>> Demand >> for weight loss medications is growing in the United States.

Recent polling shows roughly one in 8 adults are taking a glp one weight loss drug GOP ones like Ozempic and we'll go V have been prescribed for patients to manage diabetes, obesity and other conditions as an effective treatment.

However, the soaring rise in popularity of the drugs has some healthcare workers concerned over their accessibility to vulnerable populations.

Joining us to discuss all this, Theresa Gentile, a board certified registered dietician and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which is headquartered here in Chicago and Dr.

Laura Farrington medical oncologist for City of Hope Cancer Center.

Chicago with a specialization in cancer treatment.

Thank you both for joining us.

We appreciate it.

I'd like to start with you.

If I could, please, Dr Farrington, you know, for for folks who have heard about these drugs, but don't necessarily know the exact mechanism.

How do they work?

>> So glp one drugs are synthetic versions of a natural gas for Mon your body already produces the GOP ones work multiple different works in your pancreas that works in your liver and works in your stomach by slowing das trick emptying which allows you to feel fuller longer and less hungry and also works in your brain to suppress hunger and reduce food cravings.

>> And Theresa know you often recommend weight loss medication when working with patients.

How have you seen these these GOP ones improve folks, conditions?

>> Well, many of these glp one drugs past research behind them.

It turns out improving cardiovascular.

wasn't pretty cardiovascular risk and improving insulin sensitivity and the weight loss along can change people's lives.

It is is absolutely life changing for some people.

>> And I understand, you know, typically you're part of a larger team when it comes to treating patients.

Why it's that holistic approach.

Important when you're prescribing weight loss medication for folks.

>> There are so many facets that go into weight loss that's not just good medical.

So that's the clinical supervision.

And medical supervision is extremely important Supervision is very important as well because there's a real risk micronutrient deficiencies.

There's a risk disordered eating behaviors that might and there's a risk of other mental health issues that might come around tension with know that people are starting to Newsweek and very quickly.

Yeah.

>> You know, Dr Farrington and emerging areas of research when it comes to these weight loss medications, you know, their impact on inflammation metabolism, cancer, biology.

What are what are some of the key things we've learned so far?

>> Well, when it comes to glp ones and cancer the day we've seen so far is very exciting that these retrospective analysys are showing potentially improve survival, for example, in early-stage cancer and also at a retrospective analysis show that potentially this may actually decreasing the sum of 14 of the most common cancers that we see.

However, the data that we have so far, mostly through retrospective analysys.

So it's really important to take what we know so far that these drugs may be helpful in cancer.

They may help people lose weight, keep their blood sugars under control.

Treat sleep apnea, however, does not ready for prime time.

I would not recommend a patient that has cancer to, for example, only treat with the glp one.

Absolutely not.

But in certain cases, for example, in women with obesity after they've had cancer or women with diabetes after cancer, potentially, these drugs may be life's life-changing and life-saving for many patients.

But those are the patients.

I would encourage to go on clinical trials for this.

>> Yeah, I was going to ask I mean, what are questions that still need to be answered with this research for the information to become, you know, more more solidified.

>> Yes, every drug and medication out there needs to have a rigorous clinical trials, not just this drug, help me lose weight.

And now I don't have cancer.

We need thousands of women to enroll in these trials so that we can figure out who are the best patients candidates for these drugs.

Who benefits the most and who should we be keeping these away from for the highest risk patients?

You know, these these drugs can certainly cause issues like Payne, Korea, Titus Eye disorders, you know, significant weight loss making patients under weight.

So it is not for every person out there but trying to figure out exactly who the right patient is that these drugs may help save their lives.

Well, that's what we're working on right now.

You know, As we mentioned, the polling shows these medications are becoming.

>> Increasingly popular.

Why do you think more people are becoming interested in pursuing glp ones?

>> Well, for one, their weight loss potential is phenomenal.

Compared to the previous generation of weight loss drugs.

I mean, the dual agonist has shown up to 20% weight loss and clinical studies.

Another reason is that because people are seeing that it's working for their friends and family word is getting out.

And I think even more importantly, it's a bringing the recognition that obesity is a condition and need to treat it as such and not just inside the medical community, but outside the medical community that the city isn't just I FaceTimed a lack will power that it is a medical condition and needs to be addressed because there are issues of Mormons genetics that come into play >> And you know, how do you think the popularity of these medications, you know, talking about some of the unintended consequences?

How might these GOP once, you know, affect folks, mental health for people who are struggling with with stigma around around weight around >> yeah, it can be very difficult for people I found some of my patients.

It's for them.

They felt they were giving when they took the medication that they have struggled for so long.

And it's such an important part of their identity, actually, that it's hard to say that going to do this.

You know, that will be asked if they're doing it the natural way.

you know, being on it helped free them from some of the other issues that come along with the food.

And for the first time, sometimes for the first time in their entire life control over from you what they're eating and that can be very free for people.

They can start to worry.

Think about other things in the last of the unjust.

>> You know, Dr Farrington.

There was a Washington Post story in recent days detailing could be relatively easy for folks to get a GOP.

One prescription through apps through online doctors.

They reported, you know, folks with eating disorders have gotten access to them as well.

Are you concerned about how you know, easy for some folks?

It can be to purchase glp ones.

>> You think it's a little bit scary how easy it is to get some of these medications and how they are coming from people that aren't in a patient physician relationship.

I think it's very important to realize that these are not quick fix, weight loss, drugs.

These are long-term medications to help with overall survival and to help with your cardiovascular fitness.

And so it is not something that you should be getting online from someone you meet that day.

The other part that scares me is that a lot of people are getting compound in glp ones.

Meaning there are pharmacies that are making these drugs and compounding them with other things that don't even necessarily have to be regulated.

And so a lot of there's a lot of people out there that are getting a lot of garbage that they're getting either in shots or pills that may not even resemble these drugs or they resemble them away.

But we do not know that those are safer beneficial.

I do encourage patients to trying to get these drugs with a primary care physician they've had a relationship with a nose, their medical history and also through real pharmacies through through places like Lily or pharmacies that, you know, we know what is in these shots because a lot of these compounding pharmacies or med spas, you don't really know what's in there and you can be injecting your body with things that are bad for it.

Yeah.

>> We've got just about up 20 seconds left, doctor.

But for folks who thinking about taking these medications, what's the most important thing?

You want them to understand?

>> Talk to your primary care doctor about this.

This is not a quick thinks this is a long term.

You know, goal for you.

And so it is it's not something that you should just be getting through an online compounding pharmacy.

>> All right.

That's all the time we have for this segment.

Dr.

Laura Farrington Theresa