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Daily Pill May Work as Well as Ozempic for Weight Loss and Blood Sugar
- uxhacker 1y agoNot just that the pill works as well as the jab, but Lilly has stockpiled over a billion pills to meet expected demand.
- bluesounddirect 1y agohttps://archive.is/4E9TF https://archive.is/4E9TF
- linusg789 1y agohttps://ghostarchive.org/archive/ncNWg https://ghostarchive.org/archive/ncNWg
- joe_91 1y agoUntil they find out that there are unintended side effects... Better off just exercising and eating as clean as you can!
- jncfhnb 1y ago> I enjoy building new things, asking why and helping people see gray rather than black & white.
- thehappypm 1y agoObviously, but that just doesn’t seem to be doable for a huge chunk of the world, so these pills are a way out of the hell that is obesity and diabetes.
- gosub100 1y agojust
- goda90 1y agoWhether you use a pill or jab or neither, exercise exercise exercise! It will increase quality of life and reduce risk factors for lots of causes of death as you get older.
- apercu 1y agoExercise is great and I wish more people could find the time to do it, but exercise won’t lead to weight loss if people don’t change the horrible diets that got us here in the first place.
- goda90 1y agoWeight loss shouldn't be the end goal. Health and fitness are what make life longer and more enjoyable. But it happens that excess weight inhibits health and fitness too. A skinny person can be unhealthy and unfit too.
- red-iron-pine 1y agothey can be. but statistically you're dying far earlier as a fatty fatty boombalatty, and like 1/3 of the US is obese, with the rest of the population overweight
- basisword 1y ago>> Better off just exercising and eating as clean as you can! I'm sure the morbidly obese are unaware of this. For what it's worth, I'm an ex-smoker and quitting smoking was easy compared to trying to deny myself unhealthy amounts of food. The vast majority of obese people hate it and don't want to be that way - but they're addicted to food. GLP-1's pretty much stop their cravings. Using them to get to a healthy weight and then trying to manage cravings when they are healthier and happier seems like a good solution. Especially given the side-effects of extreme obesity are severe and well known - better to worry about that than 'unintended side effects' that are at this point hypothetical.
- kcplate 1y ago> Better off just exercising and eating as clean as you can! Let me guess…you have never had a weight problem. As someone who has lost over 170lbs via diet and exercise and battles like hell every fucking day even eight years later to try and keep it all off, it’s laughable to see some people think it’s so simple.
- krageon 1y agoYou're saying you did what op said and that it worked, and framing it like a criticism.
- kcplate 1y agoMy comment is not a criticism in their prescribed process but in the notion that if a person has difficulty sticking to that process that they shouldn’t look for alternatives. The goal is to lose weight because an unhealthy weight is definitely detrimental to your health in a myriad of ways. If a medication can facilitate weight loss, even at the cost of some side effects, the net gain is still likely better. I lost my weight with a low carb, high fat diet. That worked for me but it’s controversial. I heard plenty of criticism about how it was going to damage my kidneys. My attitude was and is that if I live to see kidney damage in my late 70s…that’s better than a massive heart attack or stroke taking me out at 55. Because of how tough it was and continues to be if there was an injection, pill, or otherwise that could make it easier—I would take it. Also despite my success without it, I’d suggest any obese person who needs to lose weight but have not had much success, take the medicine, lose the weight you can.
- krageon 1y agoOh okay, that makes a lot of sense.
- philipallstar 1y agoIt's not easy, but it definitely is simple.
- joe_91 1y ago
- nerdjon 1y agoAll medication is choosing between the effects of what you are treating the the side effects of the medication. For a lot of people it isn't that easy. There is a reason weight loss surgery has been a thing for a long time. I could easily see using this as a jumping off point along with making choices about what you eat and increased exercise. There is a psychological aspect to this, you start making those changes along with something like this so you start seeing the changes you are hoping for and feeling better so you keep with it.
