I am a GLP-1 user. I started on Ozempic in September last year. Without going too deep into it because it's not entirely relevant to this rant, I have various disabilities which make losing weight a lot more complicated than just "eat less, move more". I didn't just arrive at the decision to use medication on a whim. I spent quite some time researching my options and weighing up the pros and cons. Doing it naturally wasn't working out for me and surgery comes with huge risks.

Because the almighty algorithm knows everything, I get served content about it in various feeds. Because it's a topic relevant to me, I pay attention. Except recently, I've been seeing a lot of content about the "dangers" of GLP-1 medications with clickbait headlines or dramatic claims being made in the first 10 seconds of a video. They'll eventually go on to explain properly, but in the age of the short attention span™️, you need to be intellectually honest right from the start.

So that's exactly what I'll do here: GLP-1 medication does have side effects that come from their use but they usually stop as your body gets used to the medication. This is something that happens with most medication. However, the side effects being labelled as dangerous by the media and the "Big Pharma is poisoning us!" weirdos are simply known side effects of rapid weight loss. Meaning that they can happen to anyone who loses weight quickly.

The side effects that are usually of most concern that are not specific to GLP-1 use include certain digestive issues, fatigue, headaches, hair loss, gallstones, and kidney dysfunction. By dramatically reducing your intake of food, no matter how you do it, you are not only disrupting processes your body has become used to causing a stress reaction, it may also lead to malnutrition and dehydration. All of these things can lead to the experience of the aforementioned side effects.

As for the side effects that are specific to GLP-1 use, they are rare but good to know about. Gastroparesis, or stomach paralysis, can occur as a complication of the delayed gastric emptying effect of the medication. There is also a potential increased risk of pancreatitis, but this is very rare and most studies have not confirmed a direct causal link. The existence of rare but serious risks is not a reason to write off a medication entirely. If it were, we would have to throw out most of the pharmacy.

I understand that there are people out there who are getting GLP-1 medication from shady sources and misusing it without being fully informed about the side effects. I'm also aware that there are some people who simply can't be on it for one reason or another (just like any medication). But for the majority of people being medically supervised while taking it, the risk is lower than most of the other options that usually cause rapid weight loss.

In fact, you can actively avoid rapid weight loss while on a GLP-1, if you're particularly worried about side effects. I've personally only lost 15kg (33lbs) over the course of six months. This is not an insignificant amount by any means, but considering I lost 30kg (66lbs) in the same time period on Weight Watchers back in 2018, it's comparatively slow and the only side effect I really experience is a bit of stomach discomfort when I take my elderly ass to bed before dinner has finished digesting.

I've done this by eating like a normal person. Not someone who is "on a diet" or someone who is starving themselves. I eat three meals a day¹, even when I'm not really feeling hungry. Although, I'll be honest: I do skip lunch in favour of snacking some days, but this is okay because I am still eating. I still enjoy high calorie treats whenever I feel the urge to have them. The magic of GLP-1 medication is that it makes it possible to do without Cookie Monster-ing your way through the entire package.

The most frustrating thing about these sensationalist "warnings" is knowing that someone else may be in a similar situation to me who need the help but are completely scared off from even just having the conversation with their doctor about going on GLP-1 medication. Weight loss can be life-saving in many cases, but they're out here duping people into believing something that could help with that is somehow bad because it's associated with the side effects of... weight loss? That's bonkers.