You lost weight on a GLP-1, but are you really healthy?

(NewsNation) — Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are becoming more powerful, but could greater weight reduction lead to worsening nutritional deficiencies?

And as weight-loss medications become more widespread, concerns about the side effects of GLP-1 drugs continue to grow.

Scientists are identifying new potential uses for the drugs while expanding research into increasingly diverse patient populations.

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Nutritionist weighs in on Ozempic concerns

Rebekah Fedrowitz, a board-certified holistic nutritionist, told “The Wellness Files” podcast that vitamin deficiencies can accompany the slowed digestion and appetite suppression associated with Ozempic.

GLP-1 medications have been linked to protein, vitamin D and other nutritional deficiencies that concern some prospective users.

A recent study identified 15 cases of Wernicke encephalopathy among people taking GLP-1 medications. The condition is associated with vitamin B1 deficiency and can cause brain damage. Because appetite can decline by 5% to 40%, some users may unintentionally undereat, increasing their risk of vitamin deficiencies, Fedrowitz said.

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“Just because it’s currently rare doesn’t mean that it’s not worth paying attention to,” she said, referring to Wernicke encephalopathy. “A small deficiency for a few weeks, we can bounce back from. But anything that gets sustained … is still going to eventually have an impact.”

Fedrowitz encourages users to think about how Ozempic changes the body’s response to nutrients.

“Nutrition isn’t just what we’re eating, but what our body is doing with what we’re eating,” she said.

Foods rich in vitamin B1 pair well with magnesium-rich foods because the nutrients work together and can improve absorption.

What should I pair with probiotics on Ozempic?

“We take probiotics, but we don’t always feed them,” Fedrowitz said.

She recommends foods such as beets, sweet potatoes and pomegranates to support the gut microbiome and enhance the benefits of probiotics, which many Ozempic users take to help manage gastrointestinal side effects.

Fedrowitz also emphasized the importance of maintaining a balanced diet.

“A lot of times we think [reduced appetite is] a good thing … But you still want to eat enough,” she said.

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“We believe that weight loss is synonymous with good health,” she added, while cautioning prospective users about potential health concerns. “Don’t live with negative symptoms assuming that weight loss is king.”

Meet the drug twice as strong as Ozempic

Eli Lilly reports that its next-generation weight-loss drug, retatrutide, delivers roughly twice the weight loss achieved by Ozempic’s highest dose.

Like Ozempic, retatrutide mimics GLP-1 hormones that suppress appetite.

However, the new drug also targets GIP and glucagon hormones, which help regulate blood sugar and promote fat burning, even at rest. Eli Lilly is expected to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval as early as 2027.

What does further research suggest for Ozempic’s future?

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have identified a naturally occurring molecule called BRP that can suppress appetite and reduce body weight in a manner similar to Ozempic. Animals in the study experienced fewer common side effects associated with GLP-1 drugs, including nausea, constipation and muscle loss.

Research author Katrin Svensson, PhD said, “Ozempic has widespread effects, including slowing the movement of food through the digestive tract and lowering blood sugar levels. In contrast, BRP appears to act specifically in the hypothalamus, which controls appetite and metabolism.”

GLP-1 drugs may also help reduce the reinforcing effects of addictive substances on brain pathways. Recent research has also shown significant weight loss among patients with schizophrenia, according to a new paper published by Psychiatric Times. 

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As research on weight-loss and diabetes medications continues to expand, Fedrowitz offered a note of caution.

“GLP-1s are still very new. And often when we see something new, we see for a while it works, and then the longer it’s been on the market, we start to see more and more of the problems show up … you can lose weight and compromise your health.”

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