Pitfalls of Weight Loss Drugs

Ok, so maybe I’m a bit biased on this topic as I don’t really recommend anything that promotes fast and intentional weight loss but here are some facts about weight loss drugs that are all the rage at the moment…

You may have heard of some of the recent weight loss medications on the market; Ozempic, Duramine and Saxedna and Contrave and Wegovy. They may seem like the “quick fix” however they do need to be paired with lifestyle changes.

How they work:

  1. Reduce appetite (make you feel fuller so you eat less)

  2. Reduce absorption of nutrients (reduce fat absorption therefore lowers calorie intake)

  3. Speed up metabolism (burn more calories)

This all sounds great right? And they do result in weight loss of around 5-10% but heres the catch…..

  1. Price: They can be extremely expensive so you need ot have the funds to be able to invest in them.

  2. Side effects: There are often extreme side effects with just a handful of examples here: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, headache, dizziness, injection site reactions, heartburn, fatigue, dizziness, fever, and stomach infection (gastroenteritis). More serious side effects include those on the box warning ( thyroid C-cell tumor cancer; however, studies have only been completed with animals), inflammation (swelling) of your pancreas (pancreatitis), gallbladder problems, kidney problems, vision problems (diabetic retinopathy), and an increased risk of low blood sugar, or suicidal thoughts or behavior.

  3. Several products discontinued from the market due to serious side effects such as heart issues and cancer.

  4. Weight regain: Once you stop the medication, weight gain occurs.

  5. Not suitable for everyone (Eg those pregnant/breastfeeding or with certain health conditions)

  6. Not suitable for those with eating disorders or a disordered relationship with food: Eg If you follow restrictive diets, feel guilt and shame after eating certain foods, or are constantly thinking about food and your weight.

  7. With reduced appetite its harder to get calories and nutrients in resulting in possible deficiencies.

  8. Long term safety unknown.

From my perspective the negatives outweigh the positives especially considering once you stop the medications you gain the weight back and are back to square one. What this method promotes is a weight loss/weight regain cycle which we also know has its negative effects on our health. As I always say, work on the health promoting habits first. For example, the food (eating enough and meeting nutritional requirements), exercise (via a balanced approach) and your mindset around food and your body ( which is what I help my clients with).

If youre someone who wants to lose weight, as always, the choice is yours in terms of which direction you go in. I highly suggest consulting your GP and look into options to see and Accreited Practising Dietitian (preferably a non diet practitioner) first. If youre interested in the medications still, research them and even if you do decide to go down that route, work alongside a Dietitian and EP to make a plan for a balanced approach to food intake and exercise.

If you have any questions or want to discuss the best way forward for you, feel free to reach out to me at hello@adelaidenutrition.com.au

Cheers,

Mattea (Accredited Practising Non Diet Dietitian)

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