Everything You Need to Know about GLP-1 Medications: Weight Loss, Side Effects, and a Balanced Approach
Let's have a friendly chat about Glucagon-like-Peptide-1 or GLP-1 medications (aka Ozempic, Mounjaro etc..) – you know, those shots initially meant to help folks with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar? Well they have gotten a lot of press lately for their off-label use as a weight-loss drug. But before you get too excited, there are a few things you should know.
First off, these GLP-1 meds cause weight loss three ways:
Appetite Suppression: These meds “turn down” your brain's appetite-control center so you end up feeling less hungry.
Slower Gastric Emptying: They slow down how quickly food moves out of your stomach, which means you feel full for longer after a meal.
Improved Insulin Sensitivity: Inflammation can get in the way of weight loss, even if you are dieting and exercising. GLP-1 meds make your body more receptive to insulin, which helps keep your blood sugar levels steady and reduces inflammation.
Sounds pretty nifty, right? Well, it can be, but there's a bit of a catch. Let's dive in:
The Good News and the Bad News:
Sure, clinical trials show that these meds can help you shed some pounds when you team them up with a "healthy diet and regular exercise." But, and there's always a but, they come with some not-so-great side effects that you need to be aware of when deciding if these medications are right for you:
Physical Consequences of Weight Loss Meds:
1. Slowed Metabolism: When you drop your calorie intake too much, your body thinks it's in a famine and decides to slow things down to save energy. So, your metabolism takes a hit. And when you lose weight too quickly, a big part of that loss may be muscle. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, losing it makes it even tougher to maintain weight loss.
2. Nutrient Deficiencies: Eating less often means you're not taking in all the nutrients your body needs to function and thrive, which can lead to deficiencies that put your overall health at risk.
3. Hormonal Imbalance: Quick weight loss can throw your hormones out of whack, including the ones that control your appetite and fat storage. This can make you hungrier and more prone to gaining back the weight you lost, putting you on the "yo-yo diet" rollercoaster.
4. GI Distress: Nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, constipation are common side effects of these medications and can cause dehydration, gut imbalance, and get in the way of everyday life.
Consequences for Your Relationship with Food and Your Body:
What’s often left out of the conversation are the potential psychological and lifestyle consequences to weight loss medications. Let’s explore some examples of how these meds could impact more than just your physical wellbeing:
1. Suppressing Natural Hunger Cues: As we mentioned before, weight loss medications mess with how your brain registers hunger and fullness. This means you might not know when you're genuinely hungry or full. Trusting your body's signals can become a real challenge and can lead to a lack of trust in your body.
2. Promoting a "Quick Fix" Mentality: These meds can make you think that popping a pill or taking a shot is all you need to lose weight, forgetting the importance of long-term lifestyle changes like a balanced diet and regular exercise that actually promote health. Spoiler alert: sustainable weight management requires a more holistic approach.
3. Heightening Fear and Anxiety Around Food: When dieting for weight loss, many people start to obsess over calories and portion sizes, and even feel guilty about enjoying a treat. This can mess with your relationship to food and your social life, as food-centered gatherings become anxiety-inducing events. Fear and anxiety around food is often a precursor to disordered eating or a full blown eating disorder.
4. Dependence and Withdrawal: You might end up relying on these pills to manage your appetite and keep the weight off. Quitting them could lead to withdrawal symptoms like a ravenous appetite and weight gain – which puts you right back where you started and keeps you reliant on these (often expensive) medications the rest of your life.
5. Loss of Pleasure in Eating: To have a good relationship with food, you need to derive some pleasure or enjoyment from food experiences. Weight loss medications causing altered taste or reduced appetite can suck the joy out of eating and make you feel like eating is a chore.
The Takeaway:
So, here's the scoop: while these meds might give you a quick win on the scale, they often mess with your metabolism, overall health, and your relationship with food. Instead of going for the quick fix, aim for a balanced and sustainable approach to weight loss that supports your long-term well-being. Your body is more than just a number on the scale, and taking care of your metabolic and mental health matter. We hope you will consider teaming up with a registered dietitian to create a personalized and sustainable nutrition plan instead.
That being said, at Nutrition Ally, we aim to create a safe, judgment-free environment and support our patients’ autonomy and choice. We understand that food and weight are complicated, and that for some people the pros of these medications may outweigh the cons, or be necessary to treat a health condition. If you have chosen to, or are required to, take medication that impacts your appetite or relationship with food, we can support you in finding ways to improve your nutrition and meet your needs, build sustainable health-promoting habits, and maintain a positive relationship with food.
