Why Do We Turn to Medication to Lose Weight?
Why Do We Turn to Medication to Lose Weight
With Obesity On the Rise, What Does Weight Loss Medication Actually Do?
Whenever I look at pictures of by-gone eras I can’t help but notice that back in the early and mid-portion of the 20th century, our country did not have the serious obesity problem that it has today. Our intense desire for instant gratification has become our Achilles heel. This brought to mind the article I wrote about processed and ultra-processed food. These ‘Frankenstein’ versions of food are made up of added sugar, salt, fat and starches extracted from natural occurring foods and then blended with artificial colors, flavors and stabilizers to hold it all together. Soft drinks, hot dogs, cold cuts, packaged cookies and salty snacks like pretzel rods all qualified, as did many frozen dinners.
Fructose, one of the most commonly used sweeteners, is now present in many foods at concentrations unheard of in nature. In recent years, studies have shown that fructose destroys or inactivates several key enzymes needed for the healthy functioning of the mitochondria, the power plants in human cells that convert simple sugars into ATP, the form of energy we use to carry out the functions of the human body and brain. Sugar isn't even the worst problem in the American diet. More damaging still is the consumption of processed grains, used in corn flakes, white bread and many other products. These grains are stripped of their outer shell, known as the "bran," and their inner germ, which contains fiber, fatty acids and nutrients, leaving only the carbohydrates. The human body digests these liberated carbohydrates much faster than when they're locked inside the grains.
Instead of sitting in the stomach and gradually being broken down into glucose, it begins to break down as soon as it gets to your mouth and is almost fully digested by the time it has moved through the stomach, and all absorbed by the time it gets to your small bowel.
This rapid digestion starves the gut bacteria, which we rely on for healthy functioning of the digestive system, leading to increased gut permeability that in turn may allow bacteria and toxins to enter the bloodstream and cause widespread inflammation, a factor in a wide variety of diseases such as celiac disease, diabetes, asthma, Alzheimer's and cancer. In recent years, evidence has emerged linking the pathological brain activation patterns seen in drug addicts to those seen in many obese research subjects and compulsive overeaters.
This is why it’s no wonder that scientists and researchers created drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. The history of the anti-obesity drug discovery is part of a bottomless pit that has a long list of failures. However, the new crop of much-hyped weight loss drug seems different. These work with mimicking a hormone called glucagon which regulates blood sugar levels and slows down the rate at which food leaves your stomach, making people fuller for longer.
I have been helping people get in better shape and lose unwanted weight for years. As much as I can give them the tools and information on what to eat, the world of food/drink choices is constantly challenging to them. Some of my clients have decided to use these medications and are having success. They have educated themselves about the side effects and have made exercise an integral part of this journey. I have noticed that these clients are much more mindful about not only how much they eat but also what they eat. Some have already weaned off the drug and are still doing great by maintaining the weight they feel more comfortable in.
Again, I think what we can take away from this is that many decades ago we did not have an obesity problem. Heart disease and high blood pressure as well as other diseases like type 2 diabetes, gallbladder disease and osteoarthritis were not as common as they are now. We have a big problem with our food system - limited access to healthy food, poverty, and the dominance of big corporations over our diets. Like any addiction, sometimes you need medications to help you break them. This is a complex problem and the answers are not always for everyone. Whatever choice you make, always follow the advice of your health care provider.
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Kim Duke is a certified personal trainer and owner of Core Performance Fitness and Training, located at 55 Bristol Lane, Ellicottville, NY. Kim resides in Ellicottville where she raised her two sons, Zach and Nik. For more information about her studio visit her Facebook page, go to www.coreperformancefitness.com or call her directly at 716-698-1198.
