There has been a lot of buzz around GLP-1 medications. Ads for cheaper shots, studies highlighting side effects, people posting weight-loss results. Personally, I have friends venting about how nauseous they’re feeling after taking Ozempic but continue to endure the side effects to see results. Are the results worth the risks?!
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists are a medication that imitates some of our bodies natural hormones to help regulate blood sugar levels and lower appetite. The do this by mimicking hormones made in your small intestine that trigger the release of insulin. Insulin’s job is to signal to cells to use carbs (sugar) for energy, which eventually lowers your blood sugar levels. GLP-1s also slow the transition time of food through the GI tract, making you feel full for longer. This can be a double-edged sword when it comes to nutrient absorption but more on this later. GLP-1s also go to work in a region of our brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is responsible for energy regulation, eating patterns and satiety. This area contains GLP-1 receptors, so drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy activate these receptors, making the brain think you are satisfied after a meal. Another double-edged sword, things are looking dicey…
During my research I came across a statement about this class of drugs, written by The American Academy of Pediatrics. Their recommendation goes like this- if a child is 12 yrs older and overweight/obese, weight loss drugs (Ozempic) are the first line of care! If a child is 13 or older with the same criteria, they are eligible for bariatric surgery and/or the same injections. Yikes! Ozempic is a life-long drug. If a person were to stop taking this medication, without diet and lifestyle changes, they will regain any lost weight and of course the comorbidities that accompanied it. There is little mention of changes to diet or exercise routine for children here with more of an emphasis on factors like socioeconomic status. See full AAP guidelines below.
I want to add that over 80% of the profit margin for Ozempic is here in the USA. In other countries, practitioners address obesity with an exercise prescription and most often a ketogenic diet. They do offer weight loss drugs and surgery; however, conservative methods are attempted first. Western medicine in the states is second to none when it comes to acute care and trauma, however we leave much to be desired when it comes to treating chronic health conditions. Instead of looking at the root cause of disease we tend to look for the cure all pill or in this case, injection. Drugs and pharmaceuticals have their place in the world but the laundry list of side effects is alarming, to say the least. Perhaps most concerning is the loss of muscle mass on Ozempic, especially when given to developing children. Even Noro Nordisk (the maker of Ozempic) recommends a person taking injections weight train 4-5 days a week to prevent atrophy. IF children and parents are not being instructed in proper lifestyle choices to combat chronic disease or manage it, what will happen to them after a lifetime of this drug use?
Here’s a little more dirt… If you Google this class of drugs, you’ll likely see the benefits and the actions it takes as described above. When you look into side effects, you’ll also see nausea, diarrhea, constipation, etc. Dig a little deeper and you’ll see a Blackbox warning for thyroid cancer. Recent studies have also shown a risk for anxiety, depression and suicidal ideations. There is also the fact that prior to approval, this Ozempic underwent a 68-week study, before being granted approval for lifelong use by the FDA. How can they say something is safe for an entire lifetime after observing effects for little over a year? And for a child?! Keep in mind these studies are also funded by the drug company themselves, who also employ the scientists performing said studies. Conflict of interest much?
Back to how a GLP-1 impacts the body. 30% of people experience vomiting. There are a lot of GI upsets that come with this medication. When this medication slows the transit time of food in the intestines, this allows more time for nutrient absorption. OR toxin absorption, depending on what kind of food you’re eating. Gulp. GLP-1 receptors are present in your brain as mentioned earlier but they are also present in your gut. In fact, this peptide is produced mostly in the gut. You can take the synthetic form of it in an injection yes, but you could also eat nutrient dense food and stimulate the production of GPL1 naturally. Your choice. If you chose the natural route you have to stop eating processed foods. I’ve found this is the hardest thing for people to do. Giving up the things they “love.” In my opinion that’s why Ozempic is so sexy. A person can simply take a shot, while scarfing their favorite take out, and lose weight. Either way, studies are showing that taking pre/probiotics prior to and during administration of GLP-1 meds are increasing the amount of the peptide available in the gut. Maybe that’s because it’s feeding the bacteria that naturally produce GLP1 or maybe it’s because it’s actually identical. I’m not nerdy enough to say for sure. Moreover, there are studies showing that almost 75% of people may actually have a deficiency in GLP-1. That’s a staggering number. Is that why we have an obesity epidemic? I think our food and environmental toxins are largely to blame here, but there’s more. Turns out that the Blackbox warning was issued after giving lab rats 100x the clinical starting dose of GLP-1, which gave them a rare form of thyroid cancer. Then I uncovered several functional medicine doctors prescribing these medications to patients for reasons other than weight loss. Anecdotally these patients are not experiencing any of the common side effects using a micro-dose. It turns out at lower doses, GLP-1 medications can serve a variety of health benefits. This list is not exhaustive but here are a few: decreasing inflammation (notably neuroinflammation), lowering blood pressure, rebuilding heart tissue, muscle synthesis, reduces PCOS, increase fertility, reduce addiction, reduce depression, increase mitochondrial function and reduce risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia. Hold the phone, I’m conflicted. Is this medication helpful or harmful?! Is it dose dependent? Too much and you waste away, too little and you won’t see results?
My goal with any of my blog posts is to provide information that may not always be common knowledge. Before making life changing choices we need to have all of the information. That information is hard to find and going in blind can have lasting effects, positive or negative. Whether for you or your child, there is a lot to weigh here.
If I take a step back and look at everything I’ve uncovered, I think this medication has a place in health care and emerging research may show that place is dose dependent. I personally would like to see more longitudinal studies, especially when it comes to administering this medication to children. It does prove effective for weight loss; but the risk to reward benefit is side effects and lifelong dependency. However, if someone has not been trained in proper nutrition and they begin eating less overall, this may lead to multiple nutrient deficiencies and therefore increased health issues and/or disease. I personally believe that if we can empower people to make healthy lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, these methods should be employed before a medication. There are cases when these methods have been exhausted, and pharmacological interventions are warranted. A consideration to look at would also be cost. Injections for one month of Ozempic average $1,700. This is a decision for you and your healthcare provider to discuss. Just keep in mind that most of our doctors here in the US are not trained well in the nutrition arena. They are trained to write prescriptions. I want you to be able to make the most informed, sound health decisions possible; for you and your family. As always, I encourage you to do your own research. Below you will find links to some of the studies I’ve referenced in this post. Listen to your gut and follow your Haute.
The anti-inflammatory and immunological properties of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists – ScienceDirect
Crosstalk between glucagon-like peptide 1 and gut microbiota in metabolic diseases | mBio