HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – GLP-1 medications have become one of the biggest topics in weight loss, but with more people turning to these drugs to help lose a few pounds, medical experts say they are not a magical solution \u2014 there are lifestyle changes that people need to consider to receive the best results.<\/p>\n
Emily Stevens, a nursing professor at James Madison University, said GLP-1 drugs work by controlling our appetites and making us feel fuller faster, then sending a signal to our brains that we are no longer hungry. At the same time, Stevens said it\u2019s essential that people using the medication make sure to maintain a healthy diet, get enough protein and exercise.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it is reducing your appetite, so you\u2019re taking in less food, and so that means the food that you do take needs to be more nutrient dense, if you will,\u201d Stevens said. \u201cThe food that you eat needs to count more, so that you adequately fuel your body and give it what it needs. … Some of that weight that you lose is fat tissue, but some of it is also lean muscle mass, and in order to help preserve the muscle mass in favor of losing fat mass, you need to make sure you get plenty of protein and strength train.\u201d<\/p>\n
With compounded versions of GLP-1 medications becoming a growing interest for weight loss, Stevens said, there are a few safety risks people should know about. Compounded versions are when a pharmacist takes the raw materials or ingredients of a medication and mixes them together to form a different formulation of the drug, typically when there is a shortage, Stevens said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the GLP-1s were first introduced into the market, there was a high demand and less supply, so they were in shortage for some time after they were introduced for the use of weight loss,\u201d Stevens said. \u201cCompounding increased significantly to meet that demand, so there is some FDA approval for it, and some regulation over the places where the medication materials come from.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Stevens said, there is not strict oversight in the manufacturing process of compound formulations, leaving concerns about the purity of the product, differences in dosing, concentration or strength.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat can be an issue, and then also verification that what is in the compound is actually what it is supposed to be, so there is a place for compounding to meet demand,\u201d Stevens said. \u201cHowever, now that these GLP-1 medications are not in shortage, it\u2019s better for patients to actually get the medication from the FDA oversight, the pharmaceutical linkers and the branding products. … Those are also the products that were included in the trials and the research studies, so it\u2019s better to choose those products over compounded products.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said GLP-1 drugs are made for those diagnosed with diabetes. Stevens said before you start taking one, you should discuss the commitment that comes with taking this medication with a doctor.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think a lot of people view these medications potentially as something they can take until they lose the weight that they want to lose, and then they can discontinue them,\u201d she said. \u201cReally, these are more chronic lifelong medications to treat obesity, because it\u2019s a chronic disease.\u201d<\/p>\n