What seems like a quick, easy and risk-free way for cyclists to loose weight to improve performance has caught the attention of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Semaglutide diabetes drugs Ozempic, Wegovy and similar products have now been added to WADA’s Monitoring Program – or watchlist.

The watchlist tracks substances not prohibited from use that WADA wishes to monitor for potential performance enhancing effects or that endanger the health of athletes – and then possibly add to the WADA Prohibited List.

Most recently the painkiller Tramadol was moved from the watchlist to the Prohibited List after WADA deemed it a performance enhancing substance that reduced exertional pain and allowed athletes to work even harder.

Athletes (pro and amateur) may use substances on the watchlist, but WADA accredited labs test for these substances when an athlete submits anti-doping biological samples. Results are then reported to WADA for tracking and analysis.

New injectable diabetes/weight loss drugs work by mimicking the action of the hormone GLP-1, which produces insulin but also makes the body feel less hungry by slowing down the gastrointestinal tract. People who take these drugs say they have a very low appetite and cannot finish meals, resulting in weight loss.

Though, fit athletes taking these prescription drugs “off-label” to potentially improve performance face significant training and health risks.

“If you take Ozempic, your impulse to eat meals and snacks will probably be greatly diminished,” said Kristen Blake who holds a Masters of Science in Clinical Nutrition and Human Performance. “Even after you exercise, which is a time when your body is going to tell you that you need to refuel and replenish through food, you might not feel a drive to eat. As a result, you may end up struggling with slower and incomplete recovery, more severe and longer-lasting muscle soreness, and other performance issues that make it less likely that you’ll achieve your goals.”

Another unpleasant side effect of taking Ozempic for endurance athletes is stomach issues. “If you use Ozempic, you might experience gas, bloating, diarrhea, and other forms of GI distress,” Blake added. That is because semaglutide drugs delay gastric emptying, making it hard to predict when an athlete will quickly need to use a bathroom and can lead to dangerous levels of dehydration.

Novo Nordisk, the Danish company that makes Ozempic and Wegovy, says they do not “promote, suggest, or encourage off-label use of our medicines,” according to spokesperson Allison Schneider.

Photo Credit: Novo Nordisk, WADA

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