{"id":284853,"date":"2025-10-07T21:53:45","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T21:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/284853\/"},"modified":"2025-10-07T21:53:45","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T21:53:45","slug":"doctors-share-common-side-effects-of-weight-loss-drugs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/284853\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctors Share Common Side Effects Of Weight-Loss Drugs"},"content":{"rendered":"

In recent years, GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have ballooned in popularity. While GLP-1s have, for years, been a prescribed treatment for type 2 diabetes<\/a>, they now are an FDA-approved weight-loss drug that also reduce the risk of certain cancers<\/a>, heart disease, cognitive decline<\/a> and more. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt works by making you less hungry, making your stomach empty more slowly and making your fat cells shrink hormonally,\u201d said Dr. Holly Lofton<\/a>, a doctor who specializes in obesity medicine at NYU Langone Health in New York.<\/p>\n

While these medications have helped millions of people lose weight and reduce their risk of devastating health conditions, like all things, these medications also come with risks that aren\u2019t as freely talked about as their benefits.<\/p>\n

The medications are \u201cvery, very powerful,\u201d said Dr. Naomi Parrella<\/a>, the chief of lifestyle medicine and the medical director for the Weight Loss and Lifestyle Medicine Clinics at Rush University in Illinois. And the potential side effects are related to the fact that they are so powerful, she said.<\/p>\n

While not everyone who takes GLP-1s will have side effects, some will, and they can range from mild to life-threatening. <\/p>\n

Below, doctors share the most common side effects of GLP-1 medications and how best to avoid these symptoms:<\/p>\n

Vomiting, nausea and other gastrointestinal issues are common.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe most commonly reported side effects are GI-related: nausea, constipation, loose stools, vomiting,\u201d Lofton said.<\/p>\n

But these don\u2019t happen to everyone. In clinical trials, nausea was the most commonly reported side effect and impacted 44% of people, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese meds are mimicking a natural hormone [GLP-1] and amplifying it … so, you can imagine it will impact people differently, because just how sensitive you are to these hormones. So the side effects that are most common are related to the impact of the medication [and] the impact it has on the movement of the food,\u201d Parrella said.<\/p>\n

The medication slows down the movement of food through your gut, Parrella said, which makes the above gastrointestinal symptoms common, in addition to things such as acid reflux, heartburn and burping.<\/p>\n

Dehydration and a lack of nutrients can happen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many people who take GLP-1s don\u2019t get hunger and thirst signals as often as they would off of the medication, Lofton said. While this is a common occurrence, it can lead to problems.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor some individuals, they might not be eating enough or drinking enough fluids, so it can cause risks related to dehydration or not having enough electrolytes, or possibly not eating enough nutrients, such as protein or fiber,\u201d Parrella said.<\/p>\n

People often get fuller faster, which leads to less food consumption and, in turn, fewer necessary nutrients, Parrella added.<\/p>\n

There are more serious adverse effects, too.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the [adverse] effects that people will talk about … would be pancreatitis, and that\u2019s an inflammation in the pancreas. … This medication is intended to make your pancreas work a little bit [harder], so that it pumps out more insulin when you eat foods that increase blood glucose,\u201d Parrella said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, basically, the starchy carbs and the sugary foods, if you eat those, your pancreas has to work harder with these medications, and it pumps out a lot more insulin than usual,\u201d she noted. This overactivity can cause pancreatitis in some people, Parrella said.<\/p>\n

Gallstones and gallbladder inflammation are also associated with the use of GLP-1s, Lofton said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, if someone vomits too much, they become dehydrated, which can cause kidney failure,\u201d Lofton said.<\/p>\n

Intestinal obstruction can also occur, which is when \u201cfood stops moving through because it gets stuck,\u201d Parrella said. Dehydration and a lack of movement of the gut can cause this food pileup, Parrella noted.<\/p>\n

These are all health issues that require immediate medical attention, but confusingly, the signs of these problems often overlap with some of the less serious side effects of GLP-1s \u2014 vomiting, nausea, indigestion and more \u2014 both doctors said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s also this very small but serious risk of what\u2019s called gastroparesis, which is basically where your stomach stops moving the food forward,\u201d Parrella said. This is a permanent issue that isn\u2019t fixed when someone stops taking the medication, she added.<\/p>\n

There is currently litigation<\/a> around this issue and lots of medical concerns, as it\u2019s hard to predict who this may happen to, Parrella said.<\/p>\n

