By Dr. Seun Sowemimo, MD, FACS, FASMBS
Why Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy are not the solution to sustained long-term weight loss
Treating patients with obesity since 2008, I’ve seen countless weight loss medications come and go. They arrive as the ‘easy road to weight loss’ and soon depart with a reputation for causing harm to the body, causing unpleasant side effects, and ultimately, the user experiences weight regain.
Losing weight is not terribly difficult; keeping the weight off
for the long-term is the real challenge.
Again, in 2023, we are faced with another set of medications (Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy) chemically formulated for diabetic patients. For people who are significantly overweight—with a BMI over 35 (check your BMI) or who need to lose 75 pounds or more, surgical weight loss offers far more long-term benefits for sustained weight loss. I’ve outlined four specific reasons below:
1. The permanence of surgery versus chronic medication use
Prescribed weight loss medications can promote weight loss, particularly early on, but the medication’s effects may diminish over time, rekindling the appetite to resume overeating. Conversely, people who undergo gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgical weight loss have a decreased volume of stomach to fill for life.
People who are reliant on weight loss medications may lose insurance coverage or experience financial challenges and no longer be able to afford expensive maintenance medications.
2. Lessening/alleviating chronic medical condition symptoms
Bariatric surgery promotes significant weight loss but can also reduce or even alleviate weight-related medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea–often within weeks after surgery. Modifying the gastrointestinal tract can also correct hormonal imbalances, reduce insulin resistance and alleviate metabolic syndrome disease.
Weight loss medications may eventually help manage obesity-related health issues, but results are experienced later in the weight loss process and return if the weight is eventually regained.
3. Scientific evidence of long-term weight loss outcomes
More than 30 years of clinical studies have shown that bariatric surgery leads to long-term health improvements and increased longevity. People experience lower incidences of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and even certain cancers. Medications, on the other hand, may offer temporary weight loss benefits, but there is no long-term data on the positive and negative effects of using these drugs over the long term.
4. Lifestyle changes and support
Bariatric surgery serves as a catalyst for adopting healthier lifestyle habits. Weight loss surgery patients receive lifestyle weight management services, often mandated by medical insurance, including:
· One-on-one dietitian guidance
· Exercise and fitness advising
· Psychological counseling before/during/after weight loss
· Patient support group opportunities
These services play a powerful role in achieving and maintaining lifestyle improvement and weight management success. Even doctor-prescribed weight loss medications typically do not include lifestyle support education or weight maintenance guidance.
During Wegovy clinical trials, participants who took the medication also received one-on-one dietary counseling and clinical weight loss guidance from obesity experts. This clinical support played a key role in their eventual weight loss success. Weight loss drug providers may forego the added time and effort to offer healthy lifestyle patient education, leading to eventual weight regain.
Learn more about Prime Surgicare’s Bariatric Success Program
While Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy may provide short-term weight loss benefits, bariatric surgery offers obese people proven safe, long-term health and weight loss outcomes–if they follow prescribed post-surgical guidelines—for weight loss and improved overall well-being.
State-of-the-art bariatric surgery with healthy lifestyle education
To learn more about gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, gastric band (lap band) removal or bariatric revision surgical weight loss, call Dr. Seun Sowemimo, MD, FACS, FASMBS at 732-414-2707 for a prompt consultation. Learn more about the weight loss surgery journey from our bariatric patients.