Weight Loss Drugs Linked to Rise in Eating Disorders 

Weight Loss Drugs Linked to Rise in Eating Disorders. Credit | Reuters
Weight Loss Drugs Linked to Rise in Eating Disorders. Credit | Reuters

United States: Over the past six months, psychologist Tom Hildebrandt has observed an increase in patients developing eating disorders after taking popular weight loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound. 

Hildebrandt, who leads Mount Sinai’s Center of Excellence in Eating and Weight Disorders, noted that some of the people who are patients over there develop symptoms similar to anorexia nervosa. While these drugs are praised for their effectiveness in diabetes and weight loss, a increasing number of doctors are very much concerned that they may be triggering or worsening eating disorders. 

Drugs’ Effectiveness and Risks 

As reported by NBC news, this is the class of the drugs called GLP-1 and which also includes the diabetes  drugs Ozempic and Mounjaro work by mimicking a naturally occurring hormone released by the gut called glucagon-like peptide 1 which basically regulates blood sugar levels and curbs hunger in one clinical trial people taking the highest dose of Eli Lilly’s Zepbound lost 21% of their body weight which tends to return when people stop taking medicines. 

Weight Loss Drugs Linked to Rise in Eating Disorders. Credit | Getty Images
Weight Loss Drugs Linked to Rise in Eating Disorders. Credit | Getty Images

In some cases, a person’s brain may interpret such dramatic and sudden weight loss as starvation, Hilderbrandt said, making people more obsessive about food, People who are taking these  loss drugs he posited may then find themselves compelled to further limit  and how much food the basically eat even when it endangers their health. 

Potential for Misuse 

“The restrictive eating unintentionally spirals out of control” until people can’t help themselves, said Dr. Aaron Keshen, co-director of the Nova Scotia Eating Disorder Provincial Service in Canada and an associate professor of psychiatry at Dalhousie University. 

Experts don’t know what the actual percentage of the people taking the new class of the weight loss drugs are at the risk of the eating disorders because there is no published clinical trial  which addresses the specific queries about this said Keshen and who would l like to see a rigorous study. 

Misuse of over the counter and prescription medication, however, was common among people with eating disorders long before GLP-1 drugs came on the market. Some of the people with the eating disorders take diet pills which can contain appetite suppressants, caffeine or even amphetamines.  

Other Misuse laxatives and prescription medications and however, it was common among people with eating disorders long before the GLP-1 drugs came on the market and some people with the eating disorders take diet pills.