Can weight loss medications really be the key to managing type 2 diabetes and obesity? Discover the untold stories and science behind GLP-1 receptor agonist medications like semaglutide in our latest episode of the Simple Nutrition Insights Podcast. We'll break down how these medications work, from increasing satiety to reducing glucose production, and discuss the common side effects and various administration methods. Amidst the noise and misinformation on social media, we provide you with accurate, science-backed insights, all supported by research references available in our show notes.
Honesty is crucial when it comes to weight-loss medications, and we emphasize the importance of open communication with healthcare providers. We'll explore how these medications can sometimes exacerbate health issues and the necessity of regular monitoring. Our discussion extends to the vital role of an interprofessional team, including dieticians, in creating tailored nutrition plans that mitigate side effects and support muscle preservation during weight loss. Join us for a comprehensive look at the multifaceted benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists, from managing diabetes to improving overall health conditions like high blood pressure. This episode is packed with practical advice and reliable information to help you make informed decisions about your health journey.
Please share this episode with a friend or family member that wants to learn more about the medications.
Thank you for listening. Please subscribe to this podcast and share with a friend. If you would like to know more about my services, please message at fueledbyleo@gmail.com
Can weight loss medications really be the key to managing type 2 diabetes and obesity? Discover the untold stories and science behind GLP-1 receptor agonist medications like semaglutide in our latest episode of the Simple Nutrition Insights Podcast. We'll break down how these medications work, from increasing satiety to reducing glucose production, and discuss the common side effects and various administration methods. Amidst the noise and misinformation on social media, we provide you with accurate, science-backed insights, all supported by research references available in our show notes.
Honesty is crucial when it comes to weight-loss medications, and we emphasize the importance of open communication with healthcare providers. We'll explore how these medications can sometimes exacerbate health issues and the necessity of regular monitoring. Our discussion extends to the vital role of an interprofessional team, including dieticians, in creating tailored nutrition plans that mitigate side effects and support muscle preservation during weight loss. Join us for a comprehensive look at the multifaceted benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists, from managing diabetes to improving overall health conditions like high blood pressure. This episode is packed with practical advice and reliable information to help you make informed decisions about your health journey.
Please share this episode with a friend or family member that wants to learn more about the medications.
Thank you for listening. Please subscribe to this podcast and share with a friend. If you would like to know more about my services, please message at fueledbyleo@gmail.com
Hey, hey, friends, welcome back to another episode in the Simple Nutrition Insights Podcast. I am your host, leonila Campos, registered dietitian, and there is a lot of, you know, noise about weight loss medications, right, the most common ones that you are hearing, you know Sempeg oh my gosh, I'm drawing a blank here. They're in the semaglutide category, right, and so I had been meaning to make an episode on this specific topic and I was trying to also bring in a doctor or specialist on that. That's still in the works, but I wanted to just talk more about that, right, and specifically, you know, maybe answer any questions that you might have. All the research that I am going to reference today is going to be in the show notes so you can go and read more about it, right, and look into it, because there's absolutely so much noise about it in social media and a lot of the times it's not accurate, right, or there's mixed information, personal biases or whatever the case may be. But there is a lot of research out there, right, that it is supported and that it is valid. And so, first of all, right, obviously we have to start with what GLP-1 is, right, Essentially, that is a category where Osempek is YOPI.
Speaker 1:
It came to me, and there's so many other medications weight loss medications and weight loss medications are not something new. They've been out for a long time. There's so many weight loss medications I'm not going into that specifically today but there's so many out there, so it's not something new right? But there are so many out there, so it's not something new right? A lot of the times, the reason why something becomes so popular or so talked about is because influencers or actors or whoever has fame, they make it famous, right, or they make it trendy, but it's not because it's absolutely new, right, make it trendy, but it's not because it's absolutely new right. And so this is essentially the case of GLP-1 agonist, receptor agonist right, which are a class of medication utilized specifically right to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, and so there is different medications that are in that specific category, but they're also targeting endocrine diseases and so mostly to help lower our glucose levels right, and help manage our metabolism. And so, in that specific research right that I'm viewing at the moment, which I'll share again in the show notes, talks about these medications right.
