As a doctor, I can explain why you should be cautious of popular weight loss methods.
When I was 14, I attempted my first diet, which was brief and severe. I did crunches and squats, and my diet primarily consisted of orange juice and eggs. After six weeks, the benefits were obvious. I shed so much weight that my peers looked up to me, I escaped the embarrassment of being overweight, and I embarked on a lifetime battle with obesity.
I am now a doctor and have probably regained all of the weight I lost. I'm working hard to lose weight, but it's not easy. I was lured to the concept of a diet that would cause me to lose weight quickly in the same way that a candle draws butterflies. The allure, though, was fleeting. The notion grew attractive as I researched the science, economics, history, and ethics of weight reduction medication.
The world is in the grip of an obesity problem. People today weigh more than ever before. More than four out of every 10 adults in the United States consider themselves overweight. The situation in most of the rest of the globe is similar: obesity has quadrupled since 1975, and more than 1 billion people are afflicted, with the number constantly increasing.
Obesity was classified as an illness by doctors in June 2013. Aside from health concerns, many overweight persons wish to lose weight in order to avoid discrimination, stigma, and body image difficulties. All of these personal problems and battles are feeding a multibillion-dollar worldwide weight-loss business. There is always money to be made when people desire something so strongly.
When new "slimming" goods are introduced, they are frequently an instant success. TikTok trends, internet merchants, celebrity endorsements, and lax regulations are fuelling unprecedented demand growth. But, I wonder, at what cost?
Ozempic, the brand name for semaglutide, is a diabetic medication that has lately gained popularity among celebrities and on social media for weight loss. According to one study, semaglutide can be administered safely for 68 weeks. However, the drug's long-term usefulness as a weight loss aid remains debatable.
The most common adverse effects of the medicine are nausea and diarrhea, although pancreatitis, visual abnormalities, renal failure, and allergic responses have all been reported, and potential side effects are currently being evaluated.
Another research discovered that when participants stopped taking Ozempic, they recovered all of the weight they had lost in a year - quicker than they had lost it. They also lost any gains in cardiac function or metabolism. In other words, these medications are only useful for weight reduction if you continue to take them.
The rush of people looking for these medications for weight reduction has also reduced their availability for diabetics.
Taking this sort of drug without consulting a doctor poses a huge personal danger, and there may be no safety net. You may be certain that the drug is safe, inexpensive, and available for the rest of your life, that it will have no adverse effects, and that you will be motivated to take it every week for the rest of your life.
History has shown that some diet pills might do more damage than help. Thyroid hormone extract was tried in the nineteenth century but was discontinued once it was shown to cause hyperthyroidism. Amphetamine was offered as a therapy for obesity in the 1940s, but it was abandoned when it proved addicted.
Rainbow pills comprising amphetamine, diuretics, and digitalis became popular in the 1960s, and many individuals died as a result. Fen-phen was pulled off the market in 1997 because it was shown to cause heart valve damage. Other weight loss medicines were pulled off the market between 2008 and 2010 because they caused liver damage, suicidal thoughts, and raised the risk of heart disease.
Weight control is a lifetime struggle. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, no magical code, no quick cure, and no artificial intelligence. However, I can only recommend these pills if you satisfy the eligibility requirements, consult a certified physician, and have a long-term weight control strategy.
And if, like me, you don't want to take the latest pill marketed on the Internet as a weight loss answer but still want to lose weight, I'd suggest be nice to yourself and don't give up hope or confidence. We will keep looking for methods to provide your body with the nourishment and exercise it requires to live a healthy life.
Prioritize sleep, self-care, monitoring, and personal objectives. We utilize specialists wherever feasible and avoid unsafe, costly, and unneeded techniques.
It is also essential to understand that obesity-related conditions such as diabetes and heart disease can be problematic for people already diagnosed with cancer. They can cause medical problems, prevent people from receiving approved first-line drugs and even increase the likelihood that they will need surgery. Overweight people may not even opt for surgery because the risks of removing the tumor may outweigh the benefits.
Cancer Risk and Body Mass Index
Celebrities and influencers frequently share their success stories with various weight loss medicines in the era of social media. Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro are three popular possibilities.
Whether you are thinking about using a weight reduction medication, consult with your doctor to determine if it is right for you. Make sure that your treatment plan includes appropriate nutrition and exercise.
Being overweight or obese, according to the American Cancer Society, is definitely connected with an increased risk of cancer. "Losing weight is a fantastic approach to minimize your risk of cancer," one of our experts says.
It is also crucial to highlight that obesity-related disorders, such as diabetes and heart disease, might be troublesome for those who have already been diagnosed with cancer.