What should you know before starting a GLP-1?

As GLP-1 drugs surge in popularity, thousands of people are turning to social media influencers and online sellers for guidance on purchasing and using these medications.

The trend, sometimes dubbed the "Ozempidemic" online, is quickly spreading misinformation.

This misinformation is increased by the constantly changing landscape for purchasing methods and insurance coverage for GLP-1s.

Navigating the landscape of GLP-1s doesn’t have to be done alone.

Bariatric surgery and primary care providers can help answer the top questions about GLP-1s and assist in navigating insurance coverage.

To help give a better basic understanding of GLP-1s, University of Michigan Health’s Randy Seeley, Ph.D., a Professor of Surgery, Internal Medicine, and Nutritional Sciences and director of the Michigan Nutrition and Obesity Research Center and Ryan Howard, M.D., an Assistant Professor of Surgery, give their insight into the top information to know about GLP-1s.

What should you know before starting a GLP?

Howard: The social media influence of GLP-1s can’t be overstated.

There's lots of mixed messaging on social media about the benefits of GLP-1s for weight loss and diabetes control.

The public access to GLP-1s without a doctor’s prescription is increasing as well.

It's important for those looking to lose weight or explore options for diabetes care to talk with a health care provider who knows their health history before starting a GLP-1.

While these medications are successful in treating weight loss and diabetes, they will interact with other medications you are taking.

Talking with a provider that knows your health history will allow you to find a GLP-1 prescription that will work best for your needs.

As a bariatric surgeon, many people come into my clinic feeling they don’t deserve assistance with their weight loss. However, the opposite is true.

Anyone looking to lose weight deserves a provider who will listen to their concerns and find the option that works best for them.

Seeley: GLP-1s are a safe and effective way to lose weight and treat diabetes.

Labs like mine have been studying the GLP system for nearly 30 years testing effectiveness, safety and more.

While GLP-1s are effective, they are only effective when taken at the proper dosage for your body.

SEE ALSO: Randy Seeley gets lots of questions about GLP-1s. Here’s why.

It's important to talk about what dosage and method of administering GLP-1s is best for you before taking a GLP-1.

What should you know before microdosing a GLP-1?

Howard: Microdosing GLP-1s comes from a variety of motivations. These can vary from medication cost to minimizing side effects.

One of the most popular reasons I hear as a physician is people wanting to ensure they don’t regain any weight after stopping a GLP-1.

While these are valid concerns, there is no proven benefit to microdosing GLP-1s.

Microdosing means intentionally taking a dose that is under the dosage we know to be effective.

This is called a “subtherapeutic” dose.

This can harm future medication adherence in addition to a false understanding of what type or dose of GLP-1 might work for you.

While microdosing a GLP-1, some may find that the medication isn’t working at all or doing too much.

This could be the result of a variety of factors such as dosage amount and drug composition.

This can lead patients to believe that GLP-1s don’t work for them.

To see the best results from a GLP-1, you need to talk to a provider who understands your health history and can prescribe the proper dose and drug compound for you.

This health care provider can work with you to change the dosage amount or composition if the medication seems to be doing too much or too little.

It's also important that patients adhere to the expiration dates given on both the pill and injection forms of GLP-1s.

Spreading medication when microdosing could lead to consuming expired medication. This is not only ineffective, but potentially dangerous.

What happens when you stop a GLP-1?

Seeley: On average, about two-thirds of the weight will come back in the year after you stop.

This doesn’t only apply to microdosing GLP-1s but stopping GLP-1s in general.

Having a health care provider work with you on the best GLP-1 dosage for you can benefit when stopping a GLP-1 as well.

Health care providers will have a variety of options when it comes to stopping a GLP-1 on how to continue seeing weight loss results in a way that works for you.

Howard: There is also a misconception that you shouldn’t stay on a GLP-1 forever. This is not true.

There are many medications that patients find themselves needing to stay on long term, such as blood pressure medications.  

Health care providers such as bariatric specialists can help patients find a GLP-1 dose that gives effective weight loss results while maintaining a balanced weight.

They can also help navigate any confusing out of pocket costs and insurance coverage when it comes to paying for a GLP-1.

Are there medical weight loss methods other than GLP-1s to try?

Howard: Patients can always start their weight loss journey by talking to a health care provider.

There are many multidisciplinary approaches to weight loss such as physical activity, a healthy diet and medical treatment.

One of the most effective medical weight loss options in addition to GLP-1s is bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery is one of the safest and most effective treatment options for medical weight loss.

Many bariatric surgery clinics are using a combination of GLP-1s and bariatric surgery to effectively treat patients who are looking to lose weight.

Weight loss always involves a multidisciplinary approach, and there is no standard practice that works for all patients.

Meeting with a bariatric specialist can help you find a weight loss method that is tailored to your needs.

It's important for patients to remember that this is a stigmatized disease and anyone who is looking to begin their weight loss journey deserves to have a medical team that will listen and find the best solutions for them.

Funding/disclosures: Randy Seeley: Aardvark Therapeutics; AbbVie Inc.; Addition Therapeutics; Alveus Tx; Ambrosia Therapeutics; Amgen Inc.; CinRx Pharma; Congruence Therapeutics; Coro Bio; Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Eccogene; Eli Lilly & Company Ltd.; Fractyl Health; Gallant Therapeutics; Heliocore Therapeutics; Kirkland-Ellis; Metsera; NOVO NORDISK A/S; Nuanced Health; Overture Therapeutics; Pfizer Inc.; Protagonist Therapeutics; Rewind Co.; Zealand Pharma.

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