#21 - Thinking of Taking Ozempic? (w/ Dr. Robert Todd Hurst)
Description
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:
United States
