Johann Hari: 'Six months into taking Ozempic, I was losing loads of weight but I felt quite emotionally muted. Not depressed but a bit flat'

→ Оригинал (без защиты от корпорастов) | Изображения из статьи: [1] [2]

In his new book, the author investigates the good, the bad and the ugly effects of Ozempic. Here, he talks about his experience of taking the weight-loss drug, how it could impact other addictions and why a cultural shift around food is possible

Hari lost three stone while taking the medication.

In the winter of 2022, just after the pandemic, writer Johann Hari went to his first party in two years. Like many of us, he'd gained weight — around 10kg — during lockdown, and was feeling a bit "schlubby". The party was being thrown by an Oscar-winning actor and Hari was curious to see if Hollywood had chubbed out too. He got a shock.

"I thought it would be fascinating, seeing these Hollywood stars with a bit of podge on them," he says. "So I was really taken aback — they were all markedly thinner than before the pandemic. I said to my friend, 'Wow, everyone really did take up Pilates during lockdown,' and she just laughed, and showed me a picture of an Ozempic pen on her phone."