Semaglutide, TRT Advertising Contributing to Normalization of Use
Researchers explored how social media advertising of lifestyle drugs contributes to the normalization of use for semaglutide, testosterone, and sildenafil.
With the prevalence of semaglutide and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) advertising on social media, researchers believe the use of these drugs may become normalized outside of patient populations that require them, according to data published in Performance Enhancement & Health.1
“Lifestyle drugs are medicines consumed for personal choice rather than illness, broadly for the purposes of wellbeing or aesthetic enhancement,” wrote authors of the study. “This encompasses a range of drugs taken to elevate mood, improve libido, slow aging, reduce fat, or build muscle. The digital availability of these drugs is an increasing area for concern, with the easy accessibility of enhancers such as anabolic steroids, fat burners, Melanotan, and various ‘wellbeing’ peptides posing a potential risk to public health.”
In the context of the researchers’ review, the terms “lifestyle” and “normalization” that surround these medications are significantly important to the population-based findings they have presented.
Advertisers are notably pouring more money into the promotion of lifestyle drugs on social media. | image credit: Rawpixel.com / stock.adobe.com
Not to be confused with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s definition, the lifestyle drugs mentioned in this review are not interventions to improve lifestyle, which in turn improve outcomes of patients with chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.2 Lifestyle drugs, however, refer to medications used to improve conditions linked to patients’ basic lifestyle experiences, including weight loss, balding, aging, and more.3
READ MORE: Drug Advertising, Disease Awareness Misconstrue Patients’ Understanding of Pharmaceutical Benefits
Moving to the importance of normalization in drug use, previous investigators found that normalization typically suggests an increase in acceptance and a decrease in stigmatization for normative behavior in the use of a specific drug.4
“This commentary examines the increasing prevalence of advertising for lifestyle drugs on social media,” continued authors of the study.1 “We explore whether this increased advertising may be normalizing enhancement drug use for portions of the population, and the possible harms associated with this.”
Based on current social media trends surrounding lifestyle drugs, researchers explored medications manufactured to improve a variety of patient outcomes. They included the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) semaglutide for its weight-loss effects, TRT for men’s health, and sildenafil (Viagra) for sexual enhancement.
With many advertising practices protected under the First Amendment of the US, researchers documented the recent boom in lifestyle drugs in the past few years.
“Advertisements for semaglutide and other peptide ‘weight-loss treatments’ exploded, with numerous ‘brands’ and influencers beginning to promote and sell these drugs,” they wrote.1 “A linked trend in the promotion of prescription-only medicines is the growing prominence of advertising for TRT clinics on social media. Rao et aldocument a fourfold increase in TRT prescriptions in the US from 2003 to 2013, a trend mirrored in the UK, where prescriptions almost doubled over a similar period.”
According to researchers, the link between TRT advertising and society’s hyper-masculine ideals is similar to the trends they’ve found among sildenafil use and promotion.
With the help of advertisers pouring more money into the promotion of lifestyle drugs on social media, products like semaglutide, TRT, and sildenafil are becoming notably normalized and accepted without guidance from health care professionals. With this discovery in the last few years, researchers then presented the potential harms recent advertising trends can lead to.
When compared with semaglutide, TRT and sildenafil are often prescribed or recommended by legitimate clinics and providers. According to recent findings, semaglutide has significantly been advertised without proper guidance or has misinformed potential consumers.5
“Some individuals who would not otherwise have accessed enhancement drugs are likely influenced by promoted posts, which give an air of legitimacy to suppliers,” they continued.1 “However, these advertisements are a symptom of a broader culture of ‘fitspiration,’ ‘aesthetics,’ and ‘wellness’ trends online, unlikely to be significantly diminished by their simple removal.”
At the current moment, concerns of these medications’ efficacies do not seemingly outweigh those of increased promotion and advertising. Semaglutide, TRT, and sildenafil all possess evidence of their use, safety, and effectiveness in clinical settings. However, with increased public attention on these drugs, researchers want to ensure the proper education is disseminated about the safe use of increasingly normalized “lifestyle drugs.”
“We therefore believe that similar policies to those discussed in relation to filters and educating young people may also be important in addressing pressures created by the promotion of chemically-enhanced bodies and lifestyles, especially in an era of growing medicalization of everyday wellbeing. This approach could help minimize harms from illicit pharmaceutical use while also aiming to decrease the influence of advertising on normalizing these drugs for those who do not medically need them,” concluded authors of the study.1
READ MORE: Over Half of US Population Concerned About Prescription Drug Access, Prices
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