A major medical problem for many–and I’m sure this includes a lot of poker players–is obesity.
I ran across this article about a study that has been making waves for a week or two. The link should be live.
Semaglutide Shines as Weight Loss Therapy
Excerpt: A total of 86.4% of adults on semaglutide were able to cut at least 5% of their baseline body weight during the trial compared with only 31.5% of those adhering to lifestyle intervention alone, the researchers wrote in the study online in the New England Journal of Medicine. Beyond that, almost 70% of those on semaglutide plus lifestyle intervention achieved a 10% or more weight loss, and more than half were able to lose 15% of their baseline body weight. In total, adults on semaglutide treatment lost an average 33.7 lb (15.3 kg) by week 68, while those in the placebo/lifestyle intervention group saw only a modest 5.7 lb (2.6 kg) weight loss (estimated treatment difference -30 lb [-12.7 kg], 95% CI -13.7 to -11.7). Within only the first 4 weeks of treatment initiation, those on semaglutide had more than a 2% reduction in body weight, and continued to lose weight throughout the 68-week trial. In addition to weight loss, semaglutide also improved cardiovascular risk factors including greater reductions in waist circumference, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, and fasting lipid levels, as well as physical functioning scores and quality of life. [WOW! This is amazing news! Obesity is a major problem for many. The drug does have some side effects, though, and they could be significant. The article doesn’t mention whether it’s taken orally or as an injection. The drug is not yet approved. It’s worth reading. Alan25main]
I don’t know, Craig. I know I found the actual weight lost to be impressive, though.
I knew someone once who went to a weight loss program in NC for just over 2 years. The 1st year, she lost over 120 pounds. The second year, she gained 40 of it back. It was costing her nearly $4500 per month. She ended up divorced, broke, and still overweight by more than 100 pounds. Worse, she died of a heart attack about 3 years later. A sad outcome all the way around. If this drug can make that process safer, more sure, then I’m in favor.
It is a diabetes medication. My endocrinologist called me 2 weeks ago about this, not as a weight loss regimen but I take a super concentrated (U-500) insulin injection quick pen twice a day for type 2 diabetes which I have to carry wherever I go ( pain in the butt ) and the wonderful thing is this is a once weekly injectable that lowers your A1c quickly to control your blood sugar. The extraordinary thing they found during the clinical trials is that it promoted weight loss. Lots of side effects but with the obesity epidemic in the country it could potentially save tens of thousands of lives. Here’s hoping for a quick FDA approval for me and anyone that has type 2 diabetes and is obese. It’s a potential game changer vs $100,000 for gastric bypass surgery Good thread my friend and I hope my post cleared up some misconceptions. This medication is only for people with type 2 diabetes not type 1 and not as a weight loss tool.
There are at least two health centers in NA that treat obesity and diabetes with fasting, something bestselling author Nassim Nicholas Taleb straight-up claims is a “cure” for type 2 diabetes.
Not sure if this site allows links, but as a (strong) suggestion I hope people will look up the work of Dr. Jason Fung who runs one of these clinics, as well as associated (fasting, diabetes, “metabolic syndrome”) videos on the “Low Carb Down Under” youtube channel. For a general health topic that most people know little about (but really should IMO), see the video titled " Dr. Chris Knobbe - ‘Diseases of Civilization: Are Seed Oil Excesses the Unifying Mechanism?’"
Good thread my friend and I hope my post cleared up some misconceptions. This medication is only for people with type 2 diabetes not type 1 and not as a weight loss tool.