Topics: Ozempic, Mental Health
Doctors have stressed that the 'golden dose' trend could be fatal while detailing what partaking in it could do to your body.
GLP-1 drugs, which include the likes of Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy, have risen in popularity as a method to aid with weight loss.
While Ozempic hasn't been approved for weight loss and is only approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, Wegovy is approved for weight management and Mounjaro is approved for both treatment of type 2 diabetes and for weight management. These medications work by mimicking GLP-1 hormones (and Mounjaro mimics an additional hormone GIP) to help regulate appetite and blood sugar, thereby making the person feel fuller.
However, some users have been hoarding the excess liquid in self-injection pens to administer a 'golden dose', which, for those unaware, is when you administer the drugs, a minuscule amount of the remedy is left behind in the pen, which is then usually extracted via a syringe.
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With these medications costing a significant amount, the excess is seen as liquid gold; however, it also poses a serious health risk, according to Dr Michael Snyder, medical director of Bariatric Surgery at Rose Medical Centre.
Snyder, who also works as an in-house expert at FuturHealth, told The New York Post: "GLP-1 pens are designed to be used as a sealed system.
"Using an external syringe breaks sterility, exposing the medication to bacteria during handling - even from clean-looking surfaces or hands."
He noted that re-using syringes can greatly increase the risk of infection, adding: "There’s no reliable way to make this DIY method safe. That’s why these pens are single-use and designed for highly controlled administration."
As for exactly what could happen to your body, Snyder warned that 'any deviation' can 'disrupt how your body responds' to the treatment - even if it's a minor tweak.
Dr. Shiara Melissa Ortiz-Pujols, a bariatric surgeon at Northwell Health, further elaborated to The Post that the greater the dose, the greater risk of experiencing 'severe side effects'.
There's also a real possibility that you might administer too much as Professor Penny Ward, a pharmaceutical expert at King's College London, explained to MailOnline: "If you're using your own syringe, it's difficult to measure the correct amount - you may end up taking more than intended."
It can, in turn, possibly lead to developing pancreatitis, which is a condition caused by a sudden inflammation of the pancreas that can lead to severe complications in one in five cases, with a small percentage of those proving fatal, according to the NHS.
"The bigger the dose, the bigger the risk of pancreatitis." Professor Ward warned.
The manufacturer of Mounjaro, Eli Lilly and Company, has urged customers to discard the pen once the treatment has been administered.
"The Mounjaro (tirzepatide) KwikPen is designed to deliver a fixed volume of Mounjaro solution at each dose," the firm said in a statement.
"The KwikPen contains sufficient solution to allow for the necessary priming before each injection and the delivery of a total of 4 doses (one dose given weekly for a 28-day supply of medicine).
"Medication will remain in the KwikPen cartridge following the delivery of the 4 fixed doses, however, an additional complete dose cannot be dialled. The KwikPen must be discarded after 4 doses or 30 days after first use."
UNILAD has contacted Novo Nordisk, manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy, for comment.
