Weight loss drugs make it harder to get the nutrients you need – here’s what to do about it

I hope you’re not one of those people who just hate fat people and want to force them to loose weight “the old fashioned way”.

These drugs have been on the market for long enough and they are very safe. I think issues arise when they are prescribed for people who don’t need them.

I’d like to loose 10 lbs. but for me to loose weight, I’d have to eat 1000 calories total each day. I don’t do that, because that’s not a healthy behavior, so I eat 1200. I don’t qualify for these medications, but I know there’s places I could very easily get a prescription. And perhaps that’s where the issue is.

Anecdotally, I know about 5 people on these meds and they all still get hungry. They all still eat. They do get full sooner, and eat small portions. All of these people were prescribed the medication from an actual dietitian. Not an internet doctor.

These medications are life changing for people with addiction, with food noise, and for those who have disabilities.

There is no shame in being prescribed weight loss drugs for those who truly need it.

• Pancreatitis: Has been reported in clinical trials. Discontinue promptly if
pancreatitis is suspected. Do not restart if pancreatitis is confirmed (5.2).
• Diabetic Retinopathy Complications: Has been reported in a clinical trial.
Patients with a history of diabetic retinopathy should be monitored (5.3).
• Never share an OZEMPIC pen between patients, even if the needle is changed
(5.4).
• Hypoglycemia: Concomitant use with an insulin secretagogue or insulin may
increase the risk of hypoglycemia, including severe hypoglycemia. Reducing
dose of insulin secretagogue or insulin may be necessary (5.5).
• Acute Kidney Injury: Monitor renal function in patients with renal impairment
reporting severe adverse gastrointestinal reactions (5.6).
• Hypersensitivity Reactions: Serious hypersensitivity reactions (e.g.,
anaphylaxis and angioedema) have been reported. Discontinue OZEMPIC if
suspected and promptly seek medical advice (5.7).
• Acute Gallbladder Disease: If cholelithiasis or cholecystitis are suspected,
gallbladder studies are indicated (5.8).

Dieting and weight-loss drugs are unhealthy.

Eating an appropriate diet isn't unhealthy, but I don't think you are using the word "diet" in that sense. Weight loss drugs, like any other drug, should be prescribed carefully with great deliberation, after informing the patient and weighing with them the positives against the negatives. Like any other intervention it needn't be inherently unhealthy, but I don't think blanket usage of high dose GLP-1 receptor agonists is a good idea.

Accept your body as it is.

I disagree, we shouldn't accept metabolically unhealthy states as normal.

And, again, we are using weight as a totally arbitrary marker for health with very little real evidence that it is in any way meaningful.

Waist circumference to height is a better marker.

There is so much bunk science in dietetics, it’s unbelievable.

It's all epidemiology. That's the unbelievable part of it, there's no science in nutrition.

Uh I'm with you on the weight loss drugs being a sham shortcut. But you're claiming that having self control and eating within your TDEE to manage your weight is an unnecessary lie? That's just basic self control. Having control over your weight unlocks a higher quality of life.

We are physical matter affected by gravity. Having a smaller concentration of physical matter lessens the negative effects of gravity on our bodies. Increasing our physical mass puts more strain on every part of our body and leads to many well researched and documented health problems.

There are millions of people who have successfully taken back control of their weight through self control. It takes lifestyle change and continuous motivation. It's not easy, many fail, not because the process is broken, but because the process is difficult and cannot be shortcutted.