Recent reports have raised concerns about the potential side effects of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, including persistent vomiting and 'stomach paralysis'.
Over the past year, there has been an explosion in the popularity of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs — namely Ozempic and Wegovy, which are respectively used to treat diabetes and obesity.
How do GLP-1 agonists work?To make sense of these anecdotal reports, let's go back to the basics of how these drugs work. GLP-1 receptor agonists mimic the action of a hormone — glucagon-like peptide 1 — that the gut secretes after eating. Could GLP-1 agonists cause"stomach paralysis"?According to Levinthal, stomach problems are a known and common side effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic and Wegovy. Most commonly, these stomach issues include nausea and diarrhea.
Some users may be more likely to experience a greater reduction in stomach emptying as they are already predisposed to this side effect. For example, if they have type 1 diabetes, where high amounts of blood sugar can cause damage to the vagus nerve that normally instructs the stomach to empty food, Kushner said. Patients with type 2 diabetes may also experience similar symptoms, but their risk is lower than that of those with type 1.
"In the vast majority of people, this [drug-induced gastroparesis] is readily reversible with decreasing dose or stopping the medication," Dr. Siddharth Singh, a gastroenterologist at UC San Diego Health, told Live Science in an email.
Singh also urged caution about interpreting the reports of vomiting and about being aware of the distinction between typical gastroparesis and CVS.
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