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Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

nbcnews.com

171–180 of 214 posts

Re: Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

#171

How do you isolate this from the therapeutic benefits of simply losing weight and being skinny?

It might help knowing that Ozempic will not make you skinny. IIRC it increases the effects of a healthy lifestyle change by 15%, effect which is lost if you leave it. The life style change (activity and nutrition) alone is more important, cheaper, and as permanent as you want it to be. Losing weight is still a hard endeavor.

> It might help knowing that Ozempic will not make you skinny.

Plenty of people find their appetite capped at a level where the caloric intake will make them skinny. If they don't eat right and exercise, though, it won't necessarily bring them to great health. Like all caloric restriction, you will lose muscle mass if you don't ingest enough protein and perform resistance training, so you could still end up with a suboptimal lean body mass:fat ratio.

>IIRC it increases the effects of a healthy lifestyle change by 15%,

I'm not sure what this means. In the clinical trials for weight loss, semaglutide patients lost 10-15% of their body weight over the trial period, which might be what you mean? The trials don't indicate that this is the maximum, however - people have seen sustained weight loss for periods longer than the trials. Nor did it require people follow a specific diet or exercise plan. Plenty of people lose weight just eating less of what they were already eating - though this is generally not the best way to approach it.

>effect which is lost if you leave it.

Some number of people regain some or all of the weight they lost when going off the medication, but not all. However, the current indication is that people should be allowed to remain on the drug to maintain (generally at a lower dose) indefinitely if they need to. If the safety profile changes, this recommendation might also change.

>The life style change (activity and nutrition) alone is more important, cheaper, and as permanent as you want it to be.

Agreed. I'm someone who was quite fit when younger and let a variety of factors cause nutrition and exercise to fall farther and farther back on my priority list, and so far, tirzepatide has made it much easier for me to prioritize these things and enjoy them. I'm fairly confident once I have spent some time back at a healthier weight and developed long term habits around these things I'll be able to go off of it.

Re: Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

#172
post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lol, no. There are countries in which obesity is nonexistent.

Obesity is on the rise in a huge percentage of developed nations, and not just western ones. Even South Korea has seen a huge spike over the past decade - the amount of obese men /doubled/ between 2009 and 2019. It went up 3x in China between 1993 and 2015, and is on track to be over 20% by the end of the decade. Japan is increasing at a much slower rate, but it's still going up. 25% of people in India are overweight…

I don't care obesity is rising here and there, the fact that it is culturally induced remains, as it remains that a change lifestyle is the largest defense against obesity. Enjoy the magic pill for the rest of your life.

Re: Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

#173
post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why not just lose weight by eating less? I know that sounds like a dumb question. Because it requires willpower and discipline, this just a pill/injection doing all the heavy work for you. Hence the success in USA. There are countries where this drug is semi unknown.

And it's becoming more and more known because obesity is a growing problem for nearly the entirety of the developed world. If you're so convinced that obesity is a moral failing, then just put 'no fatties and no fake skinny glp-1 users' in your tinder profile, and all of the rest of us can move on with our days.

Speaking of obese - not overweight - I think I can name two people I actually met in person. Maybe one more if I really think about it? Don't know.

Maybe it is but just in a certain part of the world.

Re: Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

#174
post #170
post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would taking a drug you don't need for the rest of your days be a good thing?

what's the alternative? Struggling with food, being extremely overweight the rest of your life, and not being able to play with your kids because of it?

Don't stuff your face with a 2500kcal Oreo and ice cream shake?

Re: Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

#175
post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're getting downvoted because you didn't even care to do a simple Google search as to when the first GLP-1 was released. 2005. Almost 20 years. We have the data.

Actually I recently listened to a fascinating hour long interview with Lotte Bjerre Knudsen (ACQ2 podcast) from which I learned that the original research started in the early 90s. I'm not an authority but I'm pretty well aware of the history. However, I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop if you don't mind. And I don't care about votes up or down. But I appreciate your theory on how they're playing out!

Is there a law of nature that says a chemical compound has to have a side effects of medical concern for a significant portion of people that ingest it?

