The search term for the drug Ozempic has more than 300 million views on TikTok as the diabetes medication becomes the latest trend in weight loss treatment, according to NBC’s Today. The injectable drug is the hit of weight conscious Hollywood celebrities and mover-and-shakers with lots of cash who say they’ve shed pounds effortlessly with the drug.

According to Variety, Ozempic is an insulin regulator that goes under the generic name of semaglutide. Hollywood nutritionist, Matt Mahowald, founder of  New Performance Nutrition, who counsels Tinseltown’s A-list, says the drug works by “moderating and pulling back insulin secretion, and slowing down your stomach from emptying. It promotes satiation from food.”

Because it is targeted for those with pre-diabetes, insurance companies are balking at paying for the drug for anyone who doesn’t have a medical need for Ozempic.  And the once-weekly injection is expensive.

“It’s easily going to be $1,200 to $1,500 per month. If you go out and buy an Ozempic pen from a pharmacist, that’s what you’re getting charged,” notes Mahowald, adding that the overwhelming demand has caused a shortage of the drug for those who need it. A second version of semaglutide, called Wegovy, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for obesity in June 2021, is also in scarce supply.

Approximately 70% of American adults are obese or overweight, notes the FDA. Being obese or overweight is a serious health issue, associated with many of the leading causes of death, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It’s also linked to an increased risk for cancer. Losing 5% to 10% of body weight through diet and exercise has been linked to reduced risk of disease in these patients. Some experts caution that using Ozempic to lose weight may backfire in the long run.

“Obesity is an epidemic,” said Dr. Zhaoping Li, chief of clinical nutrition at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “The issue is that this is one of the tools in our box, it is not the end-all. The longest study done on these injections was conducted over less than two years. A lot of questions have not been answered.”

Television talk show host Andy Cohen remarked on the weight loss trend triggered by Ozempic saying, “Everyone is showing up 25 pounds lighter. What happens when they stop taking #Ozempic????”

According to CBS News Los Angeles, Dr. Nancy Rahnama, an obesity specialist, said users won’t be happy with the results.

“If they stop the drug, they will gain their weight back and then some,” she said, adding that using the drug without real need could result in serious long-term risks, including gastrointestinal side effects, kidney issues and gallstone issues. Rahnama says nevertheless she has been inundated with requests for Ozempic.

“I don’t prescribe this drug to patients if they don’t qualify for it,” she said. Doctors can prescribe Ozempic as they see fit, even for non-diabetics with certain medical conditions. Medical experts say they are frustrated with the trend of using Ozempic off-label for weight loss because certain people have the money to pay for it, causing a supply shortage for those with sincere medical needs.

Li told Variety that the maximum weight loss exhibited in most patient is 15% of body mass, adding that true weight loss comes down to lifestyle “Activity, eating right, and stress management,” she said. And while the long-term side effects of this miracle weight loss drug are still unclear, users often experience gastrointestinal upset such as bloating, constipation and diarrhea.