ozempic For Weight Loss
Supporting weight loss can be challenging, but some supplements can help maximize results by improving insulin sensitivity, increasing fat loss, and boosting both mental and physical energy. Best of all, these benefits come without the negative side effects of diabetes medications.
Accelerated Fast™
The ingredients in Accelerated Fast™ help kick the body into ketosis, or fat burning, within 30 minutes. It teaches your body to burn its own fat for energy instead of relying on glucose or sugar. The ingredients help increase caloric burn, lower blood sugar and insulin levels, break up liver fat, and suppress appetite while keeping energy levels high and stable. Combining Accelerated Fast™ with 12-16 hour intermittent fasting windows and a whole food diet focusing on low-carb, high wild-animal-protein foods can improve insulin sensitivity, leading to fat loss while maintaining muscle mass. Additionally, ATP production (true cellular energy) significantly increases, which enhances physical energy and makes you more active, further improving their health.
The ingredients in Accelerated Fast™ help break down saturated fats in the liver into unsaturated fats, burning dangerous visceral and liver fat that lead to insulin resistance and obesity. A defatted and unclogged liver becomes more efficient at breaking down fat molecules into usable energy, reversing insulin resistance, and burning belly fat associated with obesity. Since most people have suboptimal thyroid and metabolism contributing to weight gain, improving liver function also enhances thyroid function, increasing metabolism and aiding weight loss.
The Organic Mukul in Accelerated Fast™ breaks down fats in the body and provides an energy boost to burn those fats. Known in Ayurvedic Medicine for its “Hot” or “Fire” element potency, it acts as a “match” that ignites the Keto process more quickly than other keto supplements. Moreover, it detoxifies the body and liver, supporting the reversal of fatty liver disease. Organic Trikatu heats up the digestive “fire,” allowing for high absorption of Ketones and other cofactors, and increases the metabolic rate.
Acceleradine® Iodine
Iodine helps increase ATP at the cellular level 18-fold, which boosts fat oxidation, metabolism, caloric burn, cognition, physical energy, wound healing, and healthy apoptosis (destruction of diseased cells). As ATP levels rise, so do energy and fat oxidation, leading to fat loss. Iodine also improves metabolism and physical energy by providing necessary iodine for thyroid hormones. Optimizing the thyroid and increasing ATP speeds up weight loss goals.
Acceleradine® iodine is the only iodine supplement in the form of I-, a single atom of iodine that allows for maximum absorption by all cells in the body. Most iodine supplements only have 10 to 20 percent absorption.
Accelerated Thyroid®
Weight gain is commonly associated with suboptimal thyroid function and metabolism. Accelerated Thyroid® is a comprehensive supplement that helps increase metabolism, fat oxidation, energy, and weight loss. It is enhanced with Scalar healing frequencies to detox the thyroid from heavy metals and radiation, promoting overall thyroid health, metabolism, and function.
Accelerated Scalar Copper®
Accelerated Scalar Copper® is the only copper supplement with 100% absorption, thanks to proprietary Scalar technology and enhanced frequencies for increased efficacy. Copper helps decrease uric acid, which impacts weight gain and obesity by blocking the polyol pathway responsible for converting glucose into sorbitol and fructose. Without sufficient copper, uric acid increases, leading to fat gain and obesity. Additionally, copper helps prevent the rise of triglycerides and liver fat, both of which contribute to obesity. The body cannot metabolize fat without copper. It also inhibits the PDE3 enzyme, which blocks fat burning; by inhibiting PDE3, copper ensures the body can burn fat. Low cellular copper levels make fat cells “fatter” by altering their metabolism of fats and sugars. Copper also helps regulate iron in the blood, reducing oxidative stress and consequently lowering uric acid levels.
Thorne Berberine
Berberine is a powerhouse when it comes to supporting normal glucose and fat metabolism. By keeping insulin and blood glucose levels low, berberine helps prevent the spikes that lead to weight gain. With lower blood glucose and insulin levels, the body is more inclined to shed pounds, similar to the effects of Ozempic or other diabetes drugs. Plus, berberine is just as effective as Metformin but without the nasty side effects.
