Rumors abound a lot in Hollywood. You can probably take your pick of rumors floating around, but as a doctor, I'm intrigued by patients coming in and saying things like, "Can I get that weight loss shot that the Kardashians are using?"
So immediately, my ears perk up and I have no idea what they are talking about, and of course embark on a journey to find out the truth behind the rumors. So, as I probe for more information, patients tell me that these celebrities are taking a medication that is used for diabetes and is a once weekly injection.
I know of a medication called Semaglutide that has been around for years and about 7 years ago, and had heard that it was in the process of getting FDA approval for weight loss. As I researched it then, I found that researchers had actually been studying Gila Monster Lizard deadly saliva venom and found that it contained hormones that can regulate blood sugar.
Ten years later, a synthetic version of a hormone in the venom became the first medicine of its kind approved to treat type 2 diabetes. Known as a GLP-1 (for glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist, the medicine set off a cascade of additional venom-inspired discoveries.
After doctors noticed mice and humans on the drug for diabetes appeared to lose weight, they began to consider its use in obesity science. In June 2021, another effective treatment, this one for obesity, got FDA approval. The drug was called Semaglutide and marketed as the trade name Wegovy.
The new treatment — a once-weekly injectable from Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company that has hired many leading diabetes and obesity scientists as consultants — is poised to safely help many people with health-threatening obesity, physicians and researchers say. It may even illuminate some of the mysteries around how appetite works in the first place.
I'm not sure how my patient came across the rumor that the Kardashians were using this medication, but in an interview by Vanity Fair, Khloe, vehemently denied that the drug was involved in their weight loss efforts.
So the rumors have been going on about Elon Musk using the Semeglutide for weight loss too...
And it seems from his twitter post that this rumor may actually be true. But why wouldn't the richest man on earth, have access to a medication that costs up to $1500 a month if you don't have insurance that will pay for it.
Many insurance company's think weight loss is a vanity issue, and won't acknowledge that it is a potentially deadly disease that can end in diabetes, heart disease, strokes and so many other things.
Now with celebrities and influencers touting the wonder drug, there are reported to be shortages making the availability a challenge for diabetics who need it more urgently, however I'm not so sure that a drug company can't keep up with supply and demand so I have to wonder if that isn't a marketing ploy, honestly.
While I do believe that there is no substitute for metabolic expenditure through activity and healthy eating in moderation (aka diet and exercise---calories in calories out), I am also a hormone specialists doctor that understands the barriers of genetic variations in the hormones that regulate
-hunger
-fullness
-fat storage
-fat burning
and metabolic utilization of food sources...
When I see someone overweight and they tell me they don't eat bad and that they do exercise, I believe them. There is so much judgement around obesity, as if it is a character flaw, and yet it is estimated that over half the population of the US have obesity as a condition and 1/3 have some form of insulin resistance (a precursor to diabetes).
I know that hormones have everything to do with the where people gain weight and how much weight they gain, even when "doing all the right things".
I believe that people do need help when they struggle. I have had people who just don't understand the science of obesity, comment on social media posts that people just need to diet and exercise more... and that just isn't true for a lot of people with genetic hormone imbalance issues.
I have worked with patients for over twenty years, helping them lose weight through the understanding and addressing the root cause of hormone imbalances and while, I don't use much lizard spit (I do have a few patients on it), I do recommend other options for help with hormone regulation----shameless plug for CarbMelt----and I do recommend that people use supplements with research based clinical trials of the effectiveness of them.
That's why I formulated my supplement that helps with many of the same pathways that the lizard spit does.
So if you want something more natural ...in a supplement, don't qualify for Semiglutide, can't afford it or don't want to be dependent on a prescription... you might look into what's in my formulas!
To check out some of this research just go to:
https://carbmelt.com/pages/research-articles