- krisroadruck 1y agoThat's a common perspective, but it oversimplifies a complex biological reality many people face. The body has sophisticated signaling pathways that regulate hunger and defend fat stores. In some people, dysregulation in pathways like mTORC1 essentially keeps their "hunger volume" turned up regardless of their actual energy needs, increasing hunger-promoting neuropeptides (NPY, AgRP) while decreasing satiety signals (POMC, CART). When someone with this dysregulation tries to lose weight, the body deploys additional defenses: reduced non-exercise activity thermogenesis (less fidgeting, less spontaneous movement), increased energy efficiency, and even induced lethargy after intentional exercise to preserve fat stores. This isn't laziness - it's sophisticated biological adaptation. This creates a crucial matrix that determines weight outcomes: * High willpower + Low hunger signaling: Naturally fit with minimal effort * Low willpower + Low hunger signaling: Generally maintains healthy weight without struggle * High willpower + High hunger signaling: Might maintain weight with constant effort * Low willpower + High hunger signaling: Almost inevitably leads to obesity Keep in mind willpower itself has significant genetic and epigenetic components - it's not simply a matter of character. Variations in dopamine and serotonin regulation genes directly affect impulse control and reward processing. GLP-1/GIP medications work by intervening in these pathways. They activate receptors in the hypothalamus that can override or bypass the defective mTORC1 signaling. They directly inhibit AgRP/NPY neurons while activating POMC neurons, essentially normalizing the hunger signals. They also slow gastric emptying and modulate the brain's reward system to reduce food's hedonic value. In other words, they take willpower out of the equation. If you aren't hungry, you don't have to fight the urge to eat. I'm not just speaking to the science here - I have direct experience. Despite years of disciplined efforts with trainers, various diets, calorie counting I went from 150lbs in my 20s to 315lbs by my 40s. With Zepbound, I've lost 55 pounds in six months without the constant battle. I will have to take this medication for the rest of my life, but I will probably live much longer as a result, and I'm already reaping the rewards in terms of energy, focus, sleep quality, et cetera. These medications do have side effects worth considering, but they need to be weighed against the severe health consequences of obesity. Obesity significantly increases risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, certain cancers, and premature death. For men specifically, obesity increases sex hormone-binding globulin which reduces free testosterone levels, leading to fatigue, reduced muscle mass, decreased libido, and even depression. The most common side effects of GLP-1 medications (nausea, constipation, diarrhea) are typically mild, manageable, and often diminish over time. While there are theoretical concerns about more serious effects like pancreatitis based on animal studies, clinical data in humans hasn't supported these concerns. Regardless, these potential risks must be balanced against the near-certainty of health complications from remaining morbidly obese. For people with dysregulated hunger signaling, these medications aren't just cosmetic interventions—they're addressing a fundamental biological dysfunction that otherwise creates persistent obstacles to maintaining a healthy weight. The risk-benefit analysis strongly favors treatment for those who need it. They make sustainable lifestyle changes possible by removing the constant neurobiological opposition to weight loss.
- biophysboy 1y agoConsidering that we spend 1% of the fed budget on dialysis alone, glp-1 may have come just in time...
- eagerpace 1y agoWow, source?
- lotsofpulp 1y agoAs of Jun 2021: https://strivehealth.com/news/patients-vs-profits-who-wins-in-the-traditional-u-s-dialysis-system/ https://strivehealth.com/news/patients-vs-profits-who-wins-i... >It’s no secret that dialysis is incredibly expensive. Each dialysis patient costs about $100,000 a year to treat, which means that Medicare spends over $30 billion a year treating ESRD patients. >But have you ever really thought about what that means for individuals? The cost of dialysis is nearly 1% of the entire federal budget. Put into simpler terms, for every $100 Americans spend in taxes, approximately $1.00 goes toward paying for dialysis. Might not be exactly 1% now, or it might be, since spending is now $6T per year. Regardless, healthcare due to being overweight/obese is a very large portion of government spend. https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/federal-spending/ https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/feder...
- fao_ 1y ago>But have you ever really thought about what that means for individuals? The cost of dialysis is nearly 1% of the entire federal budget. Put into simpler terms, for every $100 Americans spend in taxes, approximately $1.00 goes toward paying for dialysis. Damn, that's such a shame. I wish that the US would reduce defense spending and spend more on dialysis.
