CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A "magical" drug, that's what even some doctors are calling it. There are social media posts raving about a pharmaceutical that's approved to treat diabetes.
However, the posts claim the medicine has a beneficial side effect: profound weight loss. The key is you don't even have to really exercise or eat right. So does it work? And can it be covered by insurance for weight loss?
THE QUESTION:
Does this new drug that was made to treat diabetes really work for weight loss?
OUR SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
Yes, GLP-1, originally intended to treat diabetes, can work for weight loss.
WHAT WE FOUND:
Imagine eating whatever you want and not having to work out six times a week to lose a pound. Many on social media claim by using the medication created for diabetes, they don't have to lift a finger, and the weight just comes right off.
The drug is called a GLP-1.
"The drugs were initially designed for diabetic drugs," Dr. Kohli said. "But what they found out in the clinical trials is when people with diabetes were taking it, the weight was just melting off, it was just coming off," Dr. Kohli said.
According to the Mayo Clinic, when blood sugar levels rise after someone eats, these drugs stimulate the body to produce more insulin. The extra insulin helps lower blood sugar levels. It also helps curb hunger and slows food movement from the stomach into the small intestines. Which Dr. Kohli said works wonders for weight loss.
"I would say the drug works even if you are not eating healthy and not working out, and people are losing a fair amount of weight, 15 to 20% of their body weight," Dr. Kohli said.
Kohli tells WCNC there are several different drug companies that offer these injections, which are expensive, but they're not always covered by insurance when used for weight loss.
"In general, to get insurance coverage, it can't be every one that wants to lose weight," Dr. Kohli said. "You either have to have a max body index of 30 which is a BMI that puts you in the obese range, or you need a BMI of 27, which is the overweight range, with at least one medical condition like high blood pressure," Dr. Kohli said.
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Dr. Kohli tells WCNC that once patients start taking this GLP-1 to keep the weight off, they need to keep taking it or risk packing on the pounds again.
"The medication has been designed for chronic weight management, so the idea is to get the medicine and stay on it to help keep that weight off cause maybe your set point is a little higher," Dr. Kohli.
There are some side effects, Dr. Kohli tells WCNC those are nausea or diarrhea, and she says some patients if they overeat, can get sick. She says the best thing to do is talk to your doctor about the drug to see if you qualify.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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