Ozempic and different semaglutide drugs have skyrocketed in reputation as weight-loss aids, with prescriptions surging by over 300% previously yr alone. Developed as a therapy for managing Sort 2 diabetes, these drugs have turn into family names in well being and wellness circles as nicely. You could even know somebody who’s at the moment taking it—whether or not it is to regulate their blood sugar, shed a number of kilos earlier than their marriage ceremony or assist slim down earlier than the racing season.
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a part of a category of medicines often known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which had been developed to assist handle blood glucose ranges in folks with diabetes. Ozempic obtained FDA approval in 2017 and has since surged in reputation as a result of its weight-loss advantages, even amongst non-diabetic people. Ozempic works by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, which regulates urge for food. It suppresses urge for food, slows gastric emptying and promotes emotions of fullness, typically resulting in diminished calorie consumption. When an individual burns extra energy than they devour, they’re in a calorie deficit, which ends up in weight reduction.
Whereas these drugs supply substantial well being advantages for individuals who actually want them—corresponding to managing Sort 2 Diabetes or reaching important weight reduction when different strategies have failed—their widespread adoption, now extending into endurance sports activities communities, raises an vital query: are they protected for energetic people? Can Ozempic be a software that will help you obtain or preserve race weight?
Not all weight reduction is identical
After we flip our focus to endurance athletes—corresponding to long-distance runners, cyclists and triathletes—we all know that top ranges of vitality are important to compete and carry out optimally. Reaching this relies closely on correct diet, mixed with muscular endurance, constant coaching and ample restoration.
Dr. Xavier Collazo, a DPT specialising in sports activities efficiency and rehabilitation at Tampa Bay Efficiency Bodily Remedy, emphasises that the advantages of GLP-1 medication should be rigorously balanced towards the potential dangers, significantly for athletes.
“Whereas these results will be helpful to these coping with excessive BMIs or weight problems, the endurance athlete, who requires massive vitality sources to carry out and compete, will sometimes discover that these results would lower efficiency to a level,” he says.
“To not point out the truth that whenever you shed pounds, you do lose muscle, which is the driving drive of all our motion.”
In biking, it’s lengthy been believed that shedding weight improves one’s power-to-weight ratio a.okay.a watts per kilogram. Thus, GLP-1 drugs might look like an interesting software at first look. Nevertheless, these drugs could cause muscle loss, which can negatively affect each your watts per kilogram and total physique composition. Consequently, whereas the quantity on the size may go down, your energy output might decline alongside it.
The Danger of Below-fueling
Diet is a cornerstone of each efficiency and restoration. Protein is crucial for muscle restore and progress, carbohydrates gas vitality wants, and wholesome fat help mind perform. With suppressed urge for food comes the danger of under-fueling and doubtlessly disrupting the physique’s restoration processes, in the end resulting in a decline in efficiency.
Biking calls for a excessive caloric consumption to maintain intense coaching and help restoration. The priority with Ozempic lies in its potent appetite-suppressing results, which might trigger one to unintentionally underfuel. This discount of caloric consumption can hinder the restoration course of and enhance the chance of overtraining and harm.
The Nice Unknown
As GLP-1 drugs turn into extra broadly used, analysis on their long-term results remains to be in its early phases. With mass manufacturing and distribution comparatively latest, there may be a lot now we have but to grasp about their broader implications.
“For now, in my private opinion, I’d advise athletes to stay to extra typical strategies of weight reduction, working with nutritionists, dieticians, or just structuring their coaching and consumption higher,” says Collazo.
“We all know it will present the most effective, pure end result with out the unwanted side effects of potential muscle loss, GI disturbance, and different long-term unwanted side effects that we’re unaware of.”