Speaker 1:
There's several medications out there that are considered GLP-1 receptor agonists. For example, there is the leukotide, there is laurucotide semaglutide, which is the more common one loruclutide there is loruclutide semaglutide, which is the more common one, but there is also yeah, I'm definitely saying that wrong teraceptide right, which is a gip analog that activates both the glp1 and gip receptors, and so there is in you know, now with there's so much research to do around those medications, and so there are those medications that are only targeted for type 2 diabetes, to obviously help lower blood sugar levels, but there's also some of those medications that are also now being used for obesity right or to treat metabolic syndrome, because insulin resistance and elevated glucose levels are also one of those conditions, and so these medications can help with that. And so, in the sense of the type 2 diabetes right, the GLP-1s help with gastric emptying and inhibiting glucagon production, but as well as decrease insulin response, and they have been shown to help with weight loss. Other functions of the GLP-1 medications include increasing glucose uptake in the muscle, so your muscles are taking in more glucose, and glucose uptake in the muscle, so your muscles are taking in more glucose. Decreased glucose production in the liver If you don't know, the liver that's one of the primary roles of the liver to produce glucose. Neuroprotection and increased satiety due to the direct action on the hypothalamus. So a lot of the times for maybe, patients that are struggling with feeling satiated, right, or they feel like they can't stop eating or for some reason they're not feeling like whether eating is enough, a lot of these medications can help with that right because it targets that hypothalamus and it triggers you know, it senses signals to the stomach to feel, hey, we're satiated, we don't need to eat anymore. So that essentially that's what the linkage is. And then these research also talks about how tripeptide, a combination of gastric inhibitory peptides and GLP-1 receptor agonist, help with insulin therapy, oral combination therapy as well. Let's see what else I want to talk about in this specific research.
Speaker 1:
The metabolism of the medications are mainly done in the kidneys and the liver through hydrolysis. Okay, that's a little bit more advanced there, we won't talk about that much. Liraglutide follows a similar pathway involving okay, not that either, it's a bit complicated the excretion of the medication is mainly done via the kidneys right, including liraglutide and semaglutide. The kidneys play a pivotal role in removing these compounds from the body. These medications can be administered at different times or frequencies or consistencies. Some of them are weekly, some of them are daily. Most of all your semaglutides of right now can be done weeklycutaneously or orally. Um, those can be daily, um, depending on how the drug is prescribed.
Speaker 1:
Some of the um, the side effects right or symptoms, are a lot of in that you hear a lot of the times for someone that is on this type of medications is nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, sometimes headaches. Some of the drugs can slow down the symptoms of the nausea and the vomiting. Usually that's at the start of the medication. Sometimes these symptoms go away. Again, each person is different, so sometimes they might not go away in just a short period of time. There is a lower risk of minor episodes. Low blood sugars nothing significant, you know.
Speaker 1:
There's also some concern here with gallbladder or biliary disorders and what else here. Those are the main things. There's some box warnings, right, contraindications as to like who should not be on these medications, right, specifically patients who have severe GI diseases such as gastroparesis, which is the slowdown of the digestion or emptying, because already the medication causes that right. So if someone has gastroparesis, because already the medication causes that right. So if someone has gastroparesis, just imagine how more the digestion is going to be slowed down and so the patient was not going to feel so well about that, right, they might have more nausea, they might have more vomiting because they already have gastroparesis, right. Another one is inflammatory bowel disease as well, because of how their digestive system is also affected. Especially, they're already having those GI symptoms that this research shows that they should not be on this medication. Let's see. What else?
Speaker 1:
Concern of long-term consequences on the thyroid gland using GLP agonist has been a topic of investigation. Let's see here. And it shows here that the effects on humans are still unclear. So there is more research that needs to be done on that specific area. What else? Someone that has more severe kidney problems? Right, because, again, that's where the medication is mostly excreted. So if they have renal failure, that's not recommended. Specifically monitoring, right, that is what this article? Right, that is what this article suggests that there should be consistent monitoring of the medication to make sure that the patient is tolerating the symptoms. Right, but there is also they're following up on different tests. You know pancreas, thyroid that patients are getting these things tested.
