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Miss. (WLOX) — As interest in GLP-1 weight loss medications grows, a doctor from Memorial Health System is outlining who may be a candidate, what options are available and what side effects patients should expect
Dr. Christopher Jones said ideal candidates are primarily patients with diabetes or a body mass index over 30
Jones said commonly known medications on the market include Semaglutide, Ozempic, and Tirzepatide. All carry diabetic and weight loss indications. There is also a new medication called Retatrutide that is currently in phase three clinical trials
In terms of weight loss, Jones said results vary
“Semaglutide typically has about a 10 to 12% weight loss after better than a year on it. Tirzepatide, upwards of 15 to 20%, and Retatrutide, which is a new one and it’s not on the market yet, 20 to 25%,” Jones said. “All of them, after about a year, show promising weight loss.”
Jones said the medications are available in both injectable and oral forms, but vary in how often you take them
“The injectables are about once a week. The oral forms are every day,” Jones said
Jones said the most common side effects across GLP-1 medications are gastrointestinal
“Acid reflux, upset stomach, maybe some nausea. Those are the common ones. The more severe ones are throwing up or diarrhea,” Jones said
Jones said patients interested in GLP-1 medications should contact a provider versed in GLP-1s
“We talk options. We talk costs, side effects, method of administration,” Jones said. “Some of these are injectable, some of them are oral, and then we try to pick the best medication for the patient and use kind of a patient-centered approach.”
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