Ozempic use among teens is skyrocketing — and parents are getting a stern warning from experts

It’s nan hot-shot hole that took Hollywood — and now precocious schoolhouse — by storm.

Ozempic and different alleged “miracle” weight-loss meds are being prescribed to teens successful grounds numbers, pinch prescriptions among 12- to 17-year-olds jumping 50% successful 2024, according to Truveta. 

Another study from nan Evernorth Research Institute, arsenic reported by Reuters, clocked a whopping 68% emergence successful usage among adolescents overall.

But while slim-down shots for illustration Wegovy whitethorn shrink waistlines, immoderate experts opportunity parents should pump nan brakes — earlier turning their kids into pin cushions.

Dr. Robert Siegel, a pediatrician astatine Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, didn’t mince words, telling nan news agency, “These medications are apt to beryllium needed for a very agelong clip to support weight.”

He added that “we only person a comparatively short-term acquisition pinch them.”

In different words, we’ve hardly scratched nan aboveground connected what these meds mightiness do to increasing bodies — and kids could beryllium stuck connected them for life.

The spike successful teen prescriptions comes aft Wegovy was approved for adolescents successful precocious 2022. 

Since then, families hopeless to hit backmost nan obesity pandemic — which affects 1 successful 4 American teens — person turned to GLP-1 meds successful increasing numbers.

“It’s promising that much young group are utilizing these medications, but it’s still a very mini percent of patients pinch terrible obesity that are getting entree to them,” Dr. Cate Varney, head of obesity medicine astatine nan University of Virginia Health system, told Reuters.  

Experts pass we’re rolling nan dice — these shots could messiness pinch increasing bodies, and kids mightiness beryllium stuck jabbing themselves for life. nuzza11 – stock.adobe.com

“When manner changes unsocial are insufficient, we request these further tools.”

Still, nan caller devices travel pinch plentifulness of good print.

“The medications whitethorn request to beryllium utilized indefinitely,” Siegel said, noting astir pediatricians don’t person nan training — aliases instrumentality — to way semipermanent effects for illustration musculus nonaccomplishment aliases developmental delays.

Novo Nordisk, nan shaper of Ozempic and Wegovy, insists there’s nary logic to panic. 

Slim-down shots mightiness melt fat accelerated — but docs opportunity teens should ditch nan syringes and instrumentality to sweat, not semaglutide, for lasting results. Corbis via Getty Images

The institution said successful a connection that semaglutide “did not look to impact maturation aliases pubertal development” successful teen objective trials. 

“We are assured successful nan proven information and efficacy of our GLP-1 medicines,” Novo added.

Eli Lilly, whose supplier Zepbound is successful tests for teen use, echoed that stance, arsenic per Reuters. 

“There has been nary grounds to day suggesting impairment successful maturation aliases metabolism,” nan institution said.

But that’s not capable to calm critics. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. slammed nan inclination arsenic a motion of nan “overmedicalization of our kids,” citing a deficiency of semipermanent information information and possible threats to metabolism and development.

With weight-loss shots looking much for illustration a long-haul committedness than a speedy fix, immoderate doctors opportunity teens should attraction connected old-school strategies earlier turning to syringes.

As The Post antecedently reported, a study from integer healthcare level Tebra recovered that 37% of young Americans successful this property group are planning to ditch nan gym and caput to nan drugstore instead — turning to Ozempic, Wegovy and different GLP-1 narcotics to deed their weight-loss goals.

While Gen Z is nan astir eager to jump connected nan injection bandwagon, older folks are really much assured successful nan drugs’ effectiveness — pinch 72% of babe boomers saying they activity amended than accepted methods.

Still, nan craze has a acheronian side: Some users person turned to shady, moreover vulnerable methods, including counterfeit meds and unprescribed use, triggering caller fears astir addiction and a deficiency of due oversight.