As a pharmacist for over 10 years, I appreciate this post and all of your posts. You’re one of the only reasons I’m not losing my mind when I look at social media these days. Thank you for being so outspoken with everything I’ve been trying to say and doing it so eloquently. You are my hero right now.
Thank you for this article! I’m learning more and more about these issues and appreciate the thoughtful discussion you provide. I’m grateful I’ve found your work in the midst of the MAHA noise.
I’ve lost nearly 90 lbs being on a GLP1 medication. All paid for out of pocket because I wasn’t pre-diabetic enough - but was headed in that direction eventually. And guess what? I ate whole foods, moved and tried to get adequate sleep prior to being on these medications. But also would either lose weight and gain it back or just gain weight for really no reason. It wasn’t until I worked with a doctor (again, all out of pocket) who specialized in obesity medicine that the weight started moving and stayed off - for the first time in my life. I’ve been overweight/obese since puberty. It isn’t as simple as calories in calories out for many people. And the advice from my GP has been worthless. I had to work with a specialist. Now I no longer have sleep apnea, high inflammation I had has gone down, my fasting insulin has improved and I continue to eat whole foods, move and sleep a hell of a lot better now that I weigh less. To limit access to these medications through not only Medicare/Medicare but standard insurance is doing such a disservice to people who can benefit from the medicines. It’s truly maddening.
Thank you for writing this with such clarity and compassion. As someone who was formerly disabled by my weight, needing a wheelchair just to leave the house. GLP-1s have helped me reclaim my mobility, my independence, and my life. Despite years of dieting and exercising (as much as my physical limitations allowed), sustainable progress just wasn’t possible for me due to underlying medical conditions. I never turned to a GLP-1 as a quick fix or to avoid hard work. I was stuck. It was either try a GLP-1 or consider weight loss surgery.
These medications should be seen as one tool in the larger arsenal of getting healthy. Movement, nutrition, and mental health support are all crucial, and ideally they work together. What’s frustrating is how quickly some “wellness tools” are embraced. Especially when they’re trendy or marketable, while actual medications, are dismissed despite the evidence and real lives they’re changing.
I’m so grateful you’re using your platform to highlight the human side of this conversation.
Thank you for this post! My GP started me on a GLP-1 about 2 months ago and it's been great so far. Not just for weight loss and physical health, but for my mental health, too. There doesn't seem to be a lot of research yet on the mental health/neurological benefits of GLP-1, but I swear they've made my negative thoughts "less sticky" and contributed to a reduction in anxiety and depression. Of course, I can't prove that, but improvement in my moods and mental state coincides with my starting on GLP-1. Curious as to your thoughts on this?
I’m once again amazed at your insight and the gift you have into making this all so understandable all the while. Do you have a background in psychology as well? This line in particular was such a brilliant part I had never thought of/connected. “This tactic is common in wellness influencer circles, and in propaganda more broadly”
Thank you for this article. GLP-1s improved my life, not just by improving my physical health, but also my mental health. My entire life I told doctors that I didn’t think my experience with food and weight was related to a lack of willpower. I have plenty of willpower. I eat Whole Foods. I exercise. It’s impossible to stay motivated when no matter how many steps in the “right direction” you take, the noise is there taunting you. The impact of having the noise turned off cannot be overstated. Ozempic not only changed my life, it saved it. Shame on anyone who wants to negatively discuss GLP-1s without truly understanding the experience of those of us who suffered for decades without them.
It’s not really the point of your article and I say this with curiosity and genuinely wanting to know… are there any downsides of glp-1 and long term side effects? Has it been studied long enough? If it suppresses ones appetite so much they don’t want to eat, is that healthy? All things I’m trying to weigh as I look into it myself
Say it louder. Wellness isn’t “outside the system.” It is a system—with its own power structures, gatekeepers, and profit incentives. And just like pharma, it deserves scrutiny. Especially when it’s gatekeeping access under the guise of holistic care.
