People who have obesity-related complications, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease, fatty liver, sleep apnoea, joint pain or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), to name a few, are the ideal candidates to take GLP-1 drugs.

Let a doctor decide whether your particular health conditions make GLP-1 drugs necessary, safe and suitable for you.

The recommended protocol for the new GLP-1 drugs, semaglutide (Rybelsus, Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), is that the patient should stay on each dose for at least four weeks. Increasing doses faster than that is usually a bad idea for several reasons.

START LOW AND GO SLOW!

Insulin is the key that opens the lock for glucose to enter the cells to provide them energy. If the lock is rusted, the key won’t turn easily, the door won’t open and glucose will continue accumulating in the bloodstream instead of going where it is needed.

Obesity is a meta-disease, the mother of most non-communicable diseases. It causes other diseases from head to toe. It is important to start seeing obesity as a disease and not merely a condition that causes diseases. The main mechanism through which obesity starts harming the body is chronic inflammation. The most harmful fat is around the critica

GLP-1 and GIP are natural hormones found in the body that help regulate hunger, satiety, stomach movement and insulin secretion. Drugs that mimic these hormones have been around since 2005. Ozempic and Mounjaro are only the latest drugs in the series.

GLP-1 drugs are safe for most people and a fear of side effects should not hold you back, but make sure you take them under medical supervision.

Start GLP-1 drugs with a low dose to manage the side effects. The dosage is increased gradually as the weight loss and sugar control plateau and side effects subside. The desire to lose weight very fast can be counter-productive. Patients must avoid dosage mistakes and increase their dosage in consultation with their doctor. The golden mantra is ST