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People are running their own experiments with GLP-1s — with stunning results

Shownote

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are being taken by millions of Americans. These medications have been approved for treating diabetes, obesity, and a small number of other chronic conditions. But even as experts are still learning how the drugs work, many people have found that they help with other disorders — from addiction to brain fog to arthritis — where anecdotal evidence is promising but the formal research hasn’t caught up. Julia Belluz [https://www.juliabelluz.com/], a contributing writer for the New York Times Opinion section and coauthor of Food Intelligence [https://books.apple.com/us/book/food-intelligence/id6739794014], joins Apple News In Conversation guest host David Greene to explain why what’s unfolding right now may be the largest uncontrolled drug experiment in modern history.

Highlights

This podcast explores the rapidly expanding use of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, moving beyond their approved uses for diabetes and obesity. It examines the phenomenon of people using these medications for a wide range of off-label conditions, creating what experts describe as a large-scale, uncontrolled experiment with unknown long-term consequences.
00:03
These drugs primarily affect the brain, not just the gut
05:53
65% of users want to stay on the drugs even if they stop working
15:00
Regulators lack systems to monitor informal data
21:00
We are learning in real time without long-term data.

Chapters

How GLP-1 Drugs Rewire the Brain, Not Just the Stomach
00:00
The Uncontrolled Experiment: Off-Label Use for Addiction, IBS, and More
05:53
Unknown Risks and the Gray Market: What Happens When Data Can't Keep Up?
15:00
A 600% Spike in Kids: Are We Experimenting on Developing Brains?
21:00

Transcript

Speaker 3: This is In Conversation from Apple News. I'm David Greene, in for Shumita Basu. Today, the GLP-1 experiment happening in real time. Millions of people in the U.S. Are taking GLP-1 medications right now, an estimated one in eight adults. You prob...