Even with access to new obesity drugs, some people don’t lose weight

No. 2 Ohio State takes control in the 2nd half and runs over No. 5 Indiana 38-15Unlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost. For Griffin, the hardest part of using the new drugs wasn’t access. It was finding out that the much-hyped medications didn’t really work for her. “I have been on Wegovy for a year and a half and have only lost 13 pounds,” said Griffin, who watches her diet, drinks plenty of water and exercises regularly. “I’ve done everything right with no success. It’s discouraging.” In clinical trials, most participants taking Wegovy or Mounjaro to treat obesity lost an average of 15% to 22% of their body weight — up to 50 pounds or more in many cases. But roughly 10% to 15% of patients in those trials were “nonresponders” who lost less than 5% of their body weight. Now that millions of people have used the drugs, several obesity experts told The Associated Press that perhaps 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not respond well to the medications. It's a little-known consequence of the obesity drug boom, according to doctors who caution eager patients not to expect one-size-fits-all results. “It's all about explaining that different people have different responses,” said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity expert at Massachusetts General Hospital The drugs are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists because they mimic a hormone in the body known as glucagon-like peptide 1. Genetics, hormones and variability in how the brain regulates energy can all influence weight — and a person's response to the drugs, Stanford said. Medical conditions such as sleep apnea can prevent weight loss, as can certain common medications, such as antidepressants, steroids and contraceptives. “This is a disease that stems from the brain,” said Stanford. “The dysfunction may not be the same” from patient to patient. Despite such cautions, patients are often upset when they start getting the weekly injections but the numbers on the scale barely budge. “It can be devastating,” said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of the obesity treatment company FlyteHealth. “With such high expectations, there’s so much room for disappointment.” That was the case for Griffin, who has battled obesity since childhood and hoped to shed 70 pounds using Wegovy. The drug helped reduce her appetite and lowered her risk of diabetes, but she saw little change in weight. “It’s an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “You want it to work like it does for everybody else.” The medications are typically prescribed along with eating behavior and lifestyle changes. It’s usually clear within weeks whether someone will respond to the drugs, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Weight loss typically begins right away and continues as the dosage increases. For some patients, that just doesn't happen. For others, side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea force them to halt the medications, Dushay said. In such situations, patients who were counting on the new drugs to pare pounds may think they’re out of options. “I tell them: It's not game over,” Dushay said. Trying a different version of the new class of drugs may help. Griffin, who didn't respond well to Wegovy, has started using Zepbound, which targets an additional hormone pathway in the body. After three months of using the drug, she has lost 7 pounds. “I'm hoping it's slow and steady,” she said. Other people respond well to older drugs, the experts said. Changing diet, exercise, sleep and stress habits can also have profound effects. Figuring out what works typically requires a doctor trained to treat obesity, Saunders noted. “Obesity is such a complex disease that really needs to be treated very comprehensively,” she said. “If what we’re prescribing doesn’t work, we always have a backup plan.” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.March on the capital

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 24 (ANI): Domestic stock markets are expected react, when it opens on Monday, to the recent election outcomes in Jharkhand and Maharashtra as well as domestic macroeconomic data and foreign Institutional fund flows, according to the market analysts. The market analysts say that the bi-monthly Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) which will take place in the first week of December will also have an impact of the activities of the investors, as analysts anticipate a 25-bps rate cut amid concerns of slowing economic growth and moderating inflation. The last trading session in the market ended with decent gains, offering relief after weeks of correction. Despite a negative bias for most of the week due to persistent FII selling, Friday’s sharp recovery, led by bargain hunting in index heavyweights, helped indices close near their highs. The Nifty and Sensex gained nearly 2 per cent, ending at 23,907.20 and 79,117.10, respectively. “Markets will first react to the outcomes of the Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections. Additionally, macroeconomic indicators, including GDP and infrastructure output, will garner significant attention. Participants remain focused on FII fund flows, given their ongoing selling spree,” said Ajit Mishra, SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd. “Looking ahead, the RBI’s meeting from December 4th-6th is generating significant interest, with analysts anticipating a 25-bps rate cut amid concerns of slowing economic growth and moderating inflation,” said Manish Goel, Founder and MD, Equentis observing the markets. Goel further added that the upcoming week is likely to bring heightened volatility and cautious trading as investors navigate political uncertainties, economic data releases, and corporate developments. Observing the mood of the market, Joseph Thomas, Head of Research, Emkay Wealth Management stated that despite the up seen in the market during the trading sessions, it remains to be seen to what extent the current momentum is going to be sustained next week. “The Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Middle East situation which is still awaiting resolution, local election results in crucial states etc. are all factors that may have some impact on the markets in the coming wee,” he added. Market experts are hopeful despite the high volatility in the markets, as Krishna Appala, Sr. Research Analyst, Capitalmind Research said, ” Despite global challenges, India’s long-term growth story remains compelling.” Most sectors, except energy, contributed to the rebound, with realty, auto, and FMCG leading the pack. IT and banking played a pivotal role in capping losses and driving the recovery in the benchmark. Broader indices also edged higher, with gains ranging between 0.9 per cent and 1.8 per cent. On the other hand, the foreign investors extended their selling spree in Indian equity markets for the third consecutive week in November, according to data released by the National Stock Exchange. This week alone, foreign investors sold equities worth Rs 11,412 crore, adding to the ongoing selling pressure. With this, the net selling by foreign investors in November has reached Rs 41,872 crores, indicating persistent bearish sentiment from overseas players. The consistent outflow has weighed on market sentiments, creating volatility in the indices. Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) have continued to provide much-needed support to the Indian markets. This week, DIIs purchased equities worth Rs 11,035 crore, cushioning the impact of foreign outflows. Their total net buying in November now stands at Rs 37,559 crore. (ANI) This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );