Dangerous Christmas cocktail - Doctor says Ozempic, liquor and festive feasts can be risky

Users of popular weight-loss drug Ozempic are being urged to watch their alcohol intake this Christmas as even small amounts of liquor could be detrimental.

Originally developed as a diabetes medication, Ozempic curbs appetite, and helps regulate blood sugar. Its appetite-suppressing effects have made it a go-to for many persons looking to shed pounds quickly. However, these same effects can make alcohol hit harder and linger longer in the system.

Dr Alfred Dawes noted that Ozempic slows the release of food from the stomach, and persons may experience symptoms including significant bloating, reflux, and bad-smelling burps, because of the fermented or stale food in their stomach, sometimes for days. They may even throw up.

"The danger with drinking while on GLP-1 medications (which are a class of drugs that lower blood sugar levels and promote weight loss) is that you will have a slow release of the alcohol from the stomach. So you may tend to drink a lot more because you're not feeling the effects, and then hours later, when the alcohol starts to leave your stomach. That is when you would feel the effects of overdrinking [or] over consumption of alcohol and that can be dangerous depending on your surroundings at that time and especially if you're driving," he said.

Dawes said that he discourages persons from self-medicating with any weight-loss drug.

"These medications are usually a part of a comprehensive weight-loss programme managed by someone who is trained and has experience in all of the facets that are essential for healthy weight loss. This means that persons seeking appetite suppression and medication, they may lose weight, but they will be losing muscle mass and not necessarily fat mass, which can lead to side effects in the long run like even osteoporosis or weak bones, and they may have a fall in their metabolism because they lose a lot of muscle mass," he said.

Dawes also noted that drugs have side effects and sometimes may not be the common ones that are listed.

"Persons may have very rare reactions and unless you are a part of a programme where a trained professional can pick up those side effects and run routine tests to pick up side effects before it becomes [worse], you might find yourself in a bit of a pickle," he said.

Dawes said that healthy weight loss is fat loss, and any physician or weight-loss expert would guide patients as to the type of food they should consume while on a calorie-restricted diet. He also cautioned against using 'any green teas or injections or tablets that will result in burning calories, but not taking in healthy calories".

"And as a result of that end up with nutritional deficiencies," he said.

Dr Jan Hochtritt, a prominent plastic surgeon, said that cautions about Ozempic and similar drugs are well-founded. He also encouraged persons not to self-medicate - a risky practice during the festive season.

"For those who self-medicate, that is a real problem because they don't know how to administer the medication and they are probably over-ambitious to lose weight fast," he warned. "They feel like they can increase their dose any time. If you move too fast, you will feel ill."

He added, "If you don't know what you are doing and you don't know the signs, then it can be very dangerous. I would not suggest for anybody to self-medicate, but if you are applying it for yourself you should be under medical supervision."

Heading into a season of indulgence, Hochtritt encourages balance and caution.

"Eat a little bit of everything, drink plenty of water, minimise alcohol intake and take a walk after every large meal," he said. "As with every medication, it's not a one-thing-fits-all solution."