For decades, American television has been filled with advertisements for the latest diet trends.
New trends and new types of medicines are currently booming in popularity.
“This seems to be the only one that has really worked for me,” said Abi Lee.
Abi Lee, who lives in Tulsa, is one of thousands of Americans taking a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists, sold under popular brand names such as Ozempic, Ugoby and Mounjaro. is. Thanks to her weekly injections, she was able to lose her 70 pounds.
“I started noticing weight loss after a few months, but it started to come off pretty quickly after that,” Lee said.
GLP-1 agonists are not new, but their use has evolved in recent years.
It was first approved by the FDA in 2005 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and is now being prescribed by a growing number of physicians to non-diabetics for weight loss.
For Dr. Mark Carey of the Utica Park Clinic, the drug’s evolution has been interesting.
“We’re talking about diabetes drugs that actually came out, and what they noticed when they were treating people with diabetes was that they were also losing weight,” Carey said. .
For several years after its approval for diabetes, doctors studied the drug’s effects on non-diabetics.
What they found was that people were losing a lot of weight.
“Some people in the study lost more than 20 percent of their body weight over the course of the 18-month study period,” Currely said.
The drug stimulates insulin production, slows digestion, and interacts with hunger receptors in the brain, Callery said. The results are making family doctors like him busier than ever.
“Twenty, thirty, forty percent of the patients we see every day ask about this at some point,” Carey said. “And it doesn’t even matter what they’re there for. They might be coming in with a cold, but they’re like, ‘I have a friend who’s on this drug, but there’s something I can do.’ ?’
Callery primarily prescribes Wugovy because it’s FDA approved for weight loss. Other doctors are prescribing off-label Munjaro, a newer and possibly even more effective drug that is expected to receive final FDA approval later this year.
Lee, who runs a wellness center in Sapalpa with her husband, knew about the drug but initially tried other weight loss methods.
“Everywhere I went, from Weight Watchers to HCG, I got depressed.
After two caesarean sections and emergency surgery last year, Lee weighed in at 230 pounds.
“At some point, I realized that I was tired all the time. I couldn’t play with my children much anymore,” said Lee.
Lee consulted his doctor and started taking semaglutide, the generic version of Weguvy.
Aside from minor side effects like fatigue and nausea, she has noticed a difference.
“When you’re taking this medicine, you’re not hungry. So when you get the urge to eat, ask yourself: Am I really hungry or am I really hungry? Is it because they’re there?” Dr. Lee explained. I’m used to eating, so I’d like to have some snacks. ”
Then I lost weight.
Carey says Lee’s story is one of many across the country.
Despite the drug’s success, some people are not so lucky. Researchers say the drug has caused pancreatitis and thyroid problems in several cases.
For others, the high price tag turns their backs on them.
“I always tell people that if they wanted to do it, it would cost them $900 to $1,000 a month,” Carey said.
Some insurance companies will not pay for the weight loss benefits of this drug.
“Unfortunately, insurance companies aren’t all that keen on paying for weight loss. Whether it’s talking about Ozempic or Munhalo or whatever,” Carey explained.
But for those who pay, the benefits often outweigh the risks.
Lee said she was now able to play more with her children and that the weight loss had helped her other health problems. For her, these drugs changed her life.
“This worked in a way that we haven’t seen any other drug on the market work when it comes to weight loss // guess we’ll be hearing about it for a while. .”
Increased demand has created some supply issues.
Some diabetics say they struggle to get insurance to cover their medications.
Market analysts believe that if fully approved, Munjaro could top $50 billion in annual sales, making it one of the best-selling drugs of all time.
