Weight Loss Drugs - Facts vs Myths

In the modern society where the life of people have been eased by the use of advanced technologies, there is one thing which needs to be addressed and needs global attention, that is, in fact, the rising trends of obesity among people which leads to development of not only chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia but also problems like sleep apnea that not only leads to high healthcare costs but also affects the governments and companies in a number of ways both financially as well as in terms of efficient manpower.

To curb this problem, the US-FDA has approved several drugs for weight loss including semaglutide, liraglutide, phentermine, tirzepatide, and orlistat among others. The use of these drugs has been increasing in recent years particularly in countries like USA. With the high demand for these drugs, some of them which were originally developed for management of diabetes are often being misused. One of the impressions of these drugs in society have been that they work like "magic pills".

However, this is not correct. These drugs do not work instantly as many people thought them to be. They may help to curb the hunger and thus lead to decreased intake of calories. At the same time, these alongside taking these drugs, lifestyle modifications like regular physical activity, and eating a balanced diet play a major role in the effectiveness of these drugs in helping losing weight. The second myth is that people often think that they cannot lose weight without taking an injectable weight loss medication.

However, this is often not correct. Even by lifestyle modifications 5-10% weight loss can grossly improve the chronic conditions often associated with increased weight such as hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol and sleep apnea. Apart from that, these medications are expensive and not everyone can afford them even if you are a perfect candidate for these medications.

Another myth is that if you are unable to lose weight, you are often told that it is your fault. Same does not hold true for everyone who is struggling to lose weight. Rather having a healthy meal plan, restrictive diets and exercise programs may help to lose weight if they are sustainable. Many people who want to try these medications think otherwise as they believe the injections are "scary" and "painful". But nowadays, the with the advancement of modern technologies, companies have developed devices which are far less painful and easy to use. Almost 4 out of 10 people with obesity use some kind of supplements which lack regulations and no assureity of their benefit.

Most of these are thought to be completely safe as they are not drugs. However, due to lack of research data, there is no clear evidence of their benefit. Planning to lose weight can be a complicated decision, if you do not have the right guidance or knowledge regarding the process and correct ways of losing weight.

Always consult your healthcare provider before taking any initiative. Eat healthy, exercise daily, take less stress-measures can help you stay healthy and live long.