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Dr. Michael Greger has announced the release of a new book named Ozempic: Risks, Benefits, and Natural Alternatives to GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs.
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The renowned plant-based physician has previously written the New York Times bestselling titles How Not to Die, How Not to Diet, and How Not to Age. He is also the founder of NutritionFacts.org, where he shares the latest scientific evidence about foods and diets.
Ozempic is a prescription medication primarily used to manage blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes, but it is increasingly being associated with weight loss. The drug’s active ingredient, semaglutide, is a synthetic version of the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone, which the body naturally produces after eating. GLP-1 stimulates insulin production, reduces the release of glucagon (which raises blood sugar), and slows down digestion, leading to more stable blood sugar levels and prolonged feelings of fullness. While Ozempic is primarily approved for diabetes management, higher doses of semaglutide are specifically approved for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy.
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Dr. Greger’s Ozempic book
In the new book, Dr. Greger explores the risks that have been linked to Ozempic and similar drugs, including muscle loss and “ozempic face,” as well as other more serious conditions like thyroid cancer. (NB: it is not known whether Ozempic causes this disease, but some studies have indicated that it isn’t associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer). Dr. Greger also compares these risks with those of obesity.
Much of Dr. Greger’s book includes exploration of natural alternatives to weight loss drugs, notably diet. He notes that whole foods plant-based diets rich in fruits and vegetables are a more natural route to better health.
Dr. Greger also explores the root causes of obesity, including the junk food-heavy food environment in the US as well as commercial influence of major fast food corporations. Speaking to Plant Based News about his findings, Dr. Greger said: “It is kind of perverse that Big Food addict people to junk food on purpose for profit, and then we fatten the coffers of Big Pharma to treat at high cost and some risk an array of health problems that need never have occurred in the first place.”
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