Pros and Cons of Weight Loss Drugs
Graphic | Pixaby.com
By PJ Martin
Editor
The Herald-News
These days you can’t read a magazine, watch TV, or look at Facebook without seeing an advertisement for a weight loss drug. But are these drugs approved by the FDA, do they really work, and what kind of side effects do they have?
Many of the weight loss drugs contain GLP1, a class of medication that has been used to treat diabetes for almost 20 years, but more recently found to help with weight loss. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of GLP1 in 2005.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a hormone produced in the digestive tract that has several functions such as regulating blood sugar levels and controlling appetite by slowing the emptying of the stomach.
A study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine which stated that individuals treated with GLP-1 lost an average of over 15% of their body weight over 68 weeks.
Most of these medications began use as treatments for type 2 diabetes, but once it was discovered they assisted in weight loss, the medications were basically given new names and promoted for weight loss.
Novo-Nordisk produces Ozempic (semaglutide) used as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. It was approved by the FDA in 2017, but is also touted as reducing your risk of a heart attack, stroke, or a circulatory system disease. Now notice the generic name of Wegovy.
Wegovy (semaglutide) is also made by Novo-Nordisk and contains GLP1. Wegovy is administered as an injection beneath the skin. The company advertises that it will provide an average weight loss of 38 pounds. It also notes that it should be used with exercise and a balanced diet.
The manufacturer also claims these medications have been proven in short-term studies to help people lose weight faster than just changing their diet and exercising. This drug was also been approved by the FDA.
The side effects listed on the Novo-Nordisk website are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, and fatigue. Wegovy lists serious side effects as an increased risk of gallbladder disease, kidney damage, or pancreatitis and Ozempic’s list includes an increase in the risk of thyroid cancer and a diabetic eye complication called retinopathy. It is also suggested that Ozempic not be taken longer than two years. The site then states that Ozempic can cause rare but serious side effects like stomach paralysis and pancreatitis.
In 2023, the FDA approved Zepbound (tirzepatide) for use in treating obesity and specifically with obesity-related health problems; however, Mounjaro (tirzepatide) uses the same active ingredient and was approved for use in controlling Type 2 diabetes. Both are produced by Eli Lily and Company and again the same generic name, but using dual GLP-1/GIP.
Zepbound lists nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach (abdominal) pain, indigestion, injection site reactions, feeling tired, allergic reactions, belching, hair loss, and heartburn.
Mounjaro lists the most common side effects reported by patients as nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite, indigestion, vomiting, constipation, and stomach pain.
Another important factor is cost. While most insurance plans may cover medication for type 2 diabetes, most will not cover weight loss drugs and they are very expensive.
As always if you are being prescribed any of these medications by your doctor, talk to him/her and learn more about the medication. You can find the information listed in this article at the links below.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/13901-glp-1-agonists
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/expert-answers/byetta/faq-20057955
http://www.novomedlink.com/wegovy