\"GLP-1<\/p>\n

Illustration: HuffPost; Photo: Getty Images<\/p>\n

GLP-1 medications such as Wegovy and Ozempic can cause side effects including vomiting, nausea, gum disease and more.<\/p>\n

They can cause dental decay and gum disease.<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to Dr. Elizabeth Walton<\/a>, clinical director at Risas Kids Dental<\/a>, when it comes to dental health, the most common side effects of the use of GLP-1s are an increase in gum disease and dental decay.<\/p>\n

GLP-1 medications reduce saliva production. \u201cPatients taking GLP-1s often experience symptoms of dry mouth, which include increased cavities and periodontal disease,\u201d Walton told HuffPost via email.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaliva produces a protective barrier over our teeth and lubricates our [gums],\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith less saliva in our mouths, we are more exposed to the acids created by bacteria that lead to gum disease and dental cavities,\u201d noted Walton.<\/p>\n

If you have any side effects, you should let your doctor know.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI tell my patients if they have vomiting even once, they should call my office because vomiting can be a symptom of some of the other more dangerous adverse effects,\u201d Lofton said.<\/p>\n

If your symptoms persist or get worse, you should certainly tell your doctor, Parrella added.<\/p>\n

While the side effects of these medications are sometimes talked about among those on GLP-1s, it doesn\u2019t make them normal.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many people will say, \u2018I\u2019m just going to suck it up. I know nausea is normal,\u2019 or \u2018I know it\u2019s common to have constipation on these meds. This is probably no big deal. It\u2019s just how these meds work,\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m worried my doctor will stop prescribing this medicine for me if I complain\u2019 … and that\u2019s when it becomes a problem,\u201d Parrella said.<\/p>\n

When symptoms continue or worsen, it\u2019s a sign from the body that something is wrong, she noted. \u201cAnd when we ignore that, or don\u2019t report, it then becomes very difficult to prevent the longer, more serious problems,\u201d Parrella said.<\/p>\n

To combat some of these symptoms, you should follow a few rules when taking this medication.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important that you focus on drinking lots of fluids and staying hydrated as you take GLP-1s, Parrella said. <\/p>\n

More, you should prioritize your protein intake so you can maintain and build muscle as you are on the medication, she said. To further help muscle growth and maintenance, add strength training to your workout regimen, Parrella added.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd then the third thing would be, because this slows the movement of food through the gut, you want to make sure you stop eating three [to four] hours before bedtime,\u201d Parrella said.<\/p>\n

When you lie down after eating, it\u2019s easy for the food to come back up and cause issues like heartburn and acid reflux, she said. <\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t long-term research on GLP-1s, so some of the risks are unknown.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important if somebody does start experiencing some new symptoms of any kind on these medications, we have to remember we don\u2019t have very long-term data on these meds, so there are still a lot of unknown risks with these medications,\u201d Parrella said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo they cause cancer? What happens if you stop? Does it cause a metabolic rebound? What about interactions with populations outside of those who have been tested?\u201d she added. <\/p>\n

While medical professionals are excited about understanding this new space in medicine, it\u2019s also important that those who use GLP-1s remain cautious and informed of the risks, benefits and proper usage.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou also have to pay attention to the effect on your own body. So, if you don\u2019t feel good, or you are having symptoms of any kind, be in communication with your doctor so that you have a partner in the process,\u201d Parrella said.<\/p>\n

Additionally, you should consider the risk versus the benefit when it comes to GLP-1s (and all medications), Lofton said. \u201cThis comes into play when we think about people who aren\u2019t having a weight condition,\u201d Lofton added.<\/p>\n

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If you don\u2019t qualify for GLP-1s, you shouldn\u2019t jump through hoops to get a prescription. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to really stick to the guidelines for who the medication was intended for, because as providers, we always think about maximizing benefit and decreasing risk,\u201d Lofton said.<\/p>\n

These medications are safe and highly effective for many but aren\u2019t ideal for every single person. More, everyone should treat GLP-1 medications as the powerful drugs they are.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In recent years, GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have ballooned in popularity. While GLP-1s have,…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":284854,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[210,427,67,132,68,428],"class_list":{"0":"post-284853","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-ozempic","10":"tag-united-states","11":"tag-unitedstates","12":"tag-us","13":"tag-weight-loss"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115335109404323619","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=284853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284853\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/284854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=284853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=284853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=284853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}