Doctors discuss potential risks of diabetes drug gaining popularity for weight loss

MORNING LOWS IN THE 70S. VANESSA THANK YOU. POPULARITY FOR INJECTABLE WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS LIKE OZEMPIC CONTINUES TO RISE. AND HERE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THIS DRUG AND ITS USE IS DR. ALBERTO. HE’S A BARIATRIC SURGEON AT PALM BEACH GARDENS MEDICAL CENTER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY. SO YOU KNOW, WE’VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOW THIS DRUG WORKS. I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF QUESTIONS. YOU THINK IT’S FOR TYPE TWO DIABETES, BUT IT’S ALSO BEING USED FOR WEIGHT LOSS TO KIND OF JUST BREAK IT DOWN FOR US. SURE. THESE THESE MEDICATION ACTUALLY MIMICS A HORMONE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BODY AND ACTING THE BRAIN IN OUR GUT TO TRY TO REDUCE OUR APPETITE, REDUCE IT, TRANSLATE ENERGY TRACT AND IMPROVE THE METABOLISM OF SUGARS, ACHIEVING GOOD WEIGHT LOSS AFTER AFTER A WHILE OF USING IT. OKAY. SO IF SOMEONE WERE THOUGH, TO MAYBE TAKE THIS AND THEY DON’T HAVE DIABETES, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE, I GUESS, POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS OR MAYBE COMPLICATIONS THAT COULD COME WITH WITH THIS DRUG? SO SO SMP WAS FIRST APPROVED BY THE FDA FOR A FOR DIABETES, BUT THEN THEY REBRANDED THE MEDICATION AS WE GO IS THE SAME MOLECULE FOR WEIGHT LOSS. SO THE SAME MEDICATION WITH THE DIFFERENT BRANDING WORKS FOR WEIGHT LOSS. AND IT HAS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE. LOSING ABOUT LIKE 15% OF YOUR BODY WEIGHT WHEN YOU STAY IN THE DRUG. OKAY. SO I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING IT AND THEY THEY LOVE IT. THEY SAY, HEY, IT DOES EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID, REDUCES THE APPETITE. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HIT YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOAL AND THEN YOU STOP TAKING IT? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE WEIGHT COMING BACK? AND THAT’S THE PART THAT IS THAT WE NEED TO BE HONEST WITH PATIENTS. YOU KNOW, I’M A BARIATRIC SURGEON, SO I’M ALWAYS SKEWED A LITTLE BIT TOWARDS BARIATRIC SURGERY. THE MEDICATION NEEDS TO BE GIVEN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT WEIGHT LOSS. AS SOON AS YOU STOP THAT MEDICATION, YOU REGAIN THE WEIGHT THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN IN STUDIES. BARIATRIC SURGERY IS THE COUNTERPART THAT WILL PROMOTE LIFELONG WEIGHT LOSS. SO IS THERE ANYTHING MAYBE THAT SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BE ON THE MEDICATION FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE ONCE THEY REACH THAT WEIGHT LOSS GOAL? IS THERE ANYTHING THEY CAN DO TO MAYBE MAINTAIN IT? I MEAN, PROBABLY JUST RIGHT. A HEALTHY DIET AND LIFESTYLE. THE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT ONCE YOU STOP THE DRUG, EVEN IF YOU STAY ON GOOD LIFESTYLE, YOU WILL START REGAINING THAT WEIGHT. ALL RIGHT. NOW, IS THERE A SHORTAGE, THOUGH, THAT’S IMPACTING DIABETIC PATIENTS BECAUSE SO MANY SOME PEOPLE ARE USING IT FOR WEIGHT LOSS? HE HAS HE HAS. HE’S GETTING BETTER NOW. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN THE MEDICATION WE GO WAS NOT WIDELY AVAILABLE, A LOT OF PHYSICIANS STARTED PRESCRIBING FOR WEIGHT LOSS, WHICH IS THE SAME MOLECULE AS WE SAID, AND THAT CREATED A SHORTAGE. THERE HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, IMPROVED LATELY. AND JUST TO BE SAFE, IF SOMEONE DOES WANT TO TAKE THIS, THEY SHOULD TALK TO THEIR DOCTOR, RIGHT. GET THE PROPER TEST BEFORE THEY START TAKING IT. THERE IS ALWAYS SIDE EFFECTS. THERE IS ALWAYS CONTRAINDICATIONS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS BEFORE WE PRESCRIBE MEDICATION IS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO GO TO A WEIGHT LOSS CLINIC AND NOT SEEING A DOCTOR THAT PRESCRIBED MEDICATION. ALL RIGHT. DR. ROCK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS MORNING. AN

Doctors discuss potential risks of diabetes drug gaining popularity for weight loss

Updated: 11:37 AM EDT May 24, 2023

A diabetes drug, Ozempic, has gained popularity as a treatment option for obesity.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25 The drug was initially used to treat type two diabetes, but the medication was quickly noted to promote weight loss. Doctor Alberto Zarak, a bariatric surgeon at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, stopped by the studio to talk more about the popularity of the drug and the potential risks. Your health: Here’s what you need to know

A diabetes drug, Ozempic, has gained popularity as a treatment option for obesity.

Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25

The drug was initially used to treat type two diabetes, but the medication was quickly noted to promote weight loss.

Doctor Alberto Zarak, a bariatric surgeon at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, stopped by the studio to talk more about the popularity of the drug and the potential risks.

Your health: Here’s what you need to know