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Lately, the drug Ozempic and other variations have gone from being largely unheard of to household names. Many celebrities are confessing to using the drug as a weight loss aid. It was originally intended to help patients with Type 2 diabetes manage blood sugar levels. 

While some celebs remain tight-lipped about their Ozempic use, others, including some Real Housewives stars, have admitted it. While some have spoken out against it, it’s easy to see this is the latest celebrity weight loss trend. 

How did we get here with Ozempic? 

Ozempic and its variations, such as Mounjaro, Bydureon, Byetta, and Trulicity, weren’t always the blockbuster weight loss drugs they are today, reports NPR.

Like many current pop culture trends, the word spread on TikTok. Many users used the hashtag #Ozempic to credit their weight loss. Before long, it was being referred to as “the worst kept secret in Hollywood.”

But while rapid weight loss is a side effect for some, others can gain weight on it — or they’ll gain all their weight back (and then some) as soon as they stop taking it. Also, its rise to popularity as a weight loss aid has made it more difficult for diabetic patients who need it to get it. This has been a frustrating issue for both patients and the doctors treating them.

‘Real Housewives’ who admit to using Ozempic (and some who don’t) 

Obviously, the use of Ozempic and its variations can be considered taboo. So many cast members won’t admit to using it even if they do. Kyle Richards has been accused by both fans and co-stars of using it. But she adamantly denies her weight loss has been anything but natural. 

“I cannot stand people saying that because people that know me know that I’m up every day at like 5:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. at the latest,” Richards has said. “I’m in the gym for two hours. I really put a lot of effort into my diet and exercise and taking care of myself, so when people like to think I took the easy way out, it’s frustrating.” 

Dolores Catania openly admitted to using the drug to Andy Cohen on a reunion episode. She stated she didn’t want to be the biggest one there (implying all her co-stars were using it, too).

Jennifer Fessler also used Ozempic to slim down as part of her recent makeover, although she has been coy about admitting it. Alexia Nepola was seen getting fat-burning shots with Marysol Patton in Season 5 of RHOM. But Nepola clarified that they were actually B-12 injections.

Margaret Josephs is the most unapologetic about her use of the drug, reports Insider, calling it a “game-changer.” While she has said she lost 22 pounds fast on the drug, she insists weight loss wasn’t her primary reason for trying it. She was concerned about feeling fatigued and sluggish, she says, so she was prescribed the drug for her health. 

Margaret Josephs films Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in an orange dress
The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Margaret Josephs on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen | Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty Images

Richards isn’t the only cast member to speak out against Ozempic. Bethany Frankel coined the word “nozempic.” While Jackie Goldschneider, who battled anorexia for 18 years, referred to it as “an eating disorder in a needle.” 

Scary side effects

In spite of its popularity, reports Health.com, Ozempic and the like are not recommended to be used for weight loss. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation. They can also cause more serious issues like changes in vision, inflammation of the pancreas, and allergic reactions. It seems that there are no shortcuts in life after all. 

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