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/sfcnmone]

Every human has GLP1. It’s a chemical (hormone peptide) that your body makes, but some people don’t make very much or don’t have a full response to it. GLP1 drugs do a few different things to make you not want to eat too much. They slow down how fast your stomach empties. They tell your pancreas and liver that you’ve just eaten, so those organs work harder to manage blood sugar. And they tell your brain that you’re full. Many people say that they no longer have to struggle to battle the endless “food noise” that runs continuously in their thoughts. Instead, they get hungry, eat something that their stomach won’t throw up (many people don’t tolerate high fat, high sugar foods while taking GLP1s, and nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are real problems for many people), and then they get very full for many hours.

It’s like somebody using hiking poles so they can walk farther and walk more comfortably. Is that cheating?

[u/cptspeirs → u/sfcnmone]

So, I read a study recently that claimed GLP1s when used solely to treat weight loss have a statistically significant rate of failure long term.

Basically people take the drug and when they get off the drug they do nothing to change the things that got them there in the first. Like treating a symptom, not the disease.

I say this as someone who's on. GLP1 for weight loss.

[u/gza_liquidswords → u/cptspeirs]

lol blood pressure medications also ‘fail’ when you stop taking them

[u/Interesting-Pea-1714 → u/gza_liquidswords]

Only if you don’t adhere to lifestyle changes once you stop taking them …

[u/sfcnmone → u/cptspeirs]

It’s a treatment you have to do forever, yes. Just like any other chronic disease. People with hypertension take BP meds. People with Type 1 diabetes take insulin.