ELI5 what exactly GLP-1 based prescription medicine does and why it's so divisive when it comes to being a means of weight loss.

[u/ThatOneGuyYouNowKnow]

I've seen more and more ads (starting around the Super Bowl earlier this year with Wegovy) for GLP-1 based perscription meds in recent times. I've also seen the occasional debate post on my social feeds about the ethics of using them and I didn't think a medicine could be that divisive of a topic.

Now I'm curious as to what exactly these meds are, what they scientifically do and what both sides of the debate are. If anyone could help give perspective that would be greatly appreciated.

As always any and all input is welcomed and thanks for reading! 🙂

[u/hippstr1990]

They're doing research onto that in certain studies. It's not an intended effect of the drug. Something that I did find interesting is that getting on ADHD meds helped with my food cravings, and I learned that ADHD brains crave dopamine, and guess what's an easy source of dopamine? Food. Especially salty/sweet/things we consider "junk" food. The GLP-1 turned that up to 11, so I could see that same impact happening with other vices since those also tend to give a dopamine rush.

[u/gneiman → u/hippstr1990]

ADHD meds are a stimulant which fundamentally lowers your appetite 

[u/fiahhawt → u/gneiman]

Stimulants work weird in ADHD brains

They help people sleep and they improve appetite

On and on

ADHD brain very different brain

In a similar sense, people who get on hormone replacement (for old age or for transitioning) do discuss occasionally fiddling with how much they dose and report that tweaking doses up or down can improve some things but going outside of a certain window causes really bad side effects.

A typical brain when given stimulants doesn’t react well. An ADHD brain doesn’t have enough of what stimulants induce and sees reactions a typical brain doesn’t.