Whoopi Goldberg weight loss: what is Mounjaro? Is it safe to use without type 2 diabetes?

Whoopi Goldberg disclosed her secret of how she lost the weight of “almost two people” on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” on Monday. The 68-year-old revealed she had achieved her new look by taking Mounjaro, normally a type 2 diabetes medication, even though she doesn’t suffer from the illness.

The EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar’s, Tony) winner, who previously weighed around 300 pounds, told Clarkson: “I’m doing that wonderful shot that works for folks who need some help and it’s been really good for me. It’s great for people like us who have, you know, issues.”

Clarkson’s weight has also fluctuated dramatically since she made her entered the public eye in 2002, with the singer claiming to have lost weight thanks to an unnamed medication too.

Mounjaro: main use and side effects

Mounjaro’s principal use is to treat people who are suffering from type 2 diabetes and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2022 for that very purpose. But it has also made waves among anyone looking to lose weight quickly.

Speaking to Healthline, Dr Amanda Velazquez, director of Obesity Medicine in the Department of Surgery at Cedars-Sinai, says “on average, an individual can expect to lose 20% total body weight loss in a little over a year of taking Mounjaro in combination with a healthy lifestyle”.

That, it turns out, is for almost anyone. Mounjaro has been completely approved for long-term use for patients with type 2 diabetes, although the most common side effects are nausea and constipation.

There are, however, other “rare but serious side effects” including include the risk of thyroid cancer, acute pancreatitis, hypoglycemia, acute gallbladder disease, and allergic reaction, according to registered dietician Jordan Hill of Top Nutrition Coaching.

Can non-type 2 diabetes sufferers take Mounjaro? Who can’t use it?

Adults who don’t suffer from type 2 diabetes, like Goldburg, can, however, also get their hands on Mounjaro, albeit via an off-label prescription.

That means the medication hasn’t been approved for that purpose by the FDA and that it’s up to prescribing physicians to decide whether or not an individual should use it (depending on their level of obesity/excess weight).

People with “type 1 diabetes, thyroid, pancreas, kidney, or gallbladder complications, or those under the age of 18 years old” shouldn’t take Mounjaro, according to Hill. Whatever your situation, best to check with a physician before you embark on your journey towards a new you.