Anyone who has been on the new GLP-1 agonist drugs such as Ozempic (Semaglutide), Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Tirzepatide has felt some side effects. Problem solving GLP-1 side effects are essential to allow this plan to work regardless of why you started this drug. There are 3 common side effects and I’m here to help navigate those for you.
- Nausea: This occurs because one of the main effects of these drugs is to reduce appetite and delay gastric emptying. If you find yourself feeling nauseas, it may be due to eating too much in one sitting. Eat smaller portions and eat sloooowly. Stop eating when you are not hungry vs when you are full. It takes about 20 minutes for the hormone Leptin to tell your brain you are full. You can also try mint or ginger to help symptoms.
- Constipation: Drink more fluids and make sure you are exercising. I recommend starting with Magnesium citrate and Vitamin C which both function as mild laxatives when used in higher doses. My next option is digestive enzymes and Betaine HCL capsules. This is a way to increase that “digestive fire” to help assimilate and digest foods better. You can calibrate the amount of Betaine you need by following a stomach acid protocol. Other options are increasing fiber or taking a fiber formula including Sodium Butyrate to feed your microbiome. Even a shot of olive oil before bed can help.
- Gastric Reflux, Burping: Some people struggle with heart burn, including sulfur burps. Again this can be due to over-eating or eating too late at night. Certain foods are acid producing in general but you can be more sensitive when you are on these drugs. Foods such as caffeine (sorry), chocolate (really sorry!), tomatoes, salsa and spicy foods, citrus fruits, alcohol, sparkling “fizzy” drinks, fatty fried foods and some dairy are best to reduce or eliminate. Instead opt for high fiber foods and whole grains, cooked vegetables, sweet potatoes, lean proteins, fatty fish (not fried) and low fat dairy.
- No Weight Loss: This can occur if you are constipated. Even if you have 1 or 2 bowel movements, you can be constipated if you are not completely evacuating. Detoxing is an important part of this process because you are getting rid of excess fat and toxins. Toxins are stored in fat and when we release that fat storage we significantly reduce inflammation! The other reason that you may not lose weight could be that you need a higher dose of the drug. Also if you are on Semaglutide, you may want to try Tirzepatide that has a dual action and uses GIP to assist in enhancing the effects of the GLP-1 peptide. Studies have shown that Tirzepatide increased weight loss more than just the GLP-1 drugs.
- Micro-dosing: If you struggle with side effects and none of these methods work, you can try micro-dosing. This is only available through a compounding pharmacy or a functional medicine clinic. This is a great place to start if you are very sensitive to medications and want to start slow.
Detoxing is an important part of this process because you are getting rid of excess fat and toxins. Toxins are stored in fat and when we release that fat storage we significantly reduce inflammation!
These solutions help many of the common side effects with these meds. Talk to your practitioner to help you get the results you want!