TOKYO: Medications used to treat diabetes, such as Mounjaro, should not be used by people to lose weight rapidly or to excessively restrict their diet, the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity (JASSO) has warned.
JASSO issued a statement Saturday (Oct 3) in response to the growing off-label use of these medications for the purpose of losing weight, warning of the risk of health complications such as vomiting and abdominal pain. The statement will be published on the organisation’s website on Monday.
Some medications that are used to treat diabetes and obesity suppress the appetite, and there are particular concerns over the inappropriate use of Mounjaro — usually used to treat diabetes — for the purpose of losing weight.
Rapid weight loss induced by these medications accelerates the breakdown of fat, which leads to an increase in substances called ketone bodies. These can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and fatigue. In some cases, life-threatening conditions can develop, such as impaired consciousness and breathing difficulties.
According to JASSO, there have recently been report of such health complications occurring in people who don’t have diabetes or are not obese.
JASSO’s statement highlights the adverse health affects that could be caused by the use of these medications when used for excessive dietary restriction and calls for people to stop using them for such purposes.
The organisation is encouraging users of the medication to consider whether they need to lose weight at all, and is urging people to stop restricting their diet if they show signs of health complications associated with elevated levels of ketone and to consider seeking medical attention.
“We would like people to consider that dietary restrictions carry health risks,” Kobe University Prof Wataru Ogawa, who had compiled the statement, said at a press conference. - The Japan News/ANN
