[injection-disposable-syringe-needle. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

Recently, the first case of long-term overdosage of Wegovy has been reported to result in death due to acute pancreatitis in America.

The demand for Wegovy is extending beyond people who want to diet, despite not meeting the criteria for obesity. It’s becoming a potential threat to public health.

Wegovy (a brand name for an injectable form of semaglutide), one of several treatments for diabetes, has recently gained attention, partly due to Elon Musk’s weight loss success.

Approved by the Federal Drug Association (FDA) in 2021, Wegovy is used as a treatment for weight control in obesity especially in conditions with Diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.

Semaglutide acts similarly as GLP-1 Hormone, which is secreted in the intestines after meal. GLP-1 hormones increase insulin secretion from the pancreas and slow down digestion.

As a result, smaller amounts of food can induce satiety, eventually suppressing appetite.

According to the Connecticut University Farmington campus research team, a man in his 70s that increased his semaglutide dosage was hospitalized with acute pancreatitis, which eventually led to his death.

Pancreatitis is a known side effect of semaglutide.

The man, diagnosed with Diabetes 20 years ago, began taking semaglutide at the dosage of 0.25mg per week 4 years ago considering his obesity. Later on, he doubled the dosage to 0.5mg per week.

Research teams stated, “After doubling the dosage, patients suffered through severe nausea, vomiting, constipation. Re - halving the dosage couldn’t stop the patient’s condition worsening, which led to acute pancreatitis.

 It is suspected that pancreatitis may be caused by semaglutide, as no new medications or supplements have been used.”

Furthermore, the team added, “According to most case reports, acute pancreatitis appeared as a side effect shortly after exposure to semaglutide.

This is the first reported case of acute pancreatitis occurring several years after using semaglutide or after increasing the dosage. Therefore, further research may be needed” they said.

In other countries such as the UK, government officials have flagged a case of pancreatitis in a patient using semaglutide for non-medical reasons, underlining the necessity for responsible use due to potential severe side effects.

Wegovy has recently been approved for use in Korea too and must be medicated to obese patients with BMI over 30 but is reported to be misused for cosmetic purposes.

The Korean Ministry of Food Drug and Safety (MFDS) warns that even the correct dosage of Wegovy can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, hair loss, acute pancreatitis and with those who have diabetes could have hypoglycemia complications.

Especially, there are concerns for those who don't fit the indications that can easily be prescribed of Wegovy. This may cause severe threats to public health to those who can control body weight through lifestyle modification.

There are particular concerns regarding Wegovy have raised multiple approaches to severe obesity (BMI>30) in Korea, and according to the Korean Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (KSMBS), gastric sleeve surgery may be better than the long-term use of Wegovy.

Gastric sleeve surgery (A.K.A., Bariatric surgery) is cutting the stomach into less than half of the original size, which may lead to restriction in food intake, and eventually, weight loss.

Following surgery, reducing food intake, high protein meals should be accompanied, but professionals from KSMBS say, it may have less side effects than Wegovy, and furthermore has better prognosis than Wegovy, since stopping Wegovy causes weight to jump back.