Endocrinologist Dr. Ambrish Mithal on the happy side-effects of weight-loss drugs
New-age weight-loss drugs are exploding the pharmaceutical market, offering better results than traditional medicines. Top endocrinologist Dr. Ambrish Mithal deconstructs the many facets, including side-effects, of these GLP-1 drugs in his recently published book The Weight Loss Revolution, in an episode of India Today's Booked.He said that while the GLP-1 field -- drugs that belong to the class of GLP-1 targeting the same hormone in the body -- is just beginning to explode, there'll be many newer drugs with less and less side effects and easier to use.advertisementWhile most cases have shown muscle loss as a prominent result of using GLP-1 medications like tirzepatide or semaglutide, Dr. Mithal explains that losing muscle is an accompanying factor to weight loss.
"In the long run, if you're not following a healthy diet, you will end up with significant muscle loss. And this is not because of the weight-loss drugs. Whenever we lose weight, we also lose muscle. If you lose 10 kg, you've lost 2-3 kg of muscle. Now, if you want to preserve that, you have to ensure adequate protein and fibre in your diet. Along with that, you have to make sure that you're exercising regularly and that exercise should include strength training," Dr. Mithal said.He also shared what many people experience loose skin after taking these medicines. "When you lose weight rapidly, you lose subcutaneous fat. Particularly in older people where skin tends to sag anyway. If you suddenly lose weight, don't hydrate yourself well, not eating the right kind of balanced diet, then you get that little sagging on the face which people have started calling Ozempic face. Before these drugs came into the market, anyone we put on a very strict diet or someone who had bariatric surgery would see similar results," he added.advertisementBesides gastrointestinal side-effects, nausea, and vomiting, Dr. Mithal addressed concerns about thyroid cancer, highlighting that there's no evidence to link the two.He also explained the "happy side-effects" of GLP-1 medications. Besides growing body of evidence suggesting how semaglutide is linked to Alzheimer's disease, Dr. Mithal said that the benefits of the drugs are moving beyond weight loss."The evidence that they might be helping Alzheimer's by helping obesity in the brain may actually be very exciting, and even for cardiac health, Parkinson's disease. Cardiac events are reduced. Fatty liver is reduced. Kidney disease progression is reduced. But the brain effects are particularly fascinating. Sleep apnea has also gone down," he said, adding that the drugs have also helped improve fertility outcomes in women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).Currently, most GLP-1 drugs are injectable and expensive, limiting their access in India. However, new formulations and more research are on the way. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, two blockbuster fat-busting medicines, are set to gain ground in India to tackle the diabetes and obesity crisis."Remember, the GLP-1 field is just beginning to explode. There'll be many newer drugs with less and less side effects and easier to use," Dr. Mithal sayssaid.- EndsMust Watch
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New-age weight-loss drugs are exploding the pharmaceutical market, offering better results than traditional medicines. Top endocrinologist Dr. Ambrish Mithal deconstructs the many facets, including side-effects, of these GLP-1 drugs in his recently published book The Weight Loss Revolution, in an episode of India Today's said that while the GLP-1 field -- drugs that belong to the class of GLP-1 targeting the same hormone in the body -- is just beginning to explode, there'll be many newer drugs with less and less side effects and easier to most cases have shown muscle loss as a prominent result of using GLP-1 medications like tirzepatide or semaglutide, Dr. Mithal explains that losing muscle is an accompanying factor to weight loss. "In the long run, if you're not following a healthy diet, you will end up with significant muscle loss. And this is not because of the weight-loss drugs. Whenever we lose weight, we also lose muscle. If you lose 10 kg, you've lost 2-3 kg of muscle. Now, if you want to preserve that, you have to ensure adequate protein and fibre in your diet. Along with that, you have to make sure that you're exercising regularly and that exercise should include strength training," Dr. Mithal also shared what many people experience loose skin after taking these medicines. "When you lose weight rapidly, you lose subcutaneous fat. Particularly in older people where skin tends to sag anyway. If you suddenly lose weight, don't hydrate yourself well, not eating the right kind of balanced diet, then you get that little sagging on the face which people have started calling Ozempic face. Before these drugs came into the market, anyone we put on a very strict diet or someone who had bariatric surgery would see similar results," he gastrointestinal side-effects, nausea, and vomiting, Dr. Mithal addressed concerns about thyroid cancer, highlighting that there's no evidence to link the also explained the "happy side-effects" of GLP-1 medications. Besides growing body of evidence suggesting how semaglutide is linked to Alzheimer's disease, Dr. Mithal said that the benefits of the drugs are moving beyond weight loss."The evidence that they might be helping Alzheimer's by helping obesity in the brain may actually be very exciting, and even for cardiac health, Parkinson's disease. Cardiac events are reduced. Fatty liver is reduced. Kidney disease progression is reduced. But the brain effects are particularly fascinating. Sleep apnea has also gone down," he said, adding that the drugs have also helped improve fertility outcomes in women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).Currently, most GLP-1 drugs are injectable and expensive, limiting their access in India. However, new formulations and more research are on the way. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, two blockbuster fat-busting medicines, are set to gain ground in India to tackle the diabetes and obesity crisis."Remember, the GLP-1 field is just beginning to explode. There'll be many newer drugs with less and less side effects and easier to use," Dr. Mithal sayssaid.- EndsMust Watch
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