GLP-1 medications have been a lively topic of discussion nationwide for the last six months. Many voices have touted drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro as a new "miracle" weight loss cure. Meanwhile a handful of experts have raised important questions about the safety of such treatments.

 

In this thought-provoking interview, Dr. Robert Todd Hurst offers a stunning cost-benefit analysis of taking GLP-1 agonist medications in the long and short terms.

 

While there is no doubt that these medications can be highly effective in helping people drop significant amounts of weight, Hurst cogently argues that the net benefit and costs should be carefully considered before one undergoes any course of treatment.

 

Dr. Hurst is a board-certified preventative cardiologist and notable author of the WebMD Heart Health Blog. In 2022 he launched The Healthspan Podcast, where he shares insights from his work at the Mayo Clinic and his own HealthspanMD practice based in Phoenix, Arizona.

 

SHOW NOTES

 

00:00 - Introduction

01:12 - GLP-1 agonists originally diabetes medications

03:45 - later discovered to have remarkable weight loss benefits

05:00 - “terrible” history of weight loss medications

06:45 - unrecognized costs, not just financial

09:30 - financial cost

10:00 - gastrointestinal and physiological side effects

11:40 - “muscle as youth,” 40% lean muscle mass loss concerns

13:30 - drawbacks of a “forever” medication

15:00 - studies show about ⅔ of weight regained; people with only 5% body weight to lose are mostly heavier after treatment

16:30 - a “fast start” to body optimization

17:45 - strategies for tapering on and tapering off

20:40 - be cautious where you get your medications and supplements from

21:28 - where this is going long term

22:40 - importance of a comprehensive approach

24:30 - not a solution, but an “additive” to other treatments for people with a lot of weight to lose (20% or more body weight) and high risk

26:15 - healthspanmd.com, healthspan podcast

 

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You can learn more about Dr. Robert Todd Hurst, his medical practice and his podcast using the links below:

https://www.healthspanmd.com/

https://www.instagram.com/healthspanmd/

podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/57im0ie2ypxPJtpc2noeQA

 

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