One of the most commonly consumed drugs on the planet seems to indicate there is no such thing - caffeine in reasonable quantities is tolerated by the overwhelming majority of human beings and research indicates that even outside of the stimulant effects that humans use it for, it is beneficial. We have significant evidence that caffeine in the 100-400mg per day range decreases risk of heart disease and stroke, and smaller but still compelling evidence that it is protective against diabetes.

Irregular use does seem to cause a small increase in heart rate and blood pressure, but this fades in the overwhelming majority of users as they make the usage more regular.

Too much can cause adverse outcomes, such as anxiety, and in some people timing might be important for maintaining sleep quality, but the vast majority of us would see positive impact from consuming a cup or two of coffee in the morning with little to no concern around side effects.

Re: Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

#176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is like asking why ADHD patients don’t just get over it by focusing more.

So easy to invent imaginary diseases to cover for decadent lack of willpower and portray a decent life hygiene as something as heroic as firewalking or quitting crack.

> or quitting crack.

Statistically, people that manage to quit most chemical addictions have lower recidivism rates than people who lose weight through dieting.

So, possibly it is?

I for one have far less trouble keeping any of my drug and alcohol use to reasonable levels than I do avoiding overeating. I can quit drinking or smoking pot for months or years on end without even much thinking about it, but my attempts to lose weight without tirzepatide tended to be huge struggles that I would crash and burn on after 6 or so months.

Re: Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

#177

According to this article, it's been (sorta) reproduced once, which is better than most studies. About 40-60% of scientific studies are not reproducible. Given that, I'd want to see more reproductions. Also, I'm very annoyed by our American culture which tries to fix problems with drugs, rather than preventing them from happening in the first place with good diet, exercise, sleep and stress management.

> good diet, exercise, sleep and stress management The problem is these are individual solutions. We have a societal-wide problem. These solutions are therefore useless. You can't solve societal problems with individual solutions. For example, I can't say "people shouldn't steal because it's immoral". It's true, and for me or you that might be enough to keep us from stealing. This is an individual solution. The socie…

Culture definitely changes, or else there would be no different cultures.

I like bottom-up way to approach it, rather than only top-down via policy.

Be healthy yourself and hopefully that bleeds out to your family and friends. If enough people do it, you have a different culture. Certainly possible given all the cultures that do prioritize these things.

Re: Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

#178
post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Obesity is on the rise in a huge percentage of developed nations, and not just western ones. Even South Korea has seen a huge spike over the past decade - the amount of obese men /doubled/ between 2009 and 2019. It went up 3x in China between 1993 and 2015, and is on track to be over 20% by the end of the decade. Japan is increasing at a much slower rate, but it's still going up. 25% of people in India are overweight…

I don't care obesity is rising here and there, the fact that it is culturally induced remains, as it remains that a change lifestyle is the largest defense against obesity. Enjoy the magic pill for the rest of your life.

I'm fairly confident in my ability to get back in the same routine I had in my 20s and take myself off of it, but if staying on it is what it takes for me to remain fit and eating well, then sure. I don't mind giving myself an injection twice a week in exchange for good health.

If not needing it makes you feel superior, I'm glad you've found a source of self validation.

Re: Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

#179
post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lol, no. There are countries in which obesity is nonexistent.

Obesity is on the rise in a huge percentage of developed nations, and not just western ones. Even South Korea has seen a huge spike over the past decade - the amount of obese men /doubled/ between 2009 and 2019. It went up 3x in China between 1993 and 2015, and is on track to be over 20% by the end of the decade. Japan is increasing at a much slower rate, but it's still going up. 25% of people in India are overweight…

There are places in the world you could point to that are not obese and in fact has decreased. So it's certainly possible to emulate that.

Re: Ozempic linked to lower Alzheimer's risk in people with Type 2 diabetes

#180

Of all things my taxes go to, I would love it the United States Government would buy the patent for this drug and make it freely available to anybody who wants it. The number of things it apparently just cures is staggering.

I have been on compounded GLP-1 for a month, prior to this I was a highly functional alcoholic, basically starting drinking after work every night and going until I passed out. I've drunk well over 50 beers (probably more) a week for the last 20 years. I have not had a drink since going on it. I have been reading obsessively about this drug since going on it. I have been fortunate enough not to suffer side effects on…

Calling it: It’s because it’s antiinflammatory. (It is antiinflammatory. Calling it: That’s the reason.)
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