Amanda Bynes: Actress plans to start Ozempic to lose weight and 'to look better in paparazzi pictures'

In a recent livestream, the 39-year-old said: “Oh I’m going on Ozempic, so it’s decided. I’m 173 now, so I hope to get down like 130, which would be awesome so I would look better in paparazzi pictures. I will tell you about my Ozempic journey, of course.”

Ozempic, the popular diabetes drug now widely used off-label for weight loss, is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, but has gained widespread attention as a weight-loss aid. Doctors have warned of possible side effects, including gastrointestinal issues, pancreatitis, and gallbladder problems.

The statement comes just weeks after Bynes opened up on Instagram about how her mental health struggles had affected her weight. “I’ve gained over 20 lbs. in the past few months from being depressed,” she wrote on her Instagram Story in early June. “I’m doing a lot better now and have learned to do opposite action when I don’t feel like working out or eating clean.”

At the time, she noted she weighed 162 lbs. and had set a goal to reach 110 lbs.

Bynes has long been candid about her battles with body image and substance use. In a 2018 interview with Paper magazine, she recalled the emotional toll filming She’s the Man had taken on her self-image. “When the movie came out and I saw it, I went into a deep depression for 4–6 months because I didn’t like how I looked when I was a boy,” she said. The experience led her to develop an Adderall addiction, after reading it was being used as a “skinny pill.”

“I definitely abused Adderall,” she admitted at the time.

Her struggles culminated in a series of legal issues and psychiatric hospitalisations in the early 2010s. In 2013, her parents placed her under an extended conservatorship after court documents revealed she was obsessed with cosmetic surgery and expressed concerns about her appearance being “ugly.”

What is the difference between Ozempic and Mounjaro?

According to Health.com, whether Mounjaro or Ozempic is the better option depends on individual health needs and treatment goals. Mounjaro has been found to be more effective for lowering A1C levels - an indicator of average blood sugar over three months—and promoting weight loss. However, Ozempic is FDA-approved to reduce the risk of heart complications in people with type 2 diabetes and existing cardiovascular disease, giving it a potential edge for patients with heart concerns.

Health.com also notes that some individuals may react differently to the two medications. For those prone to gastrointestinal issues, Ozempic may be better tolerated, as higher doses of Mounjaro are more frequently linked to side effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and stomach pain.