The newest trend in weight loss is a diabetes medication, and it could have major effects on the health industry.
The diabetes medication Ozempic was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2017, and consumers quickly realized that a side effect of the injectable was extreme weight loss.
The active ingredient in Ozempic that causes weight loss is semaglutide. Semaglutide works by activating the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors in the pancreas, which helps to lower blood sugar levels and regulate insulin. In turn, it signals to the body that it’s full, and slows down the emptying of the stomach, working as a powerful appetite suppressor.
The high market for Ozempic for weight loss led the FDA to approve a similar drug in 2021, a medication known as Wegovey, which contained a higher dose of semaglutide and is marketed as a weight loss drug.
In the past year, the increased use of semaglutide for weight loss has had staggering effects on the health industry, as consumers turn their backs on traditional forms of weight loss, and turn to semaglutide injections as a quick fix.
According to SPINS, a trend and data company that specializes in the health industry, the rise of semaglutide has created a decline in sales of weight loss supplements. In November 2023, sales totaled $32.8M, the lowest it has reached in three years.
SPINS Staff at a Data Presentation, Courtesy of Scott Dicker
Scott Dicker, Senior Market Insights Data Analyst at SPINS, believes that the decline in sales of weight loss supplements is setting the tone for other areas involved in weight loss.
SPINS Senior Market Insights Data Analyst Scott Dicker, Courtesy of Scott Dicker
“Weight loss supplements have been trending downwards each year, and I anticipate that this trend will continue,” Dicker said. “While I do think that adjacent categories will see the benefits of semaglutide, the intense rise in popularity of semaglutide doesn’t allow much room for other products. It’s unlikely that a majority of consumers will reach for products that don’t have the same notoriety as semaglutide if weight loss is what they are hoping to achieve.”
“The intense rise in popularity of semaglutide doesn’t allow much room for other products. It’s unlikely that a majority of consumers will reach for products that don’t have the same notoriety as semaglutide if weight loss is what they are hoping to achieve.”
Scott Dicker
While semaglutide may be halting the sales of weight loss supplements, it’s causing a rise in the sales of protein supplements and vitamins. SPINS reported a 15.3% increase in sales of protein supplements, a 0.6% increase in probiotics, and a 0.2% increase in multivitamins.
Data from SPINS, graph made by Kaitlyn Mitchell in Flourish
“When people are on semaglutide they’re eating less food, they’re consuming fewer calories, but they’re also not getting the same amount of nutrients that they typically would,” Dicker said. “Things like protein shakes, greens powders, and multivitamins are going to see a boost as people look to fill nutrient gaps.”
While semaglutide is already having a clear effect on health supplements, Dicker anticipates that it will soon begin to affect the health industry in a more long-term way, as the discussion around semaglutide sets a precedent for a resurgence of diet culture.
Although semaglutide has been available as a weight-loss-specific drug since 2021, its recent mass popularity is primarily due to its presence in popular culture. Semaglutide has become a staple in the lives of many celebrities, and their endorsements of the drug have only increased the demand for it.
Evonne Chan, Nutrition Data Analyst at SPINS, agrees that semaglutide prevalence in popular culture may shift its current demographics, which in turn could cause semaglutide to be used more for vanity reasons rather than overall health.
SPINS Nutrition Data Analyst Evvone Chan, Courtesy of Evvone Chan
Currently, data shows that of those who reported using semaglutide injections in the past year, 45% were women, and 55% were male. Additionally, 43% were millennials, and 30% were Gen Xers.
Data from SPINS, graph made by Kaitlyn Mitchell in Infograph
Chan believes that the demographics could begin to include more women and Gen Zers in the coming years.
“Historically the weight loss market has been focused more on women than men,” Chan said. “As semaglutide becomes more available and mainstream, especially in areas highly populated with younger generations and women. As semaglutide is being marketed as a ‘quick-fix’ pill and is a talking point in pop culture, we could reasonably expect to see a shift more towards females and younger groups in the coming years.”
“As semaglutide is being marketed as a ‘quick-fix’ pill and is a talking point in pop culture, we could reasonably expect to see a shift more towards females and younger groups in the coming years.”
Evvone Chan
While semaglutide allows users to lose weight at a rate much faster than they could lose naturally, many users begin to make the shift towards cleaner eating and working out to maintain the weight loss. Dicker says this could lead to a rise in ‘health food’ sales and ‘health food stores,’ and stores like Walmart and Meijer have already experienced a loss in sales due to semaglutide.
“The anticipated demographic shift towards women and generations like Gen Z could affect areas like gyms and vitamins, but it could also have an effect on grocery stores,” Chan said. “If semaglutide continues to trend at this level we can predict a rise in low-calorie foods, with ‘junk food’ brands getting innovative to keep up, and labels like ‘low-fat’ on the rise again.”
As semaglutide popularity is prompting a rise in ‘natural’ food and supplements, it may also be initiating a rise in a ‘natural’ form of semaglutide. Berberine, a supplement that aims to lower blood sugar and aid in weight loss has been nicknamed “Nature’s Ozempic” for its similar results to semaglutide, and data shows a 40% increase in Berberine sales due to social media platforms comparing it to Ozempic.
Chan believes that Berberine is a good option for consumers who may not be able to afford semaglutide and that Berberine may also help to increase sales of semaglutide.
“Berberine is a great option in terms of affordability, and we’ve noticed that users will often try Berberine as a more natural approach to semaglutide, but ultimately end up using semaglutide,” Chan said. “ I don’t anticipate Berberine getting anywhere near the same level as semaglutide injections, but it is the exception to the current trend of weight loss supplements. While weight loss supplements are trending downwards, Berberine isn’t. This is likely because of its marketing strategy of ‘Nature’s Ozempic’ and it really puts into perspective the hold that semaglutide has on the health industry at the moment.”
Although semaglutide has taken the health industry and popular culture by storm, not everybody agrees with it. Emily Hunter, a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, believes that semaglutide will ultimately have negative effects on the health industry and that Berberine is the best option for consumers who are looking for an aid in weight loss.
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Emily Hunter, Courtesy of Emily Hunter
“The issue with semaglutide products like Ozempic and Wegovey is that they were not originally made for weight loss if the user didn’t have underlying health conditions like diabetes,” Hunter said. “Berberine is a natural version of semaglutide, so it won’t work to the same degree but we know the long-term effects of it. We’re already seeing issues with people who use Ozempic for weight loss and end up with paralyzed stomachs and other issues that they have to deal with for the rest of their lives.”
While Hunter agrees that semaglutide currently has a huge impact on the health industry and trends, she believes that the message semaglutide injections are sending to the masses will have an adverse effect on ‘health’ in the coming years.
“When we’re seeing celebrities lose massive amounts of weight so quickly, and then they promote that product, people of all ages develop an interest in it. The promotion of a product that suppresses appetite to the point where people are having to set alarms on their phone so they remember to eat is concerning,” Hunter said. “We’re beginning to see people who are already thin take semaglutide, and it’s so available whether or not a person ‘needs’ it. I think that this has the potential to set many people down the paths of eating disorders if we aren’t careful.”
“We’re beginning to see people who are already thin take semaglutide, and it’s so available whether or not a person ‘needs’ it. I think that this has the potential to set many people down the paths of eating disorders if we aren’t careful.”
