Whether you are reading the news, scrolling through social media, or even viewing a television commercial, you have likely heard the buzz about the weight loss medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists. These include wegovy, ozempic, mounjaro, zepbound, to name a few. They have become part of the cultural conversation and have brought up interesting and important questions. To help you sort fact from fiction, we wanted to help you examine the available evidence in regards to some of the most frequently asked questions.
Do GLP-1s cure obesity?
GLP-1 medications can lead to clinically significant weight loss of about 15-20% weight loss while you are taking the medication. These are meant to be a tool but cannot effectively treat obesity on their own. There are dozens of contributing causes for why someone may gain weight including sleep disturbances, hormonal changes, inflammation, stress, microbiome alterations, social determinants of health, emotional coping strategies, etc. Without addressing the individual’s underlying causes of weight gain, it will be difficult to sustain weight loss going forward.
Can I lose weight while just eating anything I want?
This is a favorite myth to debunk! While it may be possible to lose weight while not being mindful of nutrition, it is not likely and if it did happen, it would not set you up well for success going forward. What you eat does much more for you than just determine whether you gain or lose weight. Food is information. Certain foods will be more likely to give you energy, help with building or sustaining muscle, give your body key nutrients that are needed for various metabolic processes. Other foods are more likely to cause brain fog, body aches, inflammation, sugar cravings. To achieve weight loss, we really need to restore health. In order to restore health, proper nutrition is an invaluable part of this process.
Will this give me cancer?
There have been no cases established that have linked semaglutide (ozempic/wegovy) or tirzepatide (mounjaro/zepbound) with cancer in people. There have been cases in people noted with liraglutide (saxenda/victoza). In animal studies, there were cases of thyroid c-cell tumors that were noted to have developed during animal studies with semaglutide. It is unknown whether semaglutide and tirzepetide cause thyroid c-cell tumors in humans. Patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 should not take these medications.
Are compounded versions safe?
According to the Food and Drug Administration, patients “should not use a compounded drug if an approved drug is available to treat a patient.” Both patients and providers should understand that the FDA does not review compounded versions of medications for safety, quality, or effectiveness.
The FDA has received reports that some compound pharmacies have been using salt forms of semaglutide which contain different active ingredients than the FDA-approved medications.
For more information from the FDA on semaglutide:
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/medications-containing-semaglutide-marketed-type-2-diabetes-or-weight-loss
Can these medications cause muscle loss?
When working on weight loss, the goal is for the weight that is lost to be as much fat mass (os adipose tissue) and as little muscle mass as possible. Inevitably, there will likely be some muscle mass lost but this can be greatly minimized by the incorporation of a strength training regimen and ensuring adequate protein intake.
Are these medications just taking the easy way out?
Many patients find themselves considering GLP-1s after many months/years of trying different nutritional interventions, workout regimens, etc, and not having much, if any, success. These medications, when used in the right way (FDA approved formulations not compounded, used alongside a program that will assist with identifying and addressing underlying causes of weight gain) are not taking the easy way out.
If I stop taking the medication, will I gain all of the weight back?
GLP-1 medications are tools but are not the silver bullet. Data suggests that they work well for weight while patients are taking them. Weight maintenance must include a comprehensive plan that addresses all of the patient’s contributing factors for weight gain.
If you are interested in learning more about metabolic health and weight loss, please consult us at Dignity Weight Center. We would be honored to meet you, and we accept most insurances.
https://www.dignityweightcenter.com/book-online