Speaker 1:
Now, I think this is important. It's important to pause here and it's important to talk about that. As a patient, right, you have the responsibility to let your doctor know how you are feeling, right? I know I do see this a lot on like Facebook groups, like people asking for the medication, right, and I completely understand, especially if it's something that or someone that has struggled with their way for such a long time maybe their entire life and they try different things and nothing works. And so a medication that has been promising or that shows positive results, obviously people are wanting to get you know, take the medication.
Speaker 1:
But I think it's really important to you as a patient really be honest with how you are health-wise, right. So if you're having these GI, severe GI issues, it's not that the medication is going to help with that, right, it could actually exacerbate them. But also right if you're having kidney issues right, obviously I'm sure your doctor is going to test for all that. But you have to also be responsible right as to like, if this is something that you want to do, that you are one, telling your doctor the truth. Right as to like how your health and then how you are feeling. But also, once you get the medication that you just like, don't ghost your doctor, right, because if you just take the medication and you don't follow through and you don't monitor yourself right, then you cannot blame your doctor for it, for what's going to happen, because you're choosing to do that right. So you have to follow through, you have to make sure that you stay in contact with your doctor and your healthcare provider if this is something that you decide to do. I think that is extremely important to remember as well.
Speaker 1:
One of the things that I really like about this article and again I'm going to link it in the show notes is that it really emphasizes the importance of interprofessional teams, including your doctor, including a diabetes educator, if there is diabetes present, a pharmacist right, an endocrinologist, absolutely as well as clinicians, dieticians think of me nurses, because I think this is extremely important and this is where my passion comes in that I'm not against the medication or the medications right, because there are truly some people that have tried everything even they have tried working with a dietician and for some reason, we can seem to have long-term or positive weight loss right, and this could be just the hormonal changes. This could be the changes in acetate hormones right Of hunger hormones, whatever the case may be, and that is something more clinical, and so, with maybe adding these medications can support that goal of losing weight, right, but I extremely and highly recommend that whoever decides to be on medication, on weight loss medications, that they have a dietician by their side. Number one, because medications are not a miracle pill, right? I mean, yes, you are going to have these weight loss because it's going to decrease your appetite, right, it's going to increase satiety, which is, you know, the slowing down of the digestion, but that doesn't mean that you can eat whatever you want. That doesn't mean that you just stop eating, because when you think about your health, when you think about what your body really needs, it really needs to have those balanced meals. Even if it's a small amount, right, your body still needs those nutrients, right, it cannot just function with, like eating, just I don't know, let's say, chips or bread and that's all you eat. Right, because there are going to be deficiencies. And so I think healthcare providers should absolutely work alongside a dietician, or should refer patients to see a dietician, every single person that decides to have these medications, Because, as dieticians, we can work with this patient one-on-one in developing a specific plan, nutrition plan that is going to work for them at the moment.
Speaker 1:
If you're having nausea, okay, let's figure out what are some of the foods that you can tolerate and let's work on adding those foods right. Okay, maybe you're having constipation. Okay, let's figure out what foods we can add strategically. Right, because we know that if we add too much fiber knowing that you already feel super satiated and that the gastric emptying is slowed down that adding too much fiber can actually not help. But strategically adding some fiber, right, some soluble fiber, that is going to help you to have, you know, improve valve movements, right. Or maybe you're having a lot of nausea and vomiting, let's figure out how to keep you hydrated so you don't end up dehydrated and, with that, acute kidney injury, right? So I truly believe that dieticians have a huge role in these patients. That, even though you're having positive weight loss right, even though you're losing weight and you're achieving that goal, that role of nutrition is even more important.
Speaker 1:
Now, right, because with that rapid weight loss, my friend, you're not only losing body fat. If you're not fueling yourself properly, if you're not exercising your muscles properly, you are going to lose muscle mass. Right, body fat and muscle mass. Now, there is a lot of research out there, too, that shows that the more muscle mass that we lose, right, which can lead to sarcopenia, right muscle loss that the higher the mortality risk increases. Right, Because muscle mass is not just to look good and tone. Muscle mass helps with so many functions. Right Immunity, strength, bones, flexibility and stability. Right, and as we get older, we lose some muscle mass. Right, and as women, we lose some muscle mass.
