What are weight-loss jabs and how do they work?

The likelihood is, at one time or another, most people have considered many different weight-loss options, from yo-yo-dieting, ditching sugar, going tee-total or hitting the gym hard.

In the UK, 64 per cent of adults are overweight, and roughly a quarter of over-18s and around one in every five children aged 10 to 11 are living with obesity. An injection that could help make all that – and the accompanying health implications and NHS pressures – go away, sounds like a magical solution to many.

Now, politicians are suggesting drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro – which are designed to treat type 2 diabetes, but are widely known for their effect on weight loss – can also help people back into employment. Health Secretary Wes Streeting wrote in the Telegraph: “Illness caused by obesity causes people to take an extra four sick days a year on average, while many others are forced out of work altogether.”

He added: “The long-term benefits of these drugs could be monumental in our approach to tackling obesity. For many people, these weight-loss jabs will be life-changing, help them get back to work, and ease the demands on our NHS.”

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Meanwhile Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told the BBC: “I think these drugs could be very important for our economy and for health.”

It comes as a five-year trial by Health Innovation Manchester and pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly), was announced. It will examine the “real-world effectiveness” of Mounjaro on health and whether it can reduce unemployment and cut sick days.

New to the world of weight-loss injections? Here’s what you need to know…

What weight-loss drugs are there?

‘Fat’ jabs, ‘skinny’ jabs, ‘anti-obesity’ medications – weight-loss drugs come with many names. A favourite amongst celebs and TikTokers, everyone from Elon Musk and Oprah Winfrey, to Jeremy Clarkson and Sharon Osbourne, have spoken about their experiences with them in recent years, even if they haven’t mentioned the specific ones they’ve used.

Lots of anti-obesity drugs have been, or are being, clinically tested, but the NHS notes: “The only ones that have proved to be safe and effective for use on the NHS for weight management are orlistat, liraglutide and semaglutide.”

You may know them by their branded names:

– Liraglutide (also called Saxenda)

– Semaglutide (otherwise known as Wegovy)

– Orlistat (aka Xenical)

There’s also Mounjaro (tirzepatide), which is being rolled out on the NHS over the next three years. Manufactured by Lilly, it’s been hailed as the “King Kong” of weight-loss jabs after a study found people taking it, who were supported to make exercise and diet changes as well, lost an average of 21% of their body weight over a 36-week period. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) will publish its final guidance on Mounjaro and obesity later this year.

How do they work?

Ozempic and Mounjaro were both originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, and still do.

Known as incretin mimetics, these injectables mimic hormones naturally found in the body, and help increase insulin levels and cut glucose production in the liver, while also slowing down digestion, making you feel less hungry and less prone to overeating.

Similarly, Saxenda is injected and mimics the hormone GLP-1 to regulate your appetite; it essentially tells your brain that you are done eating.

Orlistat is quite different, it’s taken in tablet form and prevents around a third of the fat in your food from being digested – you just poo it out.

Are there side effects?

Even when prescribed and administered correctly, there’s always a risk of side-effects, as there is with any medication. And these drugs aren’t usually taken long-term for weight loss, often it’s just for a certain number of months, until you’ve reached a healthier weight.

Ozempic notes that, “the most common side effects of Ozempic may include: nausea, diarrhoea, stomach (abdominal) pain, vomiting, constipation.”

Mounjaro states: “Everyone can have a different experience, but here are the most common side effects experienced by patients taking Mounjaro: nausea, diarrhoea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, indigestion, stomach pain.”

Your GP should talk you through possible side effects, and you should always speak to them if you’re worried about how you’re feeling.

Who is eligible for them?

Your GP or pharmacist will make the final call, but these drugs are not ordinarily prescribed to pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those with certain health conditions. For instance, if you have liver or kidney issues, you aren’t usually recommended to take semaglutide.

Depending on the drug, your age, BMI, race, heart health and weight-related issues (like whether you have type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure), will be taken into account.

And if prescribed through the proper channels, you won’t be handed the drugs and left to get on with it. You’ll be supported to make healthy diet and lifestyle changes alongside the meds – often through The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme.

Where are they available?

If you’re deemed eligible, your GP will prescribe them, while some pharmacies also offer the drugs on prescription. Boots, for instance, offers Mounjaro, Wegovy and Orlistat on prescription via their Boots Online Doctor. LloydsPharmacy offers Mounjaro, Wegovy and Saxenda.

The drugs are also available through some private clinics. According to research by Simple Online Pharmacy, more than 400,000 people pay privately (around £150-£200 a month) for the gut-busters, with this set to soar to one million next year.

However, in August, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) warned that shortages of Ozempic caused by high demand are expected to continue until December at the earliest, and the worry is, people will start ordering potentially dangerous counterfeit products online to fill the gap. NPA chairman Nick Kaye said: “Pharmacists remain deeply concerned that the current medicine shortages crisis could lead to an explosion in the unlicensed sale of medication online.”

Always speak to your GP or pharmacist and do not buy any medicines from online sellers that may not be regulated or registered in the UK.