slimming ampoules; A miracle worth several million tomans or a cure that never ends?

Rapid weight loss regardless of protein intake and physical activity can be associated with muscle mass loss. For this reason, the goal of treatment is not only to lower the scale number; It is also important to maintain muscle and improve metabolic status. Slimming pills post; A miracle worth several million tomans or a cure that never ends? It first appeared in Safir Arjan.

According to Ambassador Arjan, weight loss is no longer limited to diet, gym and counting calories. In recent months, the names of ampoules such as Monjaro, Ozempic, and internal samples containing similar compounds have been seen more than before in the cyberspace; Medicines that are sometimes advertised in advertisements such as "guaranteed slimming", "weight loss without a diet" or "how many kilos of weight loss in a month" are introduced.

But behind these ads, there is an important fact: these drugs are not suitable for everyone, and a short course of injections is not going to solve the problem of overweight forever.

Examining the prices in the market also shows that the treatment with these drugs can be a significant cost for households. For example, an online store listed the price of Monjaro around 71 million tomans, Ozempic around 29.9 to 36.9 million tomans, Melitide around 2.2 to 3.1 million tomans, and Spartina around 3.5 to 3.6 million tomans. These figures are the selling price of a supplier and should not be considered the same as the official pharmacy price or the fixed price of the whole market.

What is the price of slimming pills?

There is no "use period" for slimming pills

One of the most important points that is less said in the advertisements of the cyberspace is that the use of these drugs is not necessarily a three or six month period, after which the person will remain thin forever.

Medicines such as semaglutide and tirspatide in the treatment of obesity can be part of a long-term treatment plan. Usually, the doctor starts the treatment with a lower dose and gradually increases the dose based on the body's response and side effects. Therefore, it is not possible to determine a single prescription for all people, such as "four months of injections and the end of treatment".

In practice, the doctor may evaluate the effectiveness after a few months, but in a person who has responded well to the treatment and is at risk of regaining weight, the continuation of the treatment can be considered.

Therefore, a number like "the cost of a slimming course" is misleading to a large extent; Because the actual cost depends on the duration of the treatment, the final dose, the body's response and the doctor's decision.

Medication can be an effective tool for weight loss, but it alone does not guarantee permanent weight loss

Nutritionist Fariba Mohammadi tells Ambassador Arjan about this: The short answer is, it is not necessary for weight loss to be completely stable after stopping the drug. A large analysis at the Cleveland Clinic of nearly 8,000 people showed that after ceasing semaglutide or tirzapatide, some people maintained their weight; But in previous trials, the return of a significant part of the lost weight was seen within a year after stopping the drug.

He adds: Therefore, medicine can be an effective tool for weight loss, but it alone does not guarantee permanent weight loss. In fact, these drugs can be effective in weight loss, but their use should be done with the doctor's prescription and along with lifestyle modification.

In some cases, more serious complications such as inflammation of the pancreas or severe digestive problems arise

This nutritionist emphasizes the possible side effects of slimming pills: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach heaviness, and loss of appetite are among the side effects that may be observed when taking this group of drugs. The severity of these side effects varies from person to person, and a rapid dose increase can make the drug more difficult to tolerate.

He adds: In some cases, more serious complications such as pancreatitis or severe digestive problems arise, and some people are basically not a suitable option for these drugs due to their medical conditions.

Mohammadi warns: On the other hand, rapid weight loss regardless of protein intake and physical activity can be associated with a decrease in muscle mass. For this reason, the goal of treatment is not only to lower the scale number; It is also important to maintain muscle and improve metabolic status.

Slimming pills are neither "miracle drugs" nor necessarily ineffective drugs

This nutritionist continues: A significant part of the advertisements of these ampoules, instead of focusing on obesity as a disease, focuses on appearance, losing a few kilos and quickly reaching a certain number on the scale.

He adds: This change of view can be dangerous. A person who is only looking to lose 5 or 10 kilos of weight may go for injections without checking their medical history, concomitant medications, blood sugar status, digestive problems or other conditions. In such a situation, even if the drug is original and authentic, incorrect use can become a problem.

Mohammadi emphasizes: the main issue here is that in today's advertising market, the cost of these drugs may not be just the cost of buying a pen; The cost of visits, tests, medical monitoring and the possibility of continued treatment should also be considered.

In the end, this nutritionist says: In the end, slimming pills are neither "miracle drugs" nor necessarily ineffective drugs. Scientific evidence shows that the drugs of this group can cause significant weight loss, but the response rate of people is different and the durability of the result depends on the continuation of treatment, nutrition, physical activity and the condition of the person.

The goal of health advertising should be to help choose the right course of treatment, not to create direct demand for a drug product

The slimming pills market in cyberspace has created another concern. The problem is not only that the product may be fake; Rather, the consumer may not know what substance he is receiving in what dose, how the medicine has been stored, or whether the product has been transported in the proper conditions of the cold chain.

In recent months, the Food and Drug Organization has repeatedly warned against the unauthorized supply and promotion of weight loss drugs. This organization emphasized that the supply of tirzapatide outside the official pharmaceutical network and in centers such as clubs, beauty centers and unlicensed centers is prohibited and can endanger the health of consumers.

In another warning, the Food and Drug Administration has warned against the illegal advertising of drugs in cyberspace and emphasized that direct advertising of weight loss drugs can increase consumption without prescription and without medical evaluation. Nazila Yousefi, Director General of the Health Products Monitoring and Supervision Office of the Food and Drug Organization, said that the purpose of health advertising should be to help choose the correct path of treatment, not to create direct demand for a medicinal product.

This position is consistent with the previous warnings of the Food and Drug Administration about Monjaro. This organization had announced at some point that Monjaro with the active ingredient tirzapatide is not registered in Iran's pharmaceutical list and its supply outside the official pharmaceutical network is not allowed.