Weight Loss Medications – Are They Safe?
“Mindy Kaling’s weight loss secret revealed!”
“Ozempic -The worst-kept secret in Hollywood”
Headlines across the nation have peer pressured many individuals into the world of weight loss, diets, and exercise. New trends throughout Hollywood and social media have brought countless conversations about the pros and cons of weight loss drugs to the hospital and clinic.
Many weight loss medications currently being whispered around actually began as therapies for uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus management. Unlike Metformin which acts on the liver and mitochondria, GLP-1 agonist like Semaglutide (Ozempic) and Dulglutide (Trulicity) work through endocrine cells to secrete the hormone incretin. 5,6In glucose homeostasis, incretin is responsible for augmenting the release of insulin after meals and stimulating a decrease in blood glucose levels.6 Furthermore, they have been shown to reduce appetite and food intake leading to weight loss.6 Other medications approved for weight loss in the United States include Bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave), Liraglutide (Saxenda), Orlistat (Xenical, Alli), and Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia).
