Note to readers: This is an opinion piece about how we argue about GLP-1s, not a guide to using them.
Weight loss is rife with moral judgements for how people should eat, train, sleep, prioritise, you name it. GLP-1s are no exception to these moral crusades and I think that’s a big pile of bollocks.
Do not get me wrong, for the avoidance of doubt I have never, and likely will never, use a GLP-1, but I can’t sit here and tell you that my decision of what to do is based on anything other than my own twisted moral choice. And a teeny tiny fear of needles and medicine.
The only thing I really care about, the only thing I ever really care about, is that people are correctly informed before they make a choice. After that, it’s their choice to make.
GLP-1s are probably the medical discovery of the century, they not only have the potential to revolutionise people’s health but they’re actually realising that potential, and that has dramatic positive consequences for society and health systems the world over. I nearly made the claim that no other transformative medical treatment would be met with such hostility, but evidence in recent years quite clearly contradicts that, I suppose.
The fitness and diet industry is full of issues being turned moralistic, sometimes we tell people what to do and what not to do based on solid evidence, but so many other times we do not. The industry is amazing at dressing dogma up as fact, using moral arguments that are pretending to be scientific ones.
If GLP-1s are on your radar, it is my opinion you need to familiarise yourself with two, maybe three, aspects;
- The first is the potential side effects and correct dosage. Some people do get mild side effects, it’s my opinion that these are quite minor as medicine tends to go (YMMV). These drugs also genuinely do excel on the recommended dose and are extremely effective there, it really isn’t a case of “more medicine better results”, if you exceed the dose, not only are side effects more likely, but they’ll also stick around for longer with no material benefit for you.
- Secondly, and importantly: plan an exit strategy. These medicines are expensive and you don’t want to be injecting yourself forever if you don’t need to. Because they mimic the hunger hormones, once they leave your system appetite returns – but it would do if you dieted normally. Some people taper out of them, but whatever you do, a plan and knowledge of what’s to come will always help.
- Finally, a minor point, but these are relatively new medicines and long term effect is unknown, but that’s not there to scare you (remember what I said about morals pretending to be science?). The long term effects of obesity are known, and we know they’re bad.
So next time someone tells you that GLP-1s are bad or even good for that matter, makes sure to take note on whether what they say next is sermon or science.
