I have noticed a bit of a trend on social media (of course it’s on social media) where fitness influencers such as Crossfit types, etc. and now promoting micro-dosing GLP 1 type medication. I think this is strange so start off as all in on say, Crossfit is helping me lose weight, and then to announce you are using a GLP to lose weight. I understand that there are other health benefits to these medications, and for some individuals that may be why they are using them. Thoughts? I just see this large population of people who have long-term side effects or whatever from these medications, but to each their own.
Sad that some former athletes who “should” know about diet and exercise just give up and resort to these. case in mind, former pro triahlete who used to post here:
Ya, I’m thinking that seems like a way to get injured?!
In any case, we also need to keep in mind that these drug companies are aware of the market power of these things and are likely (almost certainly?) working the social media viral marketing campaigns as well and Internet fitness influencers are:
Endorsement whores (sorry, lack of better term)
Good at working the algorithm
Very attractive
All of that is a perfect storm for a billion dollar drug company with a massive marketing budget.
Our neighbor owns a Drip Bar. Besides drips, NAD shots, peptides, etc, they do a big business in teenage girls getting parent approved GLP-1’s and they are not over weight. This will end in tears.
I realize it’s hard to believe but these really are magic drugs. There are no side effects and I do not expect there to be. Pretty soon everyone will likely be taking them in my opinion. It will be unusual to not be.
I was also a skeptic too and had all the same concerns (side effects, injury risk, you name it) but I’ve been converted. Listen to some podcasts. Ezra Klein did a fantastic one recently on his nytimes show.
The truth is many people struggle with weight and food noise and it’s not their fault. It’s genetics, it’s not simply a manner of will power.
Here’s the deal. When you swallow (literally) nearly ever pill that pharma and government has pushed on us the last few years I understand why being a skeptic seems all conspiracy looney etc.
But the reality is all this talk of no side effects or minor temporary side effects is literally sweeping evidence under the rug.
Even the basic, common ones like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain might seem like normal human condition stuff so we sweep it under the rug. But those things aren’t just happening because we had some bad Mexican food once one night. It’s a toxic response to some degree of poison (as the body interprets it) into our body.
Nausea is a major overlooked symptom of heart damage. All these other things that we just toss up to being food poison like symptoms often accompany other more serious things.
So, I’d line up firmly with the skeptics on the mass marketability of these products.
All that said, there are no doubt some extremely unhealthy people. I’ve tried to help people who can literally not even get themselves out of bed they are so large. So a drug like this is probably worth all the risk.
One interesting thing you rarely see about why these drugs likely cause skyrocketing weight gain when you stop taking them:
They reduce fat cell size but INCREASE the number of smaller fat cells. If you stop taking it, you now have more fat cells than before ready to expand right back up!
Yes. I am a skeptic as well. There is the financial committment to these medications and I can see folks getting ‘hooked’ on the easy weight loss. I have heard that as well with people stopping these medications that they gain weight almost immediately. I get how there are people who are dangerously overweight, cannot exercise, etc and they would benefit from this but that is not these social media influencers.