"One in eight American adults is now taking GLP-1s. What does that mean for how we relate to our food, bodies and one another? Here's a number that actually shocked me when I learned it: This is from a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. One out of eight Americans is now taking a GLP-1. One out of eight. Maybe I shouldn't have been so shocked because the number is higher in my social circles."
"They don't make you lose weight. They make you not want to eat food. That's what they do. But then they do all these other things. They seem to protect people's heart health, independent of losing weight. They're protective of kidneys, of livers. There is ongoing research about dementia and Alzheimer's. They have all these strange effects on addiction and desire."
"But should everyone be on these? And what does it mean for society to have access to drugs that regulate desire in this way? What do they mean for the sick? What do they mean for the well? I've been wanting to do an episode on this for a while, but haven't known quite how to approach it."
One in eight American adults is taking GLP-1 medications. These drugs reduce appetite by making people not want to eat food rather than directly causing weight loss. Research suggests benefits beyond weight, including protection of heart health and effects on kidneys and livers. Ongoing studies examine possible impacts on dementia and Alzheimer’s. GLP-1s also appear to influence addiction and desire, changing how people experience cravings. The growing availability of medications that regulate desire raises questions about whether everyone should use them, and what they mean for people who are sick versus people who are well.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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