A recent poll indicated almost 50% of Americans know someone using Ozempic for weight loss. Which is quite alarming. What is even more concerning are the risks associated with using GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. (And I write this blog without judgement. If you’re on these drugs, I do not shame you one bit. But I do feel it is important you understand both sides of the coin. Do the benefits truly outweigh the risks, that you likely weren’t told about.)

We get asked all the time what our opinion is on Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy, and if we will prescribe them. The short answer is, “No. I will never prescribe these drugs for patients.” But this often rubs people the wrong way. Which I can understand, because doctors are handing it out like candy. And making tons of money for doing so. In fact, these companies are hiring influencers to promote their drugs on social media and paying them thousands of dollars each month. 

And it’s a great business plan for pharma–GLP-1 drugs are indicated as lifetime medications. In fact, the companies have warnings that coming off the drug comes with big risks. So they have a customer for life, purchasing a very expensive drug each month. Not a bad gig, huh?

But that’s not even the worst of it. 

Over 40% of the weight loss is muscle mass. And our muscles regulate our metabolism. So by using GLP-1s, you are slowing down your metabolism significantly. Over 65% of the weight is regained when patients discontinue the drugs. So now you’ve gained back the weight, slowed your metabolism, and lost muscle. Yikes! 

Again, that is not even the worst of it. 

The side effects that we already know of, are alarming. 80% of patients report nausea. 30% have vomiting. And the majority are dealing with diarrhea.

We’re also starting to see mental health concerns, due to the microbiome being completely disrupted. (And remember that 80-90% of serotonin is produced in the gut. Same with GABA. Both of which improve mood and are calming.)

There’s a black box warning for thyroid cancer. Even a risk of death is listed. And these drugs work by slowing gastric emptying, making you feel full longer. This is a concern for a few reasons–1. If you’re not pooping like you should be, how is estrogen getting out? We’re seeing an increased risk for breast cancer now, too, which is not surprising. And 2. Patients going in for surgeries are having to delay them because they still have food in their stomachs from days before, making anesthesia a big risk. In emergent situations where you have no choice but to be intubated, aspiration pneumonia is very likely because of this.  

Yet, that is STILL not even the worst of it. 

In medicine, when a drug has a 20-30% increase in response, positive or negative, it is considered statistically significant. Well get this–a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association researched 1,000 patients on GLP-1 drugs. They found that pancreatitis went up 900%. Paralysis of the stomach had a 367% increased risk. And bowel obstruction went up 422%.

And these are the KNOWN risks. What about what we don’t know because it hasn’t been studied long enough? 5 years from now? 10 years from now? And because it’s a drug for life, these unknowns are terrifying. 

What about the micro-dosing you’re hearing about? Lower doses. Made by compounding pharmacies. Touted as having less risks. They aren’t as glamorous as they appear. There are still risks. Likely something you need to be on long-term too.

And with these options it is imperative that you aggressively change your diet and lifestyle at the same time. So is it really the peptides? Or the lifestyle changes you’re finally committed to making? Hard to say for sure in some cases. Not to mention, practitioners with little to no knowledge of these medications are advertising on their social media pages that they can prescribe them for you. One word, beware. My verdict is still out on if I’ll use these with patients. We simply don’t know enough yet to do it safely, in my opinion. 

And DO NOT get me started about the supplement and pyramid companies offering a “safer alternative with great results. Just DM me!” Y’all seriously. I’ve researched the products. All they are doing is supporting the microbiome, but charging ridiculous amounts.

Guess what? If you just do what we suggest and fix your microbiome the right way, your body will naturally produce more GLP-1 hormone. And my patients are a testament to this. I can’t tell you how many I’ve had recently that were all in, committed, and have lost weight without that being their ultimate goal. The best part? They are going to keep it off. They did it the right way. They cleaned their dirty fish tank. They didn’t just medicate the fish. And those habits will support them long term. Not just by helping them maintain an optimal weight, but preventing inflammation, warding off disease and cancer, optimizing their overall health and longevity. 

Because there are no quick fixes. The weight loss fads of other decades are the ones you see lawsuit commercials about now. Ozempic and its friends will be next. I promise putting the real work in, will benefit you endlessly. 

In Health, 
Keri