Weight Loss Drugs: What You're Not Hearing About GLP-1 And GIP Based Injectables For Weight Loss
Discussions on weight loss have been going on for decades, but the discussion has evolved significantly in the last few years. Increasingly, people are turning to weight loss alternatives like injections, moving beyond just diet and exercise regimens. In this trend GLP-1-based injectables—which help manage blood sugar and support weight loss are becoming increasingly popular. While these injections may seem like an easy and almost immediate fix, an important part of the conversation is often left out: the need for careful eligibility assessment, continuous medical oversight, and safety concerns. These discussions leave out the real reasons behind why we gain weight, and the impact of our own lifestyles and habits.
Dr. Anju Ghei, MBBS, PGCRT, Head – Preventive Health, VLCC shares all you need to know:
These injectable drugs were initially approved for treating type 2 diabetes and are now also approved to manage obesity. They work by mimicking our natural hormones in the gut, GLP-1 and GIP, which help the body release insulin, slow stomach emptying, and signal a feeling of fullness, thus reducing appetite. In addition, GIP also regulates fat metabolism. By doing so, they assist in the weight loss of up to 10–20% of body weight as well as improvement in metabolic parameters. For people dealing with Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnoea, PCOS, or other obesity-related health issues, these beneficial effects can be truly life-changing.
But these medications are not a magic bullet, and certainly not for everyone. Clinical evidence shows that weight regain is common once the drugs are discontinued, especially when not supported by holistic lifestyle changes. Additionally, they may cause side effects such as nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, constipation, or bloating. In rare cases, serious complications like pancreatitis, gallbladder issues, or allergic reactions may arise. Moreover, rapid weight loss itself can result in muscle loss, skin laxity, nutrient deficiencies, electrolyte imbalance, and hormonal imbalance, with symptoms like fatigue, anxiety and mood swings.
This is why careful eligibility assessment and close medical monitoring are both essential throughout the weight-loss journey.
Weight Loss: More Than Numbers
Weight loss isn't just about losing kilos, it's about rebalancing many parts of your system. That means balancing hormones, fixing your gut health, sleeping better, controlling stress, staying active and addressing emotional triggers. Injectables may get the ball rolling, but without also identifying and fixing the underlying issues, the results do not last.
These drugs must be used under proper medical guidance only, with detailed health profiling and systematic lifestyle guidance. They are most appropriate for people with certain medical conditions for which changing lifestyle alone hasn't helped.
So, What's the Alternative?
A better approach for long lasting benefits, even after the drugs are discontinued, is integrated wellness. By integrating wellness practices of nutrition (working around whole foods and conscientious calorie management), physical exercise, emotional well-being (stress reduction, behavioural therapy), and habituated lifestyle routines, this approach offers lifelong benefits. Though this pathway takes more time, discipline, and commitment, it provides something injectables can't: side-effect-free, lasting transformation. It's the best approach for those who do not have extreme metabolic disorders, desire self-control over their own health, and are not afraid to construct their own change, brick by brick.
The best strategy, therefore, is to balance both, but with expert supervision. Injectables can provide the initial thrust, but they deliver real benefits only when they are part of a tailored plan that addresses physical, emotional, and metabolic well-being.
Begin a conversation with your doctor. Monitor not only your weight, but also your energy, sleep, digestion, and mood. Long-term weight loss is about consistency, not perfection. GLP-1 Injectables might be part of the process but should not be the end goal. Real success is about taking control, gaining confidence, and achieving the energy to live life to the full, not simply shedding kilos.
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