Greg Davies is getting real about his experience using Ozempic.
Although created and licensed for the management of type 2 diabetes, the GLP-1 medication has become popular among celebrities ‘off-label’ for its weight management side effects.
Ozempic, as well as Wegovy and Mounjaro – both of which are licensed for weight loss, have become hugely popular amongst celebrities in recent years, with everyone from Amy Schumer to Jeremy Clarkson and Serena Williams all using the jabs to shed pounds.
The medication has since made its way out of Hollywood and onto the high street, as the NHS now offers Mounjaro and Wegovy on prescription to those who meet requirements.
Recent figures published by UCL revealed that around 1.6 million Brits are now using GLP-1 drugs – a statistic which includes Taskmaster host Greg Davies.
Davies opened up about his Ozempic weight loss in a new interview (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for the NTA’s)
Davies opened up about his experience using the medication in a recent interview with The Times, revealing that while he’d lost three stone, he wasn’t entirely happy with the results.
“Three stone fell off me,” he said. “But I didn’t really like it, it made me a bit gaunt.”
Feeling like his weight loss had altered his appearance too much, Davies stopped using them and ended up regaining around half of the weight he lost.
However, the medication would have a lasting effect on his appetite, with The Inbetweeners actor revealing that he can no longer eat as much food as he used to.
“My appetite’s never gone back to the way it was. I can’t ram things in the way I used to,” he said.
How does GLP-1 medication work?
The drugs contain an active ingredient of either semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro), both of which stimulate the hormone GLP-1.
This regulates a person’s blood sugar by stimulating insulin release, limiting spikes and therefore the frequency with which a person feels hungry. The medication also slows down digestion, making you feel fuller for longer.
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Combine this with exercise and lifestyle changes, and the medication has been a game-changer in helping people to lose weight.
This isn’t the first time Davies has spoken openly about his experience using Ozempic, with the 57-year-old previously telling The Times that his doctor had warned him that his height – Davies is 6ft 8″ – was masking potential issues with his weight.
According to the comedian’s GP, if we were any shorter at his previous weight, he would ‘look obese’.