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Technically Speaking

Losing Weight… and OTHER GOOD THINGS

by Dave Trecker

ho would have thought GLP-1 would become the These effects are not new. Neither is the tie-in of obesity to
W Type 2 diabetes. And GLP-1 drugs have been around for almost
hottest abbreviation around? It means glucagon-like
two decades. The problem was that early versions were not very
peptide 1, a hormone that regulates blood sugar in Type
2 diabetics. effective, providing weight loss of only about 8%.
And it helps people lose weight! Ozempic, which hit the market in 2019, followed by Wegovy in
GLP-1 drugs are in the headlines these days, as Oprah and a 2021 changed all that and kicked off what some enthusiasts call a
clutch of soap-opera actresses praise the miraculous effects of these “paradigm shift” in obesity treatment.
skinny-down pharmaceuticals, spurring sales at Novo Nordisk and But weight loss may be just the tip of the iceberg. These drugs
Eli Lilly and making a bundle for their shareholders. also do other things. A recent 17,000-patient semaglutide trial
It’s quite a phenomenon. revealed a stunning 20% reduction in heart attacks among patients
Turns out weekly injections of these drugs can lead to all kinds with a history of cardiovascular disease. FDA approval is being
of good things. sought. Early results suggest the drugs may also be effective against
I’m talking about Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic (semaglutide) and chronic kidney disease and reduce craving for alcohol as well.
Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for treating Type 2 diabetes and Pretty impressive.
Novo’s Wegovy (semaglutide) and Lilly’s Zepbound (tirzepatide) Food companies are getting on the bandwagon to treat obesity.
for treating obesity. Because weight loss is often accompanied by loss of muscle mass, a
The drugs are costly (listed at about $1,000 per month, $250 per boost in protein is sometimes recommended. Nestle, Abbott Labs,
shot) and in short supply as the companies struggle to keep up with General Mills and other food companies are cashing in with an
the explosive demand. array of high-protein supplements.
And they’re in demand for good reason. Results from clinical But nothing is ever straightforward. There are always caveats.
trials have been astonishing. Medical and nutritional experts agree the GLP-1 effect isn’t a
Dr. Angela Fitch, president of the Obesity Medicine standalone solution to anything, but rather one of a number of
Association, reports treatment with tirzepatide yielded a 20% weapons that physicians can employ. And that certainly applies to
weight reduction in an unprecedented 60% of the trial participants. treating obesity.
Earlier clinical testing with semaglutide delivered an average 16% Dr. Evelina Grayver, a woman's heart care specialist, says,
weight loss. Those results, she says, are life-changers. They give hope “There is no such thing as a miracle drug … Lifestyle is the
to the 750 million people worldwide that are living with obesity, foundation of it all.” Stay active, she says, exercise, watch your diet,
many having exhausted all other ways of slimming down. refrain from smoking and get plenty of rest.
Does the GLP-1 effect last? Yes. Although these are early days, GLP-1 drugs, she says, are no more than maintenance tools –
tests show that as long as you continue the weekly shots, the weight although pretty darned good ones at that.
stays off. Stop the shots and the weight eventually comes back. Dr. Trecker is a chemist and retired Pfizer executive living in Naples.
How do these miracle drugs work? They activate the GLP-1
and/or GIP hormone receptors in the body. That does several things.
It signals the pancreas to produce insulin and it mimics hormones
the body releases when we eat, curbing appetite.

70 Life in Naples | February 2024