Weight loss jabs are gaining significant popularity in the UK, with an estimated 1.5 million people currently using them and more expected to join, following government approval for GPs to prescribe them. However, a prominent plastic surgeon, Dr. Mo Akhavani, co-founder of The Plastic Surgery Group in London, has issued a grave warning: individuals on these jabs are unknowingly putting their lives at risk during surgical procedures due to a potentially deadly complication known as aspiration pneumonia, which can lead to choking.

The core issue lies in the jabs' effect on gastric emptying. Typically, patients are advised to fast for at least six hours before surgery to ensure their stomach is empty, preventing the inhalation of food or liquid into the lungs during general anaesthesia. Dr. Akhavani explained that weight loss jabs "delay gastric emptying," meaning stomach contents remain for much longer than usual. He noted that approximately 80% of his patients are on some form of jab, and about one in ten might "genuinely forget" to disclose this to their doctor because the medication has become a routine part of their life. Researchers in California further supported this concern, finding that weight loss jabs can increase the risk of aspiration by 33%.

Medical experts, including Dr. Akhavani, strongly advise patients to discontinue the weight loss jab for at least two weeks, or possibly longer, before undergoing any surgery. This allows the stomach to return to its normal emptying rate, significantly reducing the risk of complications. Dr. Ali Rezaie, author of a study on aspiration during endoscopy, stressed the severity of aspiration, stating it "can be devastating" and lead to respiratory failure, ICU admission, or even death, emphasizing the importance of preventative measures.

Beyond surgical risks, weight loss jabs have been associated with a range of side effects. Hair loss is a particularly distressing one, as experienced by Nour Mansour, who noticed significant shedding after six months on Mounjaro. Former politician Nadine Dorries also reported similar issues. While GLP-1 drugs are linked to hair shedding in trials (over 5% for Mounjaro), experts like Dr. David Fenton, a world-renowned hair loss specialist, suggest the medication itself is not the direct cause. Instead, rapid weight loss and reduced appetite often lead to nutritional deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin B12, folate, zinc, vitamin D, and protein, all crucial for healthy hair growth. This condition is known as telogen effluvium, where more hair follicles enter the shedding phase due to body stress. To mitigate this, experts recommend a balanced, nutrient-rich diet, supplements, blood tests, and potentially slowing down the rate of weight loss.

Other reported side effects include constipation, extreme bloating, and muscle wasting, with US experts noting that semaglutide, the active ingredient in popular jabs like Wegovy and Ozempic, may cause muscle loss, potentially making long-term weight management harder. Furthermore, the UK medicines regulator (MHRA) has logged 111 deaths linked to slimming jabs, though direct causation has not been proven. The MHRA also launched a probe into the safety of fat jabs after hundreds of Britons developed pancreatitis, leading to ten fatalities.

Despite these warnings and side effects, demand for weight loss jabs continues to boom, with pharmacists, including the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), cautioning that it may become "unsustainable." An NPA poll revealed that a fifth of participants attempted to access weight loss treatments in the last year, with this figure rising to 35% among 16-34 year olds. Official guidelines stipulate that jabs should only be prescribed to patients with a BMI over 35 (or 30-34.9 with co-morbidities) who meet referral criteria for specialist weight management services. While these jabs can help people lose up to 20% of their body weight in a few months, a new daily weight loss pill, orforglipron, offers similar benefits, with users losing an average of 12.4% of body weight and improvements in cholesterol and blood pressure, and is expected to be widely available soon without supply constraints.