Modern Problems Need Modern Solutions: CRISPR, Ozempic and Wegovy to Combat Obesity
With global obesity on the rise, CRISPR and new drugs have grown increasingly popular, but are they being used correctly?
Photo Source: USC
It’s estimated that by the time Henry VIII died, he weighed as much as 392 pounds. At the time, he was the exception. In the modern day, we can watch a show called “My 600-Lb. Life.” Clearly, some things have changed.
Obesity is one of the main causes of heart disease and diabetes, giving it the doubtful honor of being the 5th leading cause of global deaths. To make matters worse, global obesity rates are on the rise. According to the World Obesity Federation, over half the world’s population may be obese by 2035. These statistics necessitate more studies into the root causes and possible treatments for obesity and its related diseases. Fortunately, in recent years, more treatments, including CRISPR-based treatments and weight loss drugs, have been developed.
When developing treatments, researchers consider the root cause of a disease. Unfortunately, there’s no one cause for obesity. The simple answer, to both the root cause and a possible treatment, is a change of lifestyle. People who eat well and exercise often are far less likely to be overweight than people who live sedentarily. People looking to lose weight can change their diet and participate in more movement. However, there’s more to it than that.
Genetics play a large role in determining a person’s overall health, including their weight. This isn’t new information. In fact, a 1990 study following twins, both reared apart and reared together, indicates that genetic factors are more significant than environmental ones in determining a person’s body mass index (BMI).
The role of genetics must be considered when looking at treating obesity, but more than 50 different genes have been connected to obesity and diabetes, with no one gene implicated as a consistent factor, making a genetic treatment more complicated. Of course, that hasn’t stopped researchers from trying to develop genetic treatments.
Researchers all over the world have started to try and use CRISPR to cure a wide variety of diseases, and obesity is no exception. In South Korea, researchers used CRISPR in mice to silence Fabp4, a fatty acid metabolism gene, as a treatment for obesity and obesity-induced type 2 diabetes. Their system resulted in reduced body fat percentages and improved insulin resistance, but unfortunately, human trials are unlikely to happen anytime soon. However, the idea is proof of concept, and it could be that people will undergo gene editing treatment to treat obesity and related diseases sometime in the next 20 years. On a more relevant timescale, other options exist.
Previously, the most doctors could do for diabetic or obese patients would be to prescribe insulin or exercise. Recently, that’s begun to change. Two drugs that induce weight loss, Ozempic and Wegovy, were approved by the FDA in 2017 and 2021, respectively. Both drugs contain the active ingredient semaglutide, which regulates insulin production and lowers blood sugar. It also lowers the user’s appetite, prompting people on the drug to eat less. Ozempic is only approved to treat diabetes, while Wegovy is approved as a weight loss drug.
Semaglutide is different from previous weight loss drugs in that it is more effective and has fewer side effects. This has led to a boom in popularity, with both the general public and celebrities. Elon Musk, when asked on X, formerly Twitter, how he looked so “ripped, fit and healthy,” replied that he had been taking Wegovy.
It’s not surprising they’re so sought after, when it takes only a few weeks for the drugs to become effective, compared to the months or years that exercise and diet would take to achieve the same results. However, the popularity of the drug has led to shortages.
Semaglutide is listed on the FDA’s drug shortage database, and it’s become difficult for many patients to access it, even if they have a clear and present need. This is especially difficult for patients who started taking the drug, but then were unable to continue, as both drugs need to be taken at regular intervals or patients will gain the weight back.
It’s also worth nothing that despite their differences from previous weight loss drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy aren’t miracle drugs. They do have some side effects, including diarrhea, gastric refluxes and, in rare cases, pancreatitis. They are also meant to treat obesity and diabetes. Dr. Anne Peters an endocrinologist at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, warns against misuse. “I’m in favor of these drugs when used correctly,” Dr. Peters told USC. “The problem is using these in people who aren’t overweight.” In short, these drugs are approved to treat diabetes and weight loss, and it’s unknown what the effects will be if taken for other reasons.
Would you take Wegovy or Ozempic? What about a CRISPR solution, if one was available? Would you recommend one or the other to a friend?
As a general rule, I’m mistrustful of weight loss drugs, but as these seem to quickly improve someone’s quality of life, I think I probably would recommend it. Also, I’m absolutely pro-CRISPR. Still, I’d love to know what you think. Let us know in the comments!
Best,
Grace for the Don’t Count Us Out Yet Team