Dr Figtree encourages you to try a low carbohydrate diet first but sometimes weight loss medication helps support this new dietary approach.
You may have heard of Ozempic (Semaglutide), Wegovy (Semaglutide) or Saxenda (Liraglutide). These are the most effective drugs for weight loss and belong to a class of drug called “GLP-1 agonists.” These drugs mimic a hormone your gut makes after you eat protein and fat. This hormone is called GLP-1 and it acts on the brain and stomach to reduce hunger and food cravings. People with obesity have lower levels of this hormone and so they feel hungry all the time.
These drugs work but they have side effects such as nausea and diarrhoea. There are also concerns around loss of lean mass. That is loss of muscle mass. You may not just be losing fat mass but also muscle mass. Studies suggest people also regain the fat weight lost once the drug is stopped.
This is why Dr Figtree likes diet to be the cornerstone of treatment and then adding in the medications if necessary.