Speaker 1:
Now you add the factor of rapid weight loss without fueling yourself properly, without adding that strength training, now we have a problem right. Now we become really weak. So instead of, yeah, we lost all this weight, but we're feeling so weak, right, because we haven't added that strength training. And then we're at the factor of not hardly eating anything. Right, and now we are deficient in I don't know who knows what nutrients we are deficient in.
Speaker 1:
So I absolutely believe that whoever is on GLP-1 medications right, and to all the providers that are prescribing them, there should be a referral to a dietician or there should be a collaboration with a dietician, or there should be a collaboration with a dietician because we want to make sure that these patients, yes, are losing weight, but they're also fueling their bodies properly to make sure that we prevent that muscle loss. There's going to be muscle loss, right, but that we're at least doing whatever we can to preserve a lot of that muscle mass and that we are also fueling ourselves properly that, even though we cannot tolerate a lot of food, that whatever food we can tolerate, we're also making them a little bit balanced, right, we're adding some fruits and vegetables and nuts and seeds, our proteins, and so I think that it's extremely important to remember when it comes to these medications and having a dietician on board. Okay, so there's that for that specific research. There's another research or article that I found that has a comparison chart of all the weight loss medications, right, from Mocenpec, rivalces, wayobi, trulicity, victosa, sazenda, bayera I mean, there's so many out there. But what I like about this chart right is that it gives you the dosage, it gives you the approved for who can take it and other benefits, because knowledge can go a long way, right, and so, at least, depending on what, how you um, what's the word, what your feelings are about it, right, if this is something for you, you need to have that reliable knowledge to make the decision, that decision right, and then you can have a team on your side, a healthcare team on your side, a dietician included, because you want to make sure that you do this in a safe way, but you also do it in a healthy way. So that chart is going to be added in the show notes, right, just as an example.
Speaker 1:
For example, ozempic or any other semaglutide medications. Right is approved for type 2 diabetes, but it can also have benefits in the heart, the kidneys and produces weight loss. Wayobi is also. Semaglutide is approved for weight loss right. That is usually done once a week, but there's other medications there. Again, I'll add that link in the show notes.
Speaker 1:
And then there's this other article that I found right that talks specifically about GLP-1 receptor agonist and for the treatment of obesity. Right. Now, when you think about obesity, it's not just like someone that has weight issues. Right, there could be so many other health conditions that taking the medication is going to help with these other conditions too. But it may also be a little bit more cost-effective because when we think about, okay, we're not doing anything at all, right, or we might be doing something, but we're not seeing those changes, and so we know that down the line, in two to three years, this person could develop diabetes, right? So now we have that added factor. This person already has high blood pressure in two to three years because the blood pressure is not under control. Now we're going to have kidney issues, right?
Speaker 1:
So when you think about it that way, in a more clinical aspect, that the medication could help with that, about it that way in a more clinical aspect, that the medication could help with that, there is a promising effect. Right, again, no, medications are for everybody, and this is something that you have to be honest. This is something that you have to talk to your healthcare provider, and if it's for you right, then you can, again, you can talk to your provider and then create a plan that way, and so it is definitely important to know that, um, and also not to feel shame, right, like, if this is a medication that you need, that you're doing it because it's like one of the ways to help you manage, um, your weight right, and maybe maybe other conditions, other conditions that you're having because of weight-related issues insulin resistance or elevated fasting glucose, or metabolic syndrome, or fatty liver disease or anything like that and so if it is going to help, then you have those options too. But I'll link that research as well, and then there is another one that talks more specifically as to how the medication works and what sites it targets. Glp-1s, again, they're in an area that are called incretin-based therapies for mimicking, and they mimic the action of our natural hormones right that regulate our blood sugars after we eat, and so these medications can help with insulin secretion. Right the glucose entering our bloodstream and slowing down gastric emptying, which is a process by which food from the stomach is emptied into the small intestines, by which food from the stomach is emptied into the small intestines, which can reduce appetite and increase the feelings of satiety. Right, or healthfulness, and so this article talks about that too, and how these medications work and who can benefit right from these medications.
