Miracle weight loss shots hyped by Hollywood linked to deadly bowel obstructions

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Medical experts are warning that Wegovy and similar fat-loss shots may cause a potentially deadly side effect overlooked in trials.

The blockbuster drugs work by mimicking the effects of GLP-1, a hormone that slows the movement of food through the intestines – making a person feel full for longer.

But researchers in China believe the drugs may cause a person's small intestine to become enlarged, which puts them at high risk of a potentially deadly obstruction in their digestive system.

In experiments performed on mice, the enlargement of the intestine occurred at around 20 months of taking GLP-1 drugs. The team points out that clinical trials for Wegovy, which has a sticker price of over $1,000 per month, only went up to 16 months, meaning this significant long-term side-effect may have been missed.


The researchers also reviewed previous research on humans that suggest users of these types of drugs are up to four times more likely to suffer intestinal obstruction.

'Because [this class of drugs] could cause continuous increases in the intestinal length and villus height, the small intestine may become as inelastic... leading to long-term upper intestinal obstruction,' the scientists wrote.

Intestinal obstructions occur when a blockage prevents food and liquid from passing through the intestines. This can be caused by damage to the digestive system, cancer, or an inflamed or stretched intestine.

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