Accelerated Leaky Gut Bundle
Leaky gut is often a culprit behind weight gain, caused by processed foods, GMOs, and toxins. The Leaky Gut Bundle aims to heal the gut lining, eliminate bloat, increase nutrient absorption, and promote fat loss.
- Microbiome Labs MegaSporeBiotic™ Probiotic: This spore-based probiotic blend helps recondition the gut rather than just adding a few probiotic strains that can’t survive digestion or colonize the gut. MegaSporeBiotic™ helps control the “bad” bacteria that cause bloat, weight gain, and dysbiosis, and promotes the growth of “good” bacteria. It’s been shown to combat E. Coli, Salmonella, H. Pylori, and more.
- Microbiome Labs MegaPre™ Precision Prebiotic: This prebiotic supports the beneficial microbial changes created by MegaSporeBiotic™, promoting a strong and diverse microbiome essential for healthy weight loss.
- Microbiome Labs Mega Mucosa™: Processed foods and toxins can wreak havoc on the mucosal system in children’s diets. This mucosal system is a critical part of the immune system and supports healthy digestion and immune function. MegaMucosa™ helps maintain a healthy mucosal barrier, leading to optimal nutrient absorption and encouraging weight loss.
These supplements work together to tackle the root causes of insulin resistance, weight gain, and promote a healthier gut without the side effects of Ozempic.
Lifestyle Changes for Weight Loss
Increase Protein Intake
Getting enough protein, particularly from wild animal sources, can be a game-changer for weight loss and overall health. Aim for 1-1.2 grams of wild animal protein per pound of your desired lean body mass. This not only keeps you full but also helps build lean muscle, eliminate bloat, heal the gut, and keep you in a fat-burning state. Unlike other nutrients, protein doesn’t turn into body fat and triggers the hormone CCK, which suppresses appetite, supports muscle gains and increases glucagon, the “fat-burning” hormone.
Animal proteins like lamb, bison, venison, grass-fed beef, elk, wild salmon, arctic char, and other wild fish are complete proteins, providing all essential amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, collagen, and essential vitamins such as Vitamin D, E, and B vitamins. These nutrients are crucial for lean muscle growth and efficient fat burning. Prioritizing wild protein in your diet will increase the glucagon-to-insulin ratio, boosting fat burn, weight loss, and insulin sensitivity.
Avoiding chicken, poultry, and conventional beef can help minimize the amyloid burden in your body. Amyloids are proteins found in these meats that increase gut pathogens, hinder fat-burning mechanisms, and elevate the risk of brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Limit Vegetables, Grains, and Beans
Certain vegetables, grains, and beans contain oxalates, sulfur, and lectins that can cause bloat and weight gain. Eliminating beans, grains, and most vegetables except for cucumbers, asparagus, artichokes, zucchini, squash, romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, and celery can help. Once your gut is healed and weight loss is achieved, you can gradually reintroduce these foods.
Exercise Around Mealtime
Engaging in low-intensity exercise or walking before or after meals can increase fat oxidation, lower blood sugar, and reduce stress hormones. These factors contribute to healthy weight loss.
Eliminate Processed Foods
Processed foods are designed to be hyper-palatable, which can dull your normal taste buds and decrease the hormone CCK, leading to overeating. These foods often contain emulsifiers that extend shelf life by combining fat and water, but they also destroy the mucosal lining of the gut. This damage causes the neurons in the gut to retract, shutting down the signals from CCK that suppress appetite. As a result, you may end up eating more and not feeling full, as your gut can no longer register the amino acids and fatty acids from “healthy” food. Processed foods also alter the brain’s ability to regulate dopamine, which impacts sugar cravings.
By focusing on these strategies, you can support healthy weight loss and improve your overall well-being.
Sara Banta
Sara Banta is a Stanford University Graduate with a Degree in Economics and Psychology, and a certified Natural Supplement Expert & Graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Sara is the Founder of Accelerated Health Products and host of the health & wellness podcast, Accelerated Health Radio.
