YouTuber Ppanibottle Reveals Weight Loss with Wegovy
"I Am Not a Wegovy Ambassador... Many Around Me Experienced Side Effects"
Travel YouTuber Ppanibottle, who has 2.41 million subscribers, revealed that she lost 10kg using the obesity treatment drug Wegovy. On the 14th, Ppanibottle posted an article on her social media (SNS) stating that she successfully lost weight with Wegovy, adding, "I am writing this cautiously with a worried heart." She said, "Somehow, I ended up looking like a Wegovy ambassador, but I have no connection with Wegovy and have never promoted it," and added, "Medical advertising laws are very strict; if you mess up, it can cause serious trouble."
Ppanibottle also disclosed the side effects caused by Wegovy. She said, "Recently, many of my acquaintances who have taken Wegovy have reported side effects such as lethargy, nausea, and depression," and emphasized, "I am also experiencing continuous nausea. Please consult your doctor in detail at the hospital before proceeding with any prescriptions."
Earlier, in January, Ppanibottle posted on SNS, "What I learned after taking Wegovy: I thought I was the type to gain weight easily even with a little food, but it turns out I was just eating a lot," sharing her review. Recently, she told travel YouTuber GwakTube, "I lost about 10kg after taking Wegovy," and said, "You should try it too."
Wegovy, developed by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 analog, as its main ingredient. Originally developed as a diabetes treatment, it was approved as an obesity treatment after its weight loss effects were confirmed. GLP-1 sends satiety signals to the brain indicating fullness, regulates stomach motility to prevent rapid emptying of food, and helps insulin secretion to lower blood sugar levels depending on glucose levels. Therefore, taking Wegovy increases feelings of fullness and bloating, reducing appetite.
Wegovy, launched domestically in October last year, is indicated for obese patients with a BMI of 30 or higher, or overweight patients with a BMI of 27 to 30 who have weight-related comorbidities such as prediabetes or hypertension. The price is set at 372,025 KRW per pen (4-week supply). The consumer price is known to range from approximately 500,000 to 800,000 KRW, including distributor margins, taxes, and medical fees.
However, various side effects such as abdominal pain, nausea, indigestion, and lethargy have been reported with Wegovy use, and concerns about risks from long-term use have also been raised. Comedian Kim Junho also shared on his YouTube channel 'Junho Jimin' on the 10th, "I lost weight from 83kg to 77kg after taking Wegovy," adding, "My desire for sleep and appetite disappeared, and I became more sensitive."
Additionally, if people who are not obese use Wegovy for weight loss purposes, there is a risk of muscle loss. Professor Kang Jaeheon of the Department of Family Medicine at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital told Hankyung.com, "The appropriate protein intake for Koreans is 7-20% of total caloric intake, but if you take drugs with strong appetite-suppressing effects, total caloric intake decreases significantly. If the protein intake ratio relative to total calories is not sufficiently increased, muscle loss can occur," and advised, "To prevent muscle loss, it is necessary to combine the medication with strength training 3 to 4 times a week."
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