Low energy. \u201cOzempic face.\u201d Feeling like a deflated balloon.<\/p>\n
They can be the downsides for people on GLP-1s, the increasingly popular drugs that go by the names Ozemic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.<\/p>\n
But Joel Appel and Dr. Michael Snyder say that can be addressed through proper nutrition, which can fall by the wayside when the drugs cause those taking them to consume fewer calories.<\/p>\n
Appel, the co-founder of OxiClean and owner of local staple Zaidy\u2019s Deli & Bakery, and Snyder, a doctor who started and runs the Denver Center for Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery, say the best way to maintain that nutrition is with Rock the Shot, their new powdered supplement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe dream would be that everybody eats broccoli and salmon and that\u2019s all you eat. But that\u2019s not America,\u201d Appel said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo let\u2019s give them something delicious, because I make an icy shake of this every morning and I look forward to it,\u201d he continued, noting that he likes his shake with banana and peanut butter.<\/p>\n
After starting Ozempic, users can see a drop of up to 1,000 calories from their average consumption, Snyder said. That can lead to drastic muscle loss, which is what causes the dreaded gaunt, sagging Ozempic face along with lasting metabolic issues.<\/p>\n
Each serving of the protein powder-like Rock the Shot product is 130 calories and has 20 grams of protein to support muscle and metabolic health, 5 grams of collagen for hair and skin and 5 grams of fiber for the gut and microbiome. It also contains several micronutrients to help round out the diet.<\/p>\n
Snyder said one in seven Americans is already on a GLP-1, and he thinks the number will be closer to one in four in the coming years. He and Appel said their product, which is meant to be a supplement and not a meal replacement, is the only one on the market specifically designed for users of the drugs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf someone comes to me for a GLP-1, I\u2019m happy to write (the prescription),\u201d Snyder said. \u201cBut I won\u2019t write it without proper guidance, like dietitian support, real nutritional guidance and proper supplementation.\u201d<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t the first time Snyder has seen issues like this play out with game-changing weight loss treatments. Before this century, operations such as gastric bypass were performed in a vacuum without follow-up or nutritional and exercise guidance, he said. But that changed in the 2000s, when post-op care became more encompassing after rearranging patients\u2019 internal organs.<\/p>\n
He doesn\u2019t want his field to repeat past mistakes.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy heart sinks when I hear, \u2018I feel so good. I\u2019m losing weight. I had yogurt and a salad yesterday,\u2019\u201d Snyder said. \u201cWhat about that is going to give you what you need to be vibrant and healthy? It\u2019s not going to turn out well in the long term.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rock the Shot is available through its website and on Amazon for $40 a pop in two flavors: chocolate and vanilla. Each has 15 servings in it, and since going online in December, a couple thousand jugs have sold, Appel said, mostly to friends and family without any marketing efforts.<\/p>\n
Snyder, who is a nationally known weight loss expert, has also gotten tubs into the hands of a dozen doctors. When they prescribe a GLP-1, the hope is that they suggest Rock the Shot as part of a comprehensive care package. He does it already at his office in Denver\u2019s Hale neighborhood.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to be refereed and supported, because otherwise the doctors are just writing scripts when people come into their offices as if they\u2019re writing cholesterol meds,\u201d Snyder said. \u201cAnd they don\u2019t work that way, do they? They require very careful supervision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Appel added: \u201cThis is a low-stakes endeavor, getting the supplement into their practice and giving access to their patients. And they can make some revenue off it, which is often quite helpful,\u201d he said, indicating that providers will get a cut of sales.<\/p>\n
The pair met 30 years ago through their children\u2019 youth soccer team and have been friends since. They previously created a weight-loss bar that they recently stopped selling after 15 years. Appel said they had success with the product, which was meant to simulate bariatric surgery by taking up more room in the stomach than the typical bar. But the formula was heavy on carbs, which led to it losing popularity.<\/p>\n
Rock the Shot was born when Appel asked Snyder if there were any downsides to taking GLP-1s, which many proclaim is a \u201cmiracle drug.\u201d The doctor\u2019s answer was simple: the deterioration of metabolic, muscular and bone health.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to see the worst orthopedic problems we\u2019ve ever seen as a result of GLP-1s in people not getting the right care,\u201d Snyder said. \u201cIf you\u2019re in med school right now, become a spine or orthopedic surgeon.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pair have no outside investors and no employees \u2014 something that will likely change soon, Appel said. He does the shipping himself and said the daily packaging and trips to FedEx are becoming onerous.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you start your day off with one of these shakes, you\u2019ve covered a lot of your bases,\u201d Appel said. \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019d say you\u2019re perfect, but you\u2019re doing pretty damn good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read more from our partner, BusinessDen<\/a>.<\/p>\n