Atlético Madrid player Llorente recently took to social media to express his concerns about the use of the diabetes drug Ozempic (semaglutide injection) for weight loss, as reported by Spanish media outlet Divinity. He voiced concerns about the potential side effects of the drug and emphasized that its implications extend far beyond what the public currently focuses on.
Previously, journalists Rosa Belmonte and Emilia Landaluce discussed feminism and women's self-image in an interview with La Otra Crónica, a supplement of El Mundo. The two had previously collaborated on the novel "Corazón de sílex."
During the interview, Landaluce stated: "Not everything is about feminism, although feminism, regardless of the school of thought, has its reasons for existing. Perhaps we should call it something else."
Belmonte responded: "Even Susan Sarandon preferred to use the word 'humanist' when feminism was viewed negatively in the 1980s. At that time, feminism was seen as the domain of shrill women. It's truly strange that there's such a fraught relationship between women and feminism."
She then pivoted to Ozempic: "It's like Ozempic now. I think the sense of empowerment Ozempic gives some women even surpasses feminism."
After seeing the headlines from this interview, Llorente responded via social media. He stated that perhaps some women do feel more powerful after using this drug, "but at what cost?"
Subsequently, Llorente shared a screenshot of a webpage outlining the potential serious side effects of Ozempic. This drug is primarily used to treat diabetes and can reduce certain cardiovascular risks in eligible patients, but it has also been used for weight loss in recent years.
The content shared by Llorente specifically highlighted warnings related to thyroid tumors and thyroid cancer.
The text in the screenshot read: "Tell your doctor if you have a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer."
"In studies with rodents, Ozempic and other drugs with a similar mechanism of action caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known whether Ozempic will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma in humans."
It should be noted that the above warnings are based on animal study results and do not indicate that the drug has been proven to cause thyroid cancer in humans.
After sharing this content, Llorente further stated: "And there's much more to it than this. This is just a small part."
In addition to Llorente, several other Spanish public figures have recently spoken about Ozempic use.
Actress Paula Echevarría said a few weeks ago that she believes there are certainly opponents to this drug, but obesity itself is also unhealthy.
She said: "Perhaps for those who truly need it, using it with a doctor's prescription, medical monitoring, and relevant examinations is acceptable."
However, she believes that using this drug simply to lose 3 kilograms is more concerning. She also pointed out that another negative effect is that the aesthetic of extreme thinness seems to be regaining popularity.
52-year-old actress Candela Peña also previously admitted that she had used Ozempic to lose weight for a role.
She stated: "I've reached an age where diet control alone is insufficient to achieve weight loss goals."
Peña also discussed how her body has changed with age and hormonal shifts, yet she now receives more attention and opportunities than she did 10 years ago when she weighed 15 kilograms less.
Despite having used Ozempic for weight loss in the past, Peña now believes that the idea of requiring everyone to have the same body shape is unreasonable.
She stated: "Now I don't want to torture myself anymore to be thinner. This is how I am now, and we should accept and appreciate it."