FALSE “GLP-1 medications mimic Glucagon-like peptide-1 – one of the hormones involved in appetite regulation. It doesn’t completely suppress hunger, but it is powerful,” says Dr Federica Amati, nutrition lead at Imperial College School of Medicine and author of The Appetite Reset. As food passes through the gut, cells called L-cells sense the nutrients, which sparks the production of the GLP-1 hormone.
Without the drugs, these bursts of GLP-1 production last a few minutes. In comparison, the drugs are like a bonfire that roars for a week,” says Amati. Because the GLP-1 hormone stays in your body for longer if you are on the drugs, you feel fuller faster and your appetite gets suppressed, but you will eventually get hungry.
TRUE “Nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and vomiting are well-recognised side-effects,” says Dr Adrian Brown, associate professor and specialist dietitian at University College London. Once taking the drugs, never push past the point of fullness. This is partly because we get a lot of water from food, especially fruits and vegetables.
You may also drink less if you’re experiencing nausea, constipation or reflux. As well as drinking water, she recommends having hydrating foods and smoothies, especially on the day you take the drugs (typically, the injections are used once a week, while the pills are taken daily), when you can have the most appetite suppression. TRUE Taking GLP-1 medication can “substantially reduce food intake, and that creates the potential for nutrient deficiencies if the quality of a person’s diet is poor,” says Brown, who has researched this area.
He found that some people on these drugs may not get enough vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, calcium and protein. But this is not true for many people,” says Giles Yeo, professor of molecular neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge and an obesity expert. You can’t just inject yourself and hope for the best.
You have to think about your diet and exercise.” PARTLY TRUE “Obesity is a chronic, relapsing, progressive condition. When medications for obesity are stopped, a person’s body will attempt to regain the weight,” says Brown. If you stop, your hormonal levels will go back to what they were.
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