In recent years, weight loss drugs have become extremely popular, especially medications known as GLP-1 drugs. These medicines were first created to help people with diabetes, but they were later found to help with weight loss as well.
As demand grew, many people began searching online for faster and cheaper ways to get these drugs. This trend has raised serious concerns among doctors, including endocrinologist Dr. Dan Bessesen from the University of Colorado.
Dr. Bessesen became alarmed when he discovered how easy it was to buy weight loss drugs online from compounding pharmacies without ever speaking to a doctor. With just a few clicks, someone could order powerful medications that affect appetite, digestion, and metabolism.
This is very different from how most other long-term medications are handled. For conditions like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, patients usually talk with their doctors, discuss risks and benefits, and are monitored over time.
Doctors are trained to focus on what is safest and best for a patient’s health. Online sellers, however, may be more focused on profit than long-term care.
GLP-1 drugs work by copying a hormone that the body naturally releases after eating. This hormone sends signals to the brain that food has arrived and that the body is full. As a result, people feel less hungry and eat smaller amounts.
These drugs also help control blood sugar levels. Newer versions of these medications are stronger and lead to more weight loss, which is why they have gained so much attention.
Originally, these drugs were approved to treat diabetes. Over time, doctors noticed that patients were also losing weight, and later the medications were officially approved for weight management in people with obesity or weight-related health problems.
Doctors usually prescribe them only when a person’s weight is affecting their health, such as causing high blood pressure, sleep problems, or pre-diabetes.
Problems began during a nationwide shortage of these drugs around 2022. Because the original medications were hard to get, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed compounding pharmacies to make copies. These are known as compounded GLP-1 drugs.
Compounding means the pharmacy did not invent the drug and did not go through the same safety testing required for FDA approval. While some compounding pharmacies follow strict quality standards, others may not. Oversight is limited, and the FDA does not have enough staff to closely monitor every compounding facility.
By late 2024 and early 2025, the FDA declared that the shortages were over. This meant that producing compounded versions of these drugs was no longer legal.
Despite this, many companies continue to sell them online, often through aggressive advertising. Dr. Bessesen warns that this puts consumers in a risky position. Buying medications from companies that are breaking the law raises serious questions about safety, quality, and trust.
One of the biggest dangers of compounded weight loss drugs is incorrect dosing. A person might receive too much or too little of the drug. Too much can cause severe side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration.
Over time, these drugs can also cause people to eat so little that they lose muscle, become weak, or develop vitamin deficiencies. This risk is especially concerning for older adults or people who are not significantly overweight.
Another issue is that these drugs only work while you are taking them. If someone uses them as a short-term fix, the weight often comes back after stopping. This cycle of losing and regaining weight is not healthy and can be discouraging.
Dr. Bessesen encourages people to think carefully about their goals. Weight and health are long-term issues, not problems that can be solved quickly with a single tool.
For people with obesity and related health conditions, talking to a doctor about approved medications can be helpful. There are many new treatments being developed, and prices are expected to come down over time.
For people who are mostly healthy and only slightly overweight, focusing on eating habits, physical activity, and overall well-being may be a safer and more effective approach.
Doctors now view obesity as a long-term medical condition, not a personal failure or lack of willpower. Just like high blood pressure or high blood sugar, it deserves proper medical care and support.
Dr. Bessesen emphasizes that no one should feel ashamed about discussing weight with a doctor. A healthcare provider can help guide decisions based on science, safety, and long-term health.
When reviewing the study findings and expert opinions, one message stands out clearly. While GLP-1 drugs can be powerful and helpful when used correctly, the rise of illegal and unregulated online sales creates serious risks.
The lack of medical supervision, uncertain drug quality, and focus on quick results over lasting health make compounded GLP-1 drugs a dangerous choice for many people.
The evidence supports careful, doctor-guided treatment and highlights the importance of seeing weight management as a long-term health journey rather than a fast online purchase.
If you care about weight loss, please read studies that hop extract could reduce belly fat in overweight people, and early time-restricted eating could help lose weight.
For more health information, please see recent studies that Mediterranean diet can reduce belly fat much better, and Keto diet could help control body weight and blood sugar in diabetes.
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