One of the most common questions that we get from patients using Semaglutide or Tirzepatide in our Online Medical Weight Loss Program is, “What are the long term effects of this medication?” To give you the short and brutally honest answer, we don’t know yet. But that doesn’t mean we have no idea, and it doesn’t mean no one should use these potentially life saving drugs.
To honestly answer the question of long term effects for Semaglutide and Tirzepatide, we have to understand that these drugs have not been on the market for very long. Semaglutide was first released in 2017 under the brand name Ozempic, and Tirzepatide was released in 2022 as Mounjaro. Clinical trials leading up to these releases lasted about 1.5-2 years, respectively. So at most, we have about 8 years of clinical data on these meds as of the writing of this article. While 8 years is definitely long enough to get a good idea of any serious short term safety concerns, we can’t say with 100% certainty whether there might be any unforeseen side effects 20+ years down the line.
Is this good enough reason to avoid taking these medications? That depends entirely on you as an individual. As I often say, there is no one size fits all approach to healthcare. What we all have to do when considering whether to start a new medicine is make a risk vs. benefit decision. In other words, does the potential benefit of this medicine outweigh the potential risk associated with it?
For drugs like Semaglutide and Tirzepatide, we have known risks, such as nausea, constipation, and rarely pancreatitis or gastroparesis, and we have the unknown but less likely risk of long term side effects. We have to consider those risks and weigh them against the known benefits of the medications, like weight loss, blood sugar control, heart disease prevention, and fatty liver disease treatment. To take it even further, we have to consider the known risks of not taking the medicines. Obesity is a known risk factor for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, and more, so if you suffer from obesity and choose not to treat it one way or another, your risks are increased!
At the end of the day, whether or not one of these medications is right for you is a decision only you can make in conjunction with your doctor. There are a lot of potential benefits to be gained with these meds, but we do have to accept a small element of the unknown over the long term.
If you’re ready to take the next step and get started with Semaglutide or Tirzepatide for your weight loss journey, click here to join our program today. We can’t wait to meet you!
Dr. Kyle Adams, MD
CEO and Medical Director
New Leaf Online
This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. You should always consult your doctor before starting or changing any medications or to discuss any health concerns you may have.
