什麼是Ozempic？

吳宇琛

SUM WU

 

Sum Wu

Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner

Bachelor of Health Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine (UTS)

Bachelor of Science Majoring in Psychology (UOW)

Director of Hurstville Chinese Herbs Centre

Vice Dean of College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Orthopedics Australia

Specialising in pain management and mental wellbeing through Tradition Chinese medicine in combination with modern science in mental health, dieting and nutrition.

 

吳宇琛，澳大利亞政府注冊中醫師、針灸師，五龍崗大學心理學學士、悉尼科技大學中醫系學士，澳大利亞松軒中醫藥中心主任醫師，澳大利亞中醫骨傷專科學院副院長。

擅長用傳統針灸理傷手法和中藥治療各種新舊損傷痛症，特別採用中醫中藥和現代心理學、營養學相結合調理治療各種慢性病和亞健康。

 

 

What is ozempic?

什麼是Ozempic？

Ozempic is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes and support weight loss. It contains semaglutide, which mimics a natural hormone in the body called GLP-1. This hormone is released from the gut after you eat and helps control blood sugar and appetite.

Ozempic是一種用於治療2型糖尿病並幫助減重的藥物。其主要成分為司美格魯肽（semaglutide），這種物質能模擬人體內一種天然激素GLP-1。該激素在進食後由腸道釋放，用於調節血糖和食欲。

 

Ozempic works in three main ways. First, it helps the pancreas release insulin when blood sugar levels are high. Insulin moves sugar from the bloodstream into cells, where it can be used for energy. Second, it reduces the release of glucagon, a hormone that tells the liver to make more sugar. This helps prevent blood sugar from rising too much. Third, it slows down how quickly food leaves the stomach. Because food stays in the stomach longer, people feel full sooner and stay full longer.

Ozempic主要通过三种方式发挥作用。首先，它能在血糖升高時促進胰腺分泌胰島素。胰島素能將血液中的葡萄糖運輸到細胞內用於產生能量。第二，它會減少一種名為胰高血糖素的激素釋放，這種激素會刺激肝臟製造更多葡萄糖，因此減少它能防止血糖過度升高。第三，它能減緩食物從胃部排空的速度。由於食物在胃中停留時間更長，人們會更快產生飽腹感，且飽腹感持續時間更久。

By lowering appetite and reducing blood sugar spikes, Ozempic can help people eat less and gradually lose weight. It is usually taken once a week as an injection. While many people benefit from it, common side effects can include nausea, bloating, or stomach discomfort, especially when starting treatment.

通過降低食欲並减少血糖波動，Ozempic可以幫助人們减少進食量，從而逐漸減輕體重。它通常以每週一次的注射形式使用。雖然許多人從中獲益，但常見副作用包括噁心、腹脹或胃部不適，尤其是在剛開始使用時。

 

What about TCM’s view?

中醫怎麼看？

From a TCM perspective, however, weight gain is rarely just about overeating. It usually involves deeper imbalances in the Spleen, Stomach, Liver, and Kidney systems.

然而，從中醫角度來看，體重增加很少只是因為吃得太多，通常與脾、胃、肝、腎系統的失衡有關。

 

In TCM, most weight gain relates to Dampness and Phlegm accumulation. This often stems from Spleen Qi deficiency. The Spleen is responsible for transforming food into Qi and Blood and transporting fluids. When this function weakens, fluids accumulate and congeal into Dampness. Over time, Dampness can become Phlegm, which contributes to heaviness, sluggishness, and fat accumulation.

在中醫理論中，大多數肥胖和濕與痰的積聚有關，而其根源常常是脾氣虛。脾負責將食物轉化為氣血，並運化體內的水液。當這一功能减弱時，水液容易停滯，形成濕邪。時間久了，濕邪可能凝聚為痰，從而導致身體沉重、代謝遲緩以及脂肪堆積。

 

Ozempic reduces appetite and food intake. From a TCM viewpoint, this decreases the burden on the Spleen and may reduce the production of new Dampness. In individuals with excess patterns such as Damp-Heat or Stomach Fire with strong appetite, this can be helpful by moderating excessive intake and calming overactive Yangming energy.

Ozempic會降低食欲並减少進食量。從中醫角度看，這在一定程度上减少了脾的負擔，也可能减少新的濕邪生成。對於一些實證體質的人，例如濕熱或胃火旺盛、食欲亢進的人群，這種作用可能有幫助，因為它可以抑制過度進食，平衡過盛的陽明之氣。

 

However, Ozempic does not strengthen Spleen Qi. It does not directly improve the body’s ability to transform and transport nutrients. In people whose weight gain stems from deficiency such as Spleen Qi deficiency or Kidney Yang deficiency the act of simply reducing appetite may not address the root cause. In fact, suppressing appetite in a person who already has weak digestion may further weaken the Middle Jiao. This can manifest as fatigue, bloating, loose stools, muscle loss, or a feeling of coldness.

