Weight loss medications – the benefits and the risks

Weight loss medications, such as Mounjaro and Wegovy, have experienced a significant surge in popularity since their licensing for use in weight management, with an estimated 1.5 million people in the UK now using them. There is no doubt that they can be highly effective in helping people to lose weight, and the vast majority of patients report feeling fitter and healthier than they have in years.

As with any medication, however, there are potential risks and side effects, and some patients may have been alarmed by recent reports about a link between weight loss drugs and incidents of pancreatitis.

To help put things into perspective, we have compiled a round-up of the potential risks and benefits of weight loss medications, so you can make an informed decision about whether this is something you want to pursue. It is essential to remember, however, that this is not a substitute for a consultation with one of our doctors.

The benefits of weight loss injections

Injectable weight loss medication has become popular for a reason: it works. Extensive studies, examining data from hundreds of patients, are emerging and showing real, tangible benefits from medications like Mounjaro and Wegovy, with patients losing up to 20% of their body weight after approximately eighteen months of regular use.

Scientists are not yet entirely sure of the mechanism whereby these medications aid weight loss, but according to patients who have been using them for a while, they help motivation by suppressing the appetite and ‘reducing food noise’ – that little voice in your head that tells you it’s time to eat something, even when you’re not hungry.

And while weight loss might be many patients’ primary motivator in taking the drugs, there are health benefits too:

• Diabetes control – this is what the meds were first approved for, and they are highly successful in reducing diabetes patients’ insulin requirements. They do this by stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin, and by reducing the amount of glucagon in the body – a hormone that causes glucose to enter the bloodstream
• Reduced risk of heart attack and stroke – perhaps a side effect of the weight loss, studies are beginning to show a significant reduction in strokes, heart attacks and deaths from cardiovascular disease in patients using these drugs

The risks of weight loss injections

All medications carry a risk, and weight loss injections are no exception. Some of the side effects outlined for medications like Mounjaro and Wegovy are as follows:

• Gastrointestinal side effects – some patients have reported vomiting and diarrhoea whilst taking these drugs
• Pancreatitis –because of the effect that these drugs have on the pancreas, they can, occasionally, cause it to become inflamed. This is an infrequent side effect, but it is essential to be aware of it, particularly if you are suffering from the nausea and vomiting described above, which can be a symptom of pancreatitis
• Thyroid cancer – there is a slight association between these medications and thyroid cancer. It is not known whether this association is causative, and again, it is very rare, but many doctors will refuse to prescribe these drugs to patients with a family history of thyroid cancer

A significant concern raised among medical professionals is the high rate of weight regain after discontinuing weight loss medications. Recently, research presented at the European Congress on Obesity indicated that users regained all the weight they had lost once they stopped taking the drug.

Analysis of 11 studies on older and newer GLP-1 weight loss drugs by the University of Oxford found that patients typically returned to their original weight within 10 months of stopping the medication.

A GP-led weight loss clinic offers a more comprehensive and bespoke approach, including medical supervision, lifestyle changes, and support systems. It can be more effective in helping you maintain weight loss. To discuss the support we can offer or to learn more about weight loss medications, please get in touch with us to schedule a consultation.