Is this the new Ozempic? Scientists develop weight loss drug that reduces appetite but DOES NOT make you sick

Scientists believe they are close to creating the “holy grail” of weight loss drugs that reduce appetite without the nauseating side effects.

Early studies show that a drug can actually “activate” particular cells in the nervous system that play an important role in maintaining energy balance and sugar control.

It could potentially rival Wegovy and Mounjaro – two vaccines that have already transformed the future of weight loss and helped millions of people around the world lose weight.

Although both of these products are very effective, they can cause debilitating side effects such as nausea and nausea, meaning some people cannot continue using them.

Now, new research shows that activating certain cells in the body’s nervous system, called neurokinin 2 receptors (NK2R), increases calorie burning and decreases appetite without any signs of nausea.

This technique was also found to reduce appetite without loss of muscle mass, another potential side effect of current treatments.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen tested the effect of activating NK2Rs, which they believe play a role in maintaining energy balance and blood sugar control.

Trials conducted first in mice showed that activating the receptor safely increased calorie burning and also reduced appetite without any signs of nausea.

This, they say, is particularly important given that our bodies seem to burn fewer calories at rest than they did a few decades ago.

Other studies in primates with type 2 diabetes and obesity showed that activating NK2R reduced body weight and reversed their diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol.

The scientists said the findings, published in the journal Nature, represent “a major step forward” in the development of new drug treatments for people suffering from both type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Zach Gerhart-Hines, associate professor of metabolic research, said: “While GLP-1-based therapies have revolutionized the care of patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, the safe exploitation of the Energy expenditure and appetite control without nausea remain two Holy Grails in this area.

“By addressing these needs, we believe our discovery will propel current approaches to making more tolerable and effective treatments available to millions more people.”

Earlier this month, Britain’s medicines watchdog received reports of ten deaths linked to the use of weight-loss vaccines, it revealed.

There have also been 7,228 reports of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea associated with products like Wegovy and Ozempic.

Of these, 68 patients were hospitalized, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said.

The figures are based on users or healthcare professionals notifying the regulator of adverse reactions to drugs, known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA).

A reported death or adverse reaction does not necessarily mean it was caused by the medicine, just that someone suspected it might be the case.

Underlying or concomitant illnesses and other medications that patients may have taken at the time of death may be responsible and such events may also be coincidental, he told the trade magazine Chemist and Druggist.

The MHRA last week urged healthcare professionals to “report cases of misuse” and “inform patients about common and serious side effects associated with GLP-1RAs”.

At the time, it said it was aware of 46 hospitalizations as of August 16, suggesting there have been 22 additional reports in two months, representing a 48 percent increase.

The alert warns healthcare professionals to “be aware that there have been reports of potential misuse of GLP-1RAs for unauthorized indications such as cosmetic weight loss.”

The regulator said “healthcare professionals should… be alert to signs of misuse of these medicines in their patients, warn those patients that they are at risk of side effects and report any adverse effects.”

He added that patients should also be warned of the risk of counterfeit GLP-1RA weight loss medications if not prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional and be aware that some falsified medications contain insulin.