Weight loss drugs that mimic hormones GLP-1 Taking glucagon-like peptide-1 to suppress appetite may also be contributing to a variety of digestive problems, according to a new analysis of data from 5,411 patients.
The study found an increased risk for the following problems: pancreatitis, gastroparesisintestinal obstruction in patients using GLP-1 drugs compared to drugs that do not activate the same chemical pathway as GLP-1.
The risks with these drugs are increased, but still relatively small. For example, 0.8% of people taking saxenda 0.17 percent of people taking the drug (GLP-1 therapy) reported intestinal obstruction. Contrave (non-GLP-1).
However, this number is still exponential and has increased by four times as more people are taking these drugs.
Mahyal Etminan, an epidemiologist at the University of British Columbia, said, “Even though millions of people are using these drugs, even a 1% risk means that many people could experience these events.” There is,” he said. CNN.
Injectable weight loss treatments such as Wigoby, Ozempic, Saxenda, and Victoza all amplify the effects of GLP-1. These slow down the rate at which food passes through your stomach, keeping you feeling full longer.
GLP-1 can also manage blood sugar levels and is often prescribed to treat diabetes. In this particular study, Etminan and his team at the Canadian facility looked at patients who were obese but did not have diabetes to focus on the weight loss aspect of the drug.
Since these are not mild or minor digestive problems, there are many people currently undergoing these treatments to cause weight loss, so the benefits of the drugs may not outweigh the risks for everyone. Researchers suggest that there may not be.
This is not the first time such issues have come up.Pharmaceutical company admitted There are issues with gastrointestinal complications, but these are known side effects that should be considered when undergoing treatment, and only a small percentage of people are affected, he said.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that Ozempic should be introduced. with warning This indicates that various “gastrointestinal disturbances” have been reported by users of this drug.
The study did not cover all GLP-1-related treatments, did not delve very deeply into why these drugs increase the associated health risks, and did not prove cause and effect. However, it is clear that this is an area of need. Further investigation.
“Given the widespread use of these drugs, these adverse events, although rare, should be considered by patients considering the use of drugs for weight loss purposes, because in this group This is because the risk-benefit calculation may be different from the risk-benefit calculation for patients using these drugs for diabetes.” write The researchers state in their published paper:
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