{"id":405552,"date":"2026-01-11T04:56:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T04:56:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/405552\/"},"modified":"2026-01-11T04:56:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T04:56:16","slug":"ozempic-mounjaro-side-effects-new-hidden-risks-emerging-from-weight-loss-injections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/405552\/","title":{"rendered":"Ozempic, Mounjaro side-effects: New hidden risks emerging from weight-loss injections"},"content":{"rendered":"

After years of trying different diets and exercise programs Susan Judd turned to weight-loss injections<\/a> for help.<\/p>\n

But only recently did the 58-year-old from Port Macquarie, NSW, learn that losing weight so rapidly with medication can come with hidden risks.<\/p>\n

The use of weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro is surging across Australia.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

New research from Deakin University<\/a> warns that rapid weight loss without strength-based exercise can lead to long-term health consequences for older people \u2014 including a loss of muscle mass, strength and bone density.<\/p>\n

Judd lost 10kg in a matter of months, stabilising her weight and improving her overall health.<\/p>\n

\"SusanSusan Judd lost 10kg rapidly after turning to weight-loss injections. Credit: Supplied\"TheThe use of weight-loss injections, including Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, are surging across Australia. Credit: AP<\/p>\n

While she credits the injections with delivering dramatic results, she says the \u201cmiracle\u201d drugs are not the end of the journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always related my loss of muscle mass to menopause,\u201d Judd told 7NEWS.com.au.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never really thought about it being Ozempic or Mounjaro.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the age of 27 Judd was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes<\/a>, which is when the immune system destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leading to insufficient insulin and high blood sugar.<\/p>\n

Patients with the condition need lifelong insulin replacement via injections or pumps.<\/p>\n

After several rounds of IVF to have her children \u2014 now 18 and 20 \u2014 Judd entered perimenopause in her mid-40s.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy hormones were out of kilter, my blood glucose sugars went haywire and I was accumulating body weight \u2014 even my bras wouldn\u2019t fit me properly,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seemed like I put weight on overnight \u2014 everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AtAt her heaviest, Judd tipped the scales at 95kg placing her in the obese category. Credit: Supplied<\/p>\n

Judd said she tried everything to lose the weight, including running, at-home workouts and dieting.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the time I hit 50, nothing was working. Nothing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt didn\u2019t matter what I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

At her heaviest, Judd weighed 95kg \u2014 a significant figure for her 162cm frame putting her in the obese category.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time I went to the endocrinologist she put me on the scales,\u201d Judd recalled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was so depressing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning to weight-loss injections<\/p>\n

Like many Australians, Judd became aware of Ozempic<\/a> three years ago, as dramatic weight-loss stories dominated headlines and social media.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople were really losing weight,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ran into a girlfriend who had gone from a size 18 down to a size 10 after using the medication.\u201d<\/p>\n

After discussing the option with her endocrinologist \u2014 and undergoing careful checks due to her type 1 diabetes \u2014 she was given clearance to use the treatment.<\/p>\n

She dropped 10kg quickly but suffered severe gastrointestinal side effects, including constant diarrhoea and vomiting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI constantly felt nauseous,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t eat. I went off food, coffee \u2014 everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

While travelling to Turkey with her family in 2024, her condition escalated dramatically.<\/p>\n

\u201cI threw up all through the hotel foyer and into the garden,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey called an ambulance and took me to the emergency room. I was put on a drip.\u201d<\/p>\n

After returning to Australia, her endocrinologist switched her to Mounjaro \u2014 and the difference was immediate.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Judds Credit: Lucy Humphries Photography\/Lucy Humphries Photography<\/p>\n

While her weight has stabilised at around 84kg, Judd said the biggest win has been her long-term health, rather than a dramatic transformation.<\/p>\n

She explained the medication has suppressed her hunger and she no longer craves processed and fatty foods.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy blood glucose levels, and my liver and kidney functions are perfect,\u201d Judd said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are the kinds of things type 1s have to worry about \u2014 but they\u2019re all as good as they\u2019ve ever been in 30 years, in the normal range.\u201d<\/p>\n

The missing piece: muscle and movement<\/p>\n

Despite losing the weight and feeling healthier, Judd noticed she had lost strength.<\/p>\n

She initially put it down to menopause, as it can decrease muscle mass and density due to declining estrogen.<\/p>\n

But Judd has since learnt that the weight-loss injections could also play a part.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m definitely not as strong as I used to be,\u201d Judd said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut again, I\u2019ve always linked that to ageing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new data suggests people shedding kilos quickly on GLP-1 medications risk long-term chronic health issues if the weight loss is not supported by physical activity.<\/p>\n

Research from Deakin University has found people who lose weight rapidly without exercising risk losing lean muscle mass, strength and bone density.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s peak physical activity body, AUSactive, says strength and weight-bearing exercise is critical to protect muscles, support bone health and reduce future health risks.<\/p>\n

Now, Judd says she\u2019s far more mindful of how she moves her body.<\/p>\n

She practises Tai Chi several times a week, alongside strength training.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just love the grounding. It makes me happy,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s really good for my mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n

AUSactive CEO Ken Griffin said exercise is not optional for people using the drugs.<\/p>\n

\"AUSactiveAUSactive CEO Ken Griffin said exercise is not optional for people using the drugs. Credit: WALDECOMMS<\/p>\n

\u201cStructured physical activity, especially resistance training and weight-bearing exercise, is critical to protect and build muscle, protect bones and help keep the weight off safely,\u201d Griffin said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor GLP-1 users, a fitness professional should be as familiar as their GP or pharmacist.\u201d<\/p>\n

AUSactive<\/a> is backing the World Health Organisation\u2019s warning that exercise must sit alongside medication \u2013 not come after it.<\/p>\n

\u201cExercise isn\u2019t optional,\u201d Griffin said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the safety net that protects muscle, protects bones, supports metabolism and prevents future hospitalisations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Injections don\u2019t replace movement<\/p>\n

While Judd, author of Hot, Foggy & Fabulous, expects to remain on Mounjaro long-term, she\u2019s clear the medication isn\u2019t a shortcut \u2014 and shouldn\u2019t be treated as one.<\/p>\n

\"SusanSusan Judd is now mindful of how she moves her body as she\u2019ll most likely be on the weight-loss injections for life. Credit: Lucy Humphries Photography<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I going to be on it for the rest of my life? Probably,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I give it up, will I just skyrocket back up? I\u2019m too scared to find out.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Australia\u2019s use of weight-loss medications continues to climb, her message is simple: the injections can help but they don\u2019t replace movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t fix one thing and ignore everything else,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou still have to look after your body.\u201d<\/p>\n

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