August 2024 Newsletter Transcript
People participating in comprehensive treatment programs, like those at Heartland Weight Loss, typically lose twice as much weight as those relying solely on medication.
Reality vs Hype
If we put every teenager on Accutane as soon as they got their first pimple, we would likely see a dramatic reduction in acne. However, we don’t do that. We use step therapy. I love these meds when used in the right way, but deploying them for a lifetime for everyone with excess weight is
GLP-1 Medications are not Cures
Semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) isn’t a cure for obesity. Yes, most people who take them experience some weight loss, but the average effectiveness is 15% weight loss – over the course of more than a year. Don’t get me wrong – 15% is clinically significant (and I would jump up and down if all of my patients
NORMAL=SICK
I’ve been practicing Obesity Medicine for ten years and I can’t count how many times patients have told me, “I just want to eat like everyone else (and not have excess weight).” I’m not sure who the “everyone else” is that they are referring to: Over 42% of American adults have obesity, another 30% have
Weighing Risks and Benefits:
Taking anti-obesity medications is not a DIY project! Putting pharmaceuticals into the human body always comes with risks. Practicing medicine involves weighing the risks of the various treatment options with the risk of doing nothing. Over and over again. Rinse and repeat. This retrospective study released yesterday tells us that people taking semaglutide have a
Ozempic Babies
I am board-certified in OB/GYN and Obesity Medicine and have practiced in both fields for over 10 years. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a patient tell me, “I can’t get pregnant, so I don’t use contraception.” There aren’t many of us who have been in the trenches of both fields, but
8 Reasons Why:
If you’re taking GLP-1 medications like semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) to help manage your weight, you must let your clinical team know. Here’s why it’s crucial to keep them in the loop: Avoiding Medication Mix-Ups: These meds can interact with other drugs you might be taking. If your healthcare team doesn’t know you’re on
Realistic Expectations:
You’ve likely heard people bragging about triple-digit weight loss with GLP-1 agonists. Although there are a few hyper-responders out there, they are the outliers. As much as we all want to be like them, the reality is that most of us are going to fall in the “average” range when taking these medications. Although “average”
July 2024 Message from Dr. Younglove
Our current system often reacts to sickness rather than preventing it. To achieve true health-care, we need to address root causes and work proactively. Clinicians should be your partners in health, not just emergency responders. While influencers offer health tips, professional medical advice is crucial for safe and effective care. Join us in advocating for a healthcare system focused on true wellness and proactive health management.