Superpowered black market Ozempic that all my patients want

Superpowered black market Ozempic that all my patients want,

If you thought the era of ‘fat jabs’ had already peaked, think again.

Just as the world has begun to wrap its head around GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, a new generation is quietly advancing through clinical trials and, in some cases, being sold in the shadows of the black market.

These so-called ‘GLP-3’ drugs are not yet available to the public nor approved by the FDA, and yet they are generating a worrying level of buzz.

As a physician and founder of a longevity and peptide-based weight loss program, I have seen firsthand how transformative GLP-1s can be for patients struggling with obesity. I also recognize the danger of using drugs that haven’t undergone rigorous testing.

So, what are GLP-3s? Put simply, these are the next class of metabolic drugs designed to achieve results beyond the capability of current weight-loss pills and injections.

GLP-1 medications are incredibly effective, not just for weight loss but for improving metabolic health, reducing cardiovascular risk and reducing inflammation. These medications work by mimicking a hormone that regulates appetite and slows gastric emptying. For many patients, they are life changing.

GLP-3s, a nickname rather than a formal classification, aim to build on that foundation by addressing multiple metabolic pathways simultaneously. Think of them as moving from a single-tool approach to a multi-tool strategy.

Just as the world has begun to wrap its head around GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, a new generation is quietly advancing through clinical trials

The GLP-3 drug currently generating the most attention is retatrutide. It is a ‘triple agonist,’ meaning it acts on three different hormone receptors, including those effected by GLP-1 drugs as well as an additional one called glucagon.

Glucagon appears to increase energy expenditure, essentially helping the body burn more calories while also reducing appetite.

Early clinical trials suggest that retatrutide promotes weight loss results that rival and may even exceed those of GLP-1 drugs. Whereas GLP-1s resulted in patients losing between 10 and 20 percent of their body weight, with GLP-3s patients lose upwards of 20 to 25 percent reductions in some studies. That begins to approach the territory of bariatric surgery, but without the operating room.

It sounds almost too good to be true and that is where caution comes in. Because while efficacy is impressive, the side effect profile of these drugs may also be more intense.

We are seeing higher rates of nausea, vomiting and gastrointestinal distress – similar to the side effects of GLP-1s but potentially amplified. 

There are also lingering questions about long-term safety, particularly given the addition of glucagon activity which can affect heart rate and metabolism in ways we do not yet fully understand.

Here is the critical point: these drugs are still in clinical trials. They are not FDA approved. They are not available through legitimate medical channels. Yet patients are already finding ways to get them.

A growing black market has emerged, fueled by demand, social media hype and the promise of rapid, dramatic weight loss. 

I cannot stress this enough: obtaining these medications outside of regulated systems is dangerous. There is no guarantee of purity, dosing accuracy, or even that what you are injecting is what you think it is.

In my practice, I have already begun having conversations with patients who are asking about these drugs and, in some cases, admitting they have tried to source them online. This is where education becomes critical.

We have seen this pattern before. First with non-FDA approved GLP-1s, then with off-label use of the drugs and now with entirely unapproved GLP-3s.

The GLP-3 drug currently generating the most attention is retatrutide. It is a ‘triple agonist,’ meaning it acts on three different hormone receptors 

Dr. Sheila Nazarian is the founder of Nazarian Plastic Surgery and NazarianSkin

The speed at which these drugs are entering public awareness is outpacing the safeguards designed to protect patients.

As for when we might see FDA approval, we are likely still a few years away. Clinical trials need to continue, long term data must be evaluated and safety profiles must be clearly established. If results remain strong, it is reasonable to expect these drugs could enter the market within the latter part of this decade. But the future does not stop there.

What we are witnessing is the beginning of a new era in obesity medicine, one where treatments become increasingly personalized, potent and multifaceted.

We may soon see combinations tailored to individual metabolic profiles, or medications that not only promote weight loss but preserve muscle mass and optimize overall health.

For patients who have been dazzled, as many of us have, by the results of current GLP-1 therapies, it may feel almost unimaginable that something better is on the horizon.

And yet, here we are.

The promise is real. But so are the risks.

As always in medicine, the goal is not just to move forward, it is to move forward responsibly.