然而，Ozempic並不能增强脾氣，也不會直接提高人體運化營養和水液的能力。如果體重增加的根本原因是虛證，例如脾氣虛或腎陽虛，僅僅通過抑制食欲並不能解决根本問題。事實上，如果本身消化功能較弱，再進一步减少食量，反而可能削弱中焦功能。這可能表現為疲勞、腹脹、便溏、肌肉流失或畏寒感增强。

 

Another important TCM consideration is Qi and Blood production. Because the Spleen generates post-natal Qi from food, eating significantly less without careful nutritional balance may reduce Qi and Blood over time. Rapid weight loss without supporting the body’s constitutional needs could potentially deplete energy reserves.

另一個重要的中醫考慮是氣血生成。因為脾通過食物生成後天之氣，如果長期進食明顯減少而又沒有良好的營養平衡，可能會逐漸導致氣血不足。若减重過快而沒有同時調養體質，也可能耗損人體的能量儲備。

 

From an TCM standpoint, Ozempic may treat the “branch” such as excess intake and unstable blood sugar, while TCM focuses on the “root” which is the underlying pattern. For example, a practitioner might work to strengthen Spleen Qi, gently transform Dampness, regulate Liver Qi (to address stress-related eating), or warm Kidney Yang when metabolism is cold and sluggish.

因此，從中醫角度來看，Ozempic更像是在治療“標”，例如控制食量和穩定血糖； 而中醫更關注“本”，即造成肥胖的根本失衡。例如，中醫治療可能會著重健脾益氣、化濕祛痰、疏肝理氣（改善壓力性進食）、或溫補腎陽（改善寒性、代謝緩慢的體質）。

 

TCM alternatives

中醫替代思路

Two commonly used herbs for treating dampness accumulation pattern obesity are He Ye (lotus leaf) and Yi Yi Ren (Job’s tears). He Ye is light and slightly bitter, helping to clear turbidity and gently reduce excess associated with rich foods and strong appetite. It is more suitable for Damp-Heat or excess-type patterns where heaviness and overeating are present.

在中醫中，針對濕邪積聚型肥胖，常用的兩味藥材是荷葉和薏苡仁。荷葉性輕、味微苦，具有清濁、昇清的作用，能够幫助减少因飲食油膩、食欲旺盛而產生的積滯。它更適用於濕熱或偏實證體質的人群，特別是伴隨身體沉重和暴飲暴食的情况。

 

Yi Yi Ren works differently. It both strengthens the Spleen and drains Dampness, making it especially helpful for puffiness, fluid retention, loose stools, and fatigue. Unlike harsh draining herbs, it supports digestion while improving fluid metabolism. Together, He Ye and Yi Yi Ren promote gradual, balanced weight regulation by improving the body’s ability to transform and eliminate excess moisture rather th      an forcing rapid weight loss.

薏苡仁的作用管道不同。它既能健脾，又能利濕，因此特別適合出現水腫、體液滯留、便溏和疲勞的人群。與一些作用猛烈的利濕藥不同，薏苡仁在促進水液代謝的同時還能支持消化功能。

 

In summary, from a TCM lens, Ozempic functions like a moderating or reducing method. It helps limit excessive intake and can reduce Damp accumulation indirectly. But it does not rebuild digestive strength or internal balance. Successful, sustainable weight loss in TCM emphasizes restoring transformation capacity, harmonizing organ systems, and correcting the underlying pattern so that appetite and metabolism regulate themselves naturally.

總體而言，從中醫角度看，Ozempic更像是一種減法或抑制法。它通過减少食欲來限制過量攝入，從而間接减少濕邪的形成。但它並不會重建消化系統的功能，也不能恢復體內整體平衡。

中醫認為，真正持久而健康的减重，應當通過恢復運化能力、調和臟腑功能，並糾正根本體質失衡，使食欲與代謝能够自然回歸到平衡狀態。

 

 

如有疑問想咨詢吳宇琛中醫師，可以在微信或whatsapp搜索61 404836368，加吳宇琛中醫師微信或whatsapp，也可以發短信或致電0404836368作語音留言，吳宇琛中醫師有空就會回復。

 

（吳宇琛中醫師，澳大利亞政府注冊中醫師、針灸師，五龍崗大學心理學學士、悉尼科技大學中醫系學士，悉尼好思維松軒藥行主任中醫師，澳大利亞中醫骨傷專科學院副院長，本文僅供參考，具體診療應諮詢專業人士。）