Dr. Melanie Jay, a NY-based obesity expert, joined me on the Causes or Cures podcast to talk all the details on the new and extremely popular weight loss drugs (Wegovy, Ozempic (Semaglutide), Manjaro (Tirzepatide), Zepbound). I did a lot of research in preparation for this podcast and relayed questions provided by my listeners. So I hope you all tune in. If you do, let me know if the podcast influenced your views on the weight loss drugs.

What will be covered in the podcast?

In this episode, my guest, Dr. Melanie Jay, starts by explaining what obesity is and how it impacts the body. (I know there is some controversy here, because some people believe obesity is a disease and others do not.)  Then she breaks down how the medications work; how effective they are at taking off weight and keeping it from coming back on; side effects; risks, and benefits.

She talks about the best diet and exercise programs to follow while taking these medications and how to slow down muscle loss. One myth is that a person on these drugs does not have to prioritize diet or exercise. That is far from the truth!

She discusses access issues and how the medications may be widening health disparities related to obesity. And in that sense, are we actually making the obesity epidemic worse?

Finally, she mentions remaining questions that require more research.

Who is Dr. Melanie Jay?

She is an Associate Professor, Department of Medicine and an Associate Professor, Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She leads the “Jay lab” at NYU and her research focus is improving the treatment and prevention of obesity. You can learn more about her work on obesity here. 

I’ll also note that she does not have any financial ties to the pharmaceutical industries that make these drugs. My listeners asked me, so I’m highlighting that she does not! It is true that many of the doctors/researchers being quoted on these drugs in the mainstream media do have ties to the pharmaceutical companies. (We can discuss the meaning of all that at a later time, but surely anyone with a brain can see why that would make some folks deeply suspicious.)

Please listen to podcast with Dr. Melanie Jay here! 

Also check out this podcast on how sleep patterns over time impact cognitive function!