Speaker 1:
As we mentioned, the first line of people that these medications are prescribed are for type 2 diabetes, but now also obesity, to manage blood sugar levels and body weight. Again, it talks about who should not take these medications and what the benefits are right. So it said also a really good article that I am going to link in the show notes and you can read about them. But again, the main thing is that number one, if this is something that you have been thinking about for a long time, or this is something that you know you have been considering, but because of the mixed information there. I think the what I would suggest is don't go to social media and find your answers there, right, just because there's so many people that one do not have the credentials to talk about it. Number two is extremely biased, right, and they don't have the research to back it up.
Speaker 1:
So, if you have questions about it, right, if you're thinking about it, speak to your doctor, right, they can do lots of tests like blood work or scans or whatever the case may be, to make sure that, if it's something that you want, you are the right candidate for it and it's a good fit for you. And then, right, keeping track of your symptoms, keeping track of how you feel, having that monitoring with your doctor and absolutely working with a dietician to make sure that you know if. Having that monitoring with your doctor and absolutely working with a dietician to make sure that you know if you're struggling with your meals right, that you get that support that you need. But you also create this nutrition plan that is going to help you at the moment, while you're taking the medication, but also long-term, right, because if you decide like, hey, I want a break from the medication, right, you already established these really strong habits and creating these balanced meals and creating this satiety that is going to continue to help you long term, right, versus, okay, I don't want to take the medications anymore. I don't have. I haven't established these healthy habits and so now I'm going to be struggling because I don't know what to do and I'm going to go back to what I was doing before because that's all I know. Then, guess what? The weight is going to come back, my friend, right, just like following any other restrictive, crazy diet, because there hasn't been that behavior change, right, and that's where we need to work with, that's where we need to start Help. You know the medications can help in that hormonal balancing, in that feeling of satiety, right, feeling of fullness, and so that is something that you want to do. Number one again, talk to your healthcare provider. Do all the tests that you need to do, do the monitoring, you know if you're having these symptoms, right, work with your doctor and then absolutely work with your dietitian to manage the symptoms and to start creating these healthy and balanced meals, making sure that you're. Do DEXA scans that you can do to keep track of it. Adding strength training is going to help at least prevent some of that muscle mass loss. So I know, I've seen, I have I actually have a handful of patients that are on these weight loss medications, right, and most of them there is that increased satiety, right.
Speaker 1:
There's also that noise of feeling, that noise that food noise, right, like they're thinking about food all the time and that's all they can think about. Sometimes that is also addressed, which is a peace of mind. But now, establishing more of these healthy habits, right. I do have other patients that are like you know what I'm struggling to eat? Anything Like all I can eat is like junk food, right.
Speaker 1:
Obviously, when you work with a dietician, that dietician might be able to help you on how to start adding some of those healthy, balanced meals as well. I had a I wasn't a client, right Someone that asked me and we talked about not feeling hungry, right, and the patient was just trying to eat whatever, and so we talked just briefly about trying to add a little bit more protein at a time, and so that has been helping her, actually, which is great to get some energy, right, because obviously, when you don't eat, yeah, you're not going to have, you're going to have that weight loss, but again you become deficient in nutrients right, because there are ways where we can get our nutrients Food right, which is usually the first line of intervention. Let's get those nutrients that we need through food and supplementation right. So, if supplementation is something that you need to add because you're not eating enough, again working with your healthcare provider, working with your dietitian to adding the right amount of supplements that your body needs to make sure that you're not becoming deficient in in any nutrients. Okay, my friend, I think that's all I want to say about this topic. I'm working again on bringing a doctor to talk about these medications and how the medications can help and maybe the future of the medications, and so definitely stay tuned.
Speaker 1:
If you have more questions about it, questions that you want to ask me, right, you can always reach out to me. I know now on apple podcast, you can shoot me. A text is usually at the top of um or actually at the bottom of the description of that specific episode. Shoot me a message. You can also text me at 559-512-0404, 559-512-0404. But stay safe, my friend, stay strong and I will see you and talk to you in another episode. You take care, have a good one. Bye, bye, for now.