When Karan Johar began to displaying signs of rapid weight loss, the rumor mill was on overdrive and questions flew thick and fast: was it Ozempic? The speculation was not baseless. After all, Ozempic and comparable medications have reached the mainstream consciousness with a rising number of Hollywood A-listers advocating for it as a shortcut to weight loss. Originally created to assist people with type 2 diabetes control blood sugar, Ozempic is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. The medicine greatly suppresses hunger, boosts insulin release, and mimics a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which slows stomach emptying. Research has further fueled interest. Studies reported that individuals in clinical trials (over a 68 week period) shed an average of 15% of their body weight. In the United States alone, more than 9 million GLP-1 prescriptions were written in late 2022. And recent projections indicate that by 2030, almost 30 million Americans—which is close to 9% of the population—will be dependent on these drugs. But the reality is more complex than the promise of quick outcomes seems. Concerns …