OzemPic expert explains what you need to know before taking GLP-1 drugs

Some medications in recent years have rocked medicine and society as a whole to the point that the vellotide and its siblings.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozambi diabetes and obesity (since wegovy was approved in 2021, OzemPIC has become a common treatment outside the designation). It is the synthetic version of the hormone GLP-1, which helps to regulate our metabolism and hunger. The newly new partial partial medications have proven to be more effective in treating obesity than diet and exercise, and its benefits appear to go beyond mere weight loss. Only this month, for example, a study of VA data suggested that the use of GLP-1 linked With the risk of up to 42 different health conditions, including heart attacks, dementia, and drug abuse disorders.

As it seems, as these medications seem, many people-including those who may be qualified to take-are still not knowing much about them. Alexandra Sawa, obesity medicine and trainer At New York University Medical Faculty, she has First A new book this month Ozimbi revolutionWhat is meant to change this. The book is described as “a comprehensive user guide” for both potential patients and people who take them right. Not only does this include advice on how to secure health coverage of extensive drugs often, which can cost more than $ 1,000 per month without insurance, but also provides tips on how to manage and avoid common intestinal infectious side effects to take.

Gizmodo spoke to SOWA about her experiences in obesity, misconceptions surrounding GLP-1 treatment, and what may seem to be the future of obesity treatment. This next conversation was edited for clarity and rules.

Ed Kara, Gizmodo: How was the matter for you, as a doctor who specializes in treating obesity, to see the rise and similar medications over the past few years? How many things have changed since their arrival?

Alexandra Sawa: When I found the field of obesity, there was no looked back for me. I wanted to be a doctor working to prevent the disease, and this field allowed me to do so. But until very recently, people have not really been able to understand what we were doing in our specialized clinics. So it was interesting to see a widespread acceptance of the fact that obesity is a disease recently-that it is not a lack of good strength. And it deserves studied, careful and comprehensive treatment.

I’m sure you know that, but the GLP-1 weight management drugs have already been on the market for a long time, starting with Saxenda More than 10 years ago. So we had other tools – it was not effective. Thus, until we started getting these injections more effective, we did not get people who say, “Oh, this really, really works.” This leads, I think, to the height of the meteorite in press coverage. Then social media was also part of this, as people share their stories. This was really cool to see.

Gizmodo: What are some of the biggest myths or misconceptions about the GLP-1 drugs that you want to dispel with your book?

Sawa: I think the biggest one is for people to think about these medications as just a kind of magic stick, which is an easy way to go out. They will see this as a magic stick for themselves, or the rejectionists will say, “Well, this is the easy way to go out. You must try more difficult. But these medications are not a magic stick. People still need comprehensive care in order to achieve the goals they want and doctors like us Loss of weight significantly, improving health, and preventing diseases.

We still need to know how to eat, how to exercise, how to maintain our muscle mass, and how to think differently in our bodies and journey. This is where I see the difference between people who get a prescription for these medications and people who get comprehensive care. Therefore, I wrote this book to be the Bible for anyone who thinks about dealing with these medications, who are currently taking these medications, or even thinking about abandoning treatment because it does not go in particular.

I also think there is a great separation between people who write for drugs as well. As a specialist in obesity medicine, there are only thousands of us among the millions of doctors. Somewhere about 0.3 % of doctors have obesity training. We know that many people are prescribing these medications now, which is great because we want to increase access and reduce barriers that prevent access to the drug. But the problem I really see is that there is no time for health care systems or in these simultaneous platforms as people get comprehensive care.

Second, to this point, people look at this potential as a short -term solution. But in fact, these medications are customized and adopted for long -term use, and perhaps forever. Therefore, we should not get into taking these medications without at least a very dangerous conversation with the dangers with the doctor.

Gizmodo: With regard to this, how much do people worry about the comprehensive safety of medicines or similar medications? Is it possible to see a really common health risks that appear on the road?

Sawa: This is very wrong about these drugs: they are completely new, heresy, and they are unsafe. Well, we have had GLP-1 drugs since the first decade of the twentieth century. It has been widely studied. It has been used exclusively for weight management for more than 10 years. In fact, they are working and they are very safe, with very few contraindications (i.e. the reasons for not using treatment). It may be one of the easiest medications that prescribe medications with regard to thinking, “What should you take into account here?”

What is unique in these medications is that they are not only one indicator. What we see is a landing effect, right? This is due to the concept of obesity care as preventive care and preventive medicine. You may not reach this place where you have XYZ diagnosis because you are in this medicine. We have very large databases, with hundreds of thousands of people in these medications. What we continue to see from this data is actually more improving disease and prevention instead of new risks, which is great to see.

However, we always have to deal with this with respect. GLP-1 drugs are a real modern medical miracle, and a revolution in how to treat patients. However, a great need to respect the process comes. And I say that although we see that there is benefit in all fields, we still need to enter into a risk conversation with our patients.

Gizmodo: Where do you see the future of obesity treatment in general?

Sawa: Obesity is complex and there are many hormones in playing and many genes. Other paths that we tried to treat in the past were not in fact – in theory, they should have been working – but they did not do that. Now that we break the surface of what is effective in treating obesity, I think what we will see is more specially for treatment.

If you have a degree of weight X to lose and have a subscriber in the subscriber (pre -existing medical conditions), this will be the drug for you. Or genetically, if we know that you may lack this gene, this medicine will be for you. Some of these latest repetitions, double stimulants, have This is a great weight loss Not everyone needs these medications; We can already start with some previous repetitions. So I think it will become more targeted for your specific needs.

I also think, at a very important level, where we see more medications in the pipeline, that the cost is decreased. The largest large -scale use is the cost. And I think we will start seeing easiest methods than taking medications. It may be injection once a month, and may be pill or spots.

Gizmodo: What are the biggest ready -made meals you want to leave our readers?

Sawa: I have written this book because I want people to really feel empowering. It should not be simple as getting a prescription that came out of the office and not thinking about it again. This is the complete shift of the sea accuracy in how to live your life and how you will deal with food and exercise, and we must look at it in this way. There should always be a conversation at the beginning about long -term risks, long -term benefits and where they fit with this. I do not want to see that this becomes a property in vanity as there is no truly benefits for a person and risks. But if it is used for the right indicators, all benefits exceed any small small risk.

The other thing is that I think there is a rise from the influencers who talk about these medications. It is great for people to be able to share their story. But experience is important with these medications. This is why I wrote this book so that people can become their experts. So that they do not fall for myths, misconceptions, or fake news about everything – can be enabled to make really responsible decisions and change life for themselves.