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The rise of Ozempic has enabled Americans to maintain unrealistic body standards and seek similar shortcuts for body sculpting and muscle gain.
The Diagnosis: The quest for “miracle cures” for weight loss and body sculpting has existed for centuries. But data has shown that easy hacks like vibrating belt machines and shake weights are mostly ineffective compared to regular exercise. That is, until Ozempic showed up.
About the Size of It: The rise of GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide has sparked new interest in low-effort paths to “the perfect body,” and doctors aren’t psyched about it.
- Teen use of GLP-1 agonists has sharply increased in recent years, with prescriptions for certain brands rising by more than 66% in 2024.
- While Ozempic can be a miracle for people with diabetes and obesity, using it to get thin when you’re already thin can pose serious health risks.
- In addition to the potential psychological harm caused by body dysmorphia, GLP-1 use among teens could adversely affect muscle and bone growth during critical development years.
The Prognosis: Social media only worsens the issue, flooding users with unhealthy beauty standards and then promoting shortcuts to achieve them. Drugs like Ozempic often replace healthier habits, but no equivalent “miracle” exists for building muscle, leading to further risk.
Prediction: As Ozempic use rises, and if more drugs like it appear, expect to see body standards become even more unrealistic and unattainable. By moving the goalposts, “miracle drugs” could keep us from revising potentially harmful body standards.
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