Saturday, June 5, 2021

Weight loss drug concerns: Wegovy appetite suppressant no diet shortcut to treat obesity


The FDA just approved a new weight loss drug, Wegovy which joins Semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus) to treat obesity. Should you try it for treating obesity? Please read this before you do. A quote in recent USA Today article has me concerned that overweight folks may see this appetite suppressant drug as a shortcut to diet. The participants on "My 600-lb Life" are going to party like it's 1999! They already think that bariatric surgery will magically make them lose weight. Diet pills that lets them (in their mind) change nothing and lose weight? Yikes! 

As I expected, right off the bat, a woman in the Wegovy trial said that the weight loss drug made her realize that [diet] isn't about willpower. She was one of those "tried every diet and nothing worked" folks. This always sends up red flags for me. If you can't lose weight on any meal plant, it's not the diets that have failed. Either you haven't worked it long enough or you've cheated.  Dr. Now of "My 600-lb Life" his "special exemptions" it's not CAN'T but WON'T follow the diet. 

Perhaps the Wegovy participant meant weight loss is not just about willpower. But she also said there's something "physical" about not being about to control hunger. Which to me reads like"My 600-lb Life" type excuses about having some sort of medical reason why she can't control hunger without diet pills. It also doesn't sound like they worked any better than just diet. It took her 68 weeks to lose 63 pounds. Good she's not losing weight super-fast and she will keep it off, more likely. But it still sounds like there's some reliance on the drug to fix overeating. 

I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass, with good old calorie counting, portion control and some natural appetite suppressants (cinnamon, green tea) and let me just say that whether you use them or not, weight loss is still very much about willpower and self-control. And it should be! Any weight loss drug that curbs hunger and makes you lose weight without any effort should treated very suspiciously.  

Part of how I lost 100 pounds was with appetite suppressants. But there's a world of difference between fruit based supplements and chemicals that kill your appetite. That's a common side effect of street drugs like cocaine! Remember Dexatrim diet pills? They contained an ingredient that was strongly linked with stroke and heart trouble. 

I know I sound a bit harsh. Yes, it sucks to be overweight. It's hard to curb hunger and cravings. Obesity is challenging to manage. But it can be done safely and without diet pills. Keep reading for healthy weight loss tips.






No comments:

Post a Comment

Blog Archive