As a pharmacist for over 10 years, I appreciate this post and all of your posts. You’re one of the only reasons I’m not losing my mind when I look at social media these days. Thank you for being so outspoken with everything I’ve been trying to say and doing it so eloquently. You are my hero right now.
Thank you for this article! I’m learning more and more about these issues and appreciate the thoughtful discussion you provide. I’m grateful I’ve found your work in the midst of the MAHA noise.
I’ve lost nearly 90 lbs being on a GLP1 medication. All paid for out of pocket because I wasn’t pre-diabetic enough - but was headed in that direction eventually. And guess what? I ate whole foods, moved and tried to get adequate sleep prior to being on these medications. But also would either lose weight and gain it back or just gain weight for really no reason. It wasn’t until I worked with a doctor (again, all out of pocket) who specialized in obesity medicine that the weight started moving and stayed off - for the first time in my life. I’ve been overweight/obese since puberty. It isn’t as simple as calories in calories out for many people. And the advice from my GP has been worthless. I had to work with a specialist. Now I no longer have sleep apnea, high inflammation I had has gone down, my fasting insulin has improved and I continue to eat whole foods, move and sleep a hell of a lot better now that I weigh less. To limit access to these medications through not only Medicare/Medicare but standard insurance is doing such a disservice to people who can benefit from the medicines. It’s truly maddening.
Thank you for writing this with such clarity and compassion. As someone who was formerly disabled by my weight, needing a wheelchair just to leave the house. GLP-1s have helped me reclaim my mobility, my independence, and my life. Despite years of dieting and exercising (as much as my physical limitations allowed), sustainable progress just wasn’t possible for me due to underlying medical conditions. I never turned to a GLP-1 as a quick fix or to avoid hard work. I was stuck. It was either try a GLP-1 or consider weight loss surgery.
These medications should be seen as one tool in the larger arsenal of getting healthy. Movement, nutrition, and mental health support are all crucial, and ideally they work together. What’s frustrating is how quickly some “wellness tools” are embraced. Especially when they’re trendy or marketable, while actual medications, are dismissed despite the evidence and real lives they’re changing.
I’m so grateful you’re using your platform to highlight the human side of this conversation.
Thank you for this post! My GP started me on a GLP-1 about 2 months ago and it's been great so far. Not just for weight loss and physical health, but for my mental health, too. There doesn't seem to be a lot of research yet on the mental health/neurological benefits of GLP-1, but I swear they've made my negative thoughts "less sticky" and contributed to a reduction in anxiety and depression. Of course, I can't prove that, but improvement in my moods and mental state coincides with my starting on GLP-1. Curious as to your thoughts on this?
I’m once again amazed at your insight and the gift you have into making this all so understandable all the while. Do you have a background in psychology as well? This line in particular was such a brilliant part I had never thought of/connected. “This tactic is common in wellness influencer circles, and in propaganda more broadly”
Thank you for this article. GLP-1s improved my life, not just by improving my physical health, but also my mental health. My entire life I told doctors that I didn’t think my experience with food and weight was related to a lack of willpower. I have plenty of willpower. I eat Whole Foods. I exercise. It’s impossible to stay motivated when no matter how many steps in the “right direction” you take, the noise is there taunting you. The impact of having the noise turned off cannot be overstated. Ozempic not only changed my life, it saved it. Shame on anyone who wants to negatively discuss GLP-1s without truly understanding the experience of those of us who suffered for decades without them.
Has this been shared with Hyman himself?
Probably, but he's too busy counting his money he's made on this grift. He's been doing this for years. Shameful, really.
I wish this was required reading for all Americans! Keep going!
It’s not really the point of your article and I say this with curiosity and genuinely wanting to know… are there any downsides of glp-1 and long term side effects? Has it been studied long enough? If it suppresses ones appetite so much they don’t want to eat, is that healthy? All things I’m trying to weigh as I look into it myself
Say it louder. Wellness isn’t “outside the system.” It is a system—with its own power structures, gatekeepers, and profit incentives. And just like pharma, it deserves scrutiny. Especially when it’s gatekeeping access under the guise of holistic care.
Thanks for saying the quiet part out loud.