Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he is now taking a ‘magic’ fat-busting drug in a bid to lose weight and avoid type 2 diabetes.
The former Top Gear host, 62, claimed Ozempic was already having a ‘tremendous’ effect.
Taken as an injection given once a week, the drug drastically suppresses appetite — helping people beat the bulge by shovelling in less food.
Clarkson, who has in the past tried to slim through eating healthier and exercising, described its effects as being ‘genuinely incredible’.
Jeremy Clarkson, 62, has revealed he has begun injecting himself with the ‘tremendous’ drug, Ozempic, after fearing he could develop type 2 diabetes. Pictured above, Mr Clarkson in 2017
Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, the NHS watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved Ozempic (pictured) in 2019
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Writing in his latest Sunday Times column, the Grand Tour host said: ‘I can open the fridge, where there’s half a chicken and a juicy bottle of rosé, and I want neither.
‘Of course, I’ll have to insert some balance in the future, or I’ll, you know, die. But for now it’s tremendous.’
What is Ozempic?
The rich and famous are turning to the diabetes drug Ozempic as a quick-acting weight loss solution.
The drug, which uses the active ingredient semaglutide, is manufactured by the Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk.
It is injected into the stomach, thigh or arm to help regulate a person’s blood sugar.
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drug that mimics the effects of the hormone that is naturally produced in a person’s stomach and pancreas.
These hormones signal to the brain that it does not need to eat. This reduces a person’s appetite and reduces food cravings.
It also slows down the emptying of the stomach and increases the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas.
But trials have shown that Ozempic can trigger some heavy side effects including mild or moderate nausea, acid reflux, cramping and diarrhoea, as well as constipation.
However, researchers say these are short-lasting and resolve themselves.
The drug has been approved by both the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US for type 2 diabetes treatment, making its use as a weight loss supplement off-label.
It has still rocketed to popularity with celebrity dieticians reporting a surge in requests for it among their wealthy clients.
But demand for the drug has reached such heights that in both the UK and US, type 2 diabetics that need it for treatment have had to deal with shortages in recent months.
He added: ‘I never used to know what Kate Moss was on about when she said that nothing tastes as good as skinny feels, but I think, on my new wonder drug, I soon will.’
Hollywood actresses are rumoured to be using the injections to stay as skinny as possible.
Even tech mogul Elon Musk has credited the drug for his recent weight loss.
Experts say its phenomenal success has led to stocks running dry across the world.
Semaglutide, branded as Ozempic or Wegovy, was hailed as a major breakthrough when it burst onto the scene.
Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, the NHS watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved Ozempic in 2019.
Wegovy was approved in February after trials showed patients given the treatment lost an average of nearly two-and-a-half stone (35lbs) in little over a year, while those given a placebo lost 6lbs.
It is recommended for obese patients with a weight-related illness, such as type 2 diabetes, or at high risk of a heart attack, as slimming down can help protect against these problems.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body doesn’t make enough insulin, or if the insulin it makes doesn’t work properly — leading to high blood sugar levels.
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to blindness and leave patients needing their limbs amputated or in a coma.
It affects roughly 4.5million people in Britain and 37million in the US.
The drug is available for treating obesity in a private setting for just under £200 per month.
Mr Clarkson, who was forced to apologise over a controversial column about Meghan Markle in The Sun last month, revealed that he paid £140 for the initial prescription.
He said he was introduced to the injectable drug after learning that his friends were taking ‘a new Danish drug called Ozempic’ to ward off diabetes and ‘when questioned they all raved about it’.
The drug is taken via an easy-to-use self-injection pen. NICE, the NHS medicine watchdog, says that semaglutide — the drug’s active ingredient — can be offered to patients trying to lose weight for a maximum of two years. Those who are diabetic may need it for longer.
Semaglutide works by mimicking glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone which is released after eating.
Everyone from Hollywood stars to tech moguls are turning to the injectable drug to stay slim, with Elon Musk crediting the drug in October for his recent weight loss. Pictured above, Elon Musk in August 2022
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It signals to the body to release insulin, which helps move digested sugar from the blood into cells where it can be used for energy.
This leads to feelings of being full. Patients taking the drug claim to have been left repulsed by their own favourite food — including coffee, chocolate and fried chicken.
It also slows down the emptying of the stomach and increases the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas.
But trials have shown that Ozempic can trigger some heavy side effects including mild or moderate nausea, acid reflux, cramping and diarrhoea, as well as constipation.
However, researchers say these are short-lasting and resolve themselves.