- lotsofpulp 1y agoMilitary spend is only 13% of total federal spend. Healthcare is 26%. At a certain point, unquestionable military superiority provides more utility than keeping old people alive, and more like surviving instead of living from my grandparents’ experience with dialysis. Not that current US military spend is ideal, but neither is current healthcare spend on the healthcare and population it is spent on.
- peppers-ghost 1y agoI wonder if this will make side effects more apparent. 7 doses a week vs. once a week with the shot.
- basisword 1y agoI would have assumed the opposite. If you're spreading the weekly dose into daily pills the dosage each time might be small enough to minimise the side effects (nausea etc).
- mathgeek 1y agoProbably wise to not make any assumptions. It's possible that what you're positing will turn out to be true, but it's also possible that (for example) the presence of the drug in the digestive system before it's absorbed into the blood is the cause of the side effects. Time will tell.
- deleted 1y ago[deleted]
- peppers-ghost 1y agoI'd think the dose would be different because it has to go through your stomach rather than directly injected.
- basisword 1y agoIf obesity becomes treatable with a pill I'm really curious to see how it impacts the demand for healthcare, particularly in countries with free public health care. Could it cut the demand enough so that with current spending availability and quality of treatment can increase a meaningful amount?
- BSDobelix 1y agoJust to be clear, there are NO Country's with "free public health care" but Europe has (mostly) "health care paid by society with compulsory health insurance or taxes and some taxes on alcohol/tabacco etc and some even on sugar ;) ".
- adzm 1y ago> Europe has (mostly) "health care paid by society with compulsory health insurance and some taxes on alcohol/tabacco etc and some on sugar ;) ". Which is colloquially referred to as free healthcare.
- BSDobelix 1y ago>Which is colloquially referred to as free healthcare. No, that's the point, it's called "Universal healthcare" and it's NOT free, since for most country's you need "compulsory health insurance" or it's paid by taxes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_health_care https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_health_care
- basisword 1y agoFrustrating. I considered expanding on the definition of 'free' in my comment to ward off pedants. Decided it wasn't necessary but we live and learn I suppose.
- MrBuddyCasino 1y ago"Free" is simply wrong, both pedantically and in a "pushing hidden agendas and framing actually matters" way. It is socialised healthcare.
- ekasmrinova 1y ago[dead]
- drcongo 1y agoDon't we already have this in pill form with Wegovy / Rybelsus? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semaglutide https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semaglutide
- biophysboy 1y agoThey are different chemically. Rybelsus is a peptide, whereas orforglipron is small-molecule. Simpler, cheaper, fewer dietary restrictions.
- drcongo 1y agoAhh, interesting. Thanks.
- nerdjon 1y agoI can't read the article so I don't know if this is answered, but my real question is the price. Is it reasonable for the average person or is this for the rich only. More options are great, but not if most people that need it can't afford it. It is fascinating how quickly this space has evolved. Seems incredibly quick for medicine. That isn't a criticism, just things seem to generally move very slow.
- red-iron-pine 1y agoweight loss pills are a holy grail of pharma. insane money to be made -- Novo had an income that exceeded DK's GDP, for example. most big pharma orgs flirted with it if not chasing it, so once it looks like there are working solutions they can retool, make knockoffs, steal secrets, bribe (aka hire with competitive rates) R&D staff from other orgs, etc.
- lotsofpulp 1y agoDenmark GDP is $500B+ per year, Novo Nordisk net income is less than $15B per year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Denmark https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Denmark https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/NVO/novo-nordisk/net-income https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/NVO/novo-nordisk/n...
- Spooky23 1y agoDuh. Rybelsus has been available for a couple of years, and is the legit source for the compounding pharmacies selling GLP drugs. The downside is that it you need to be disciplined taking it. First thing in the AM, empty stomach, no eating or drinking for a half hour.
- hkchad 1y agoYea but whats the price? Even w/ insurance a lot of the GLP-1's are hundreds of $$/mo and most can't afford that outside of hollywood.
- colingauvin 1y agoIt's a small molecule. A big, complicated to make, expensive small molecule. But still probably significantly cheaper than the peptide.
- colingauvin 1y agoThere are still some problems with Orfo but it's definitely a step up from the peptide. After Pfizer killed Danuglipron, this is nice to see.