General safety of three weight-loss drugs confirmed
Millions of people have taken or are using one of nine approved weight-loss medications. But there's still a lot of confusion about their safety and potential side effects. So, Mayo Clinic researchers decided to take a look at data on the benefits and risks of three of them: liraglutide (Saxenda), semaglutide (Wegovy), and tirzepatide (Zepbound). They reviewed available data and found that Zepbound (approved and available for the past 18 months) resulted in a mean weight loss of 18% of users' body weight. Wegovy (in use for three years) delivered 12% weight loss and Saxenda (around for 10 years), 5%.
In addition, their article in Obesity Pillars notes that Wegovy can reduce a user's risk for a nonfatal heart attack, stroke or death from other cardiovascular issues by up to 20%.
As for side effects ... all three meds may cause gastrointestinal problems, but most are mild to moderate and fade over time. The most serious side effects (not common) included pancreatitis and inflammation of the gallbladder and bile ducts -- and mostly they happen to folks taking higher doses for a longer time.
We support the use of these medications -- but you should not get them from "online doctors" or shady internet sources. Those often fake versions have been known to cause hypoglycemia and seizures because they contain insulin instead of the weight-loss drug.
For more help achieving a healthy weight -- and not gaining it back -- check out our book "YOU On a Diet" and iHerb.com/blog's "6 Tips for Weight Management that Lasts."
Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).
(c)2024 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2024 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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