Retatritide – A Miracle Drug?
An article I recently came across in Reason left me genuinely speechless, so I’m sharing it here. One thing that surprised me was learning that obesity rates are actually declining while diabetes continues to rise — a counterintuitive trend I hadn’t been aware of. On a personal note, I was just diagnosed as diabetic myself, though I’m skeptical of the result and will be retested in 91 days.
The article focuses on Retatritide, a new weight loss drug that is apparently delivering results comparable to bariatric surgery — a remarkable claim by any measure. It also touches on other GLP-1 drugs in the same class, like Ozempic (semaglutides), which are increasingly being described in near-miraculous terms. The article states:
“Besides helping people to control their diabetes and to lose substantial amounts of fat, these compounds appear to offer many additional health benefits. These include improved outcomes in people with cardiovascular, kidney, liver, arthritis, sleep apnea, and substance abuse disorders, along with reducing inflammation generally. More recent data suggest that these compounds also significantly reduce the risk of cancer overall and lower the risk of cancer spread. Recent research somewhat allays concerns that taking the compounds not only reduces fat but also muscle mass.”
It’s an extraordinary list of benefits. Which brings to mind the old adage — if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
The article can be found at
haroldblackphd.com 
I read the link. Not surprised to see the politics, the change of support in RFK Jr when Trump is OK with the drug. Of course I’m OK if Trump wants to take the drug; will he?….
After heart surgery, the rehab introduced me to new recipes- quietly introducing a no-meat diet— AND no chocolate. And no dessert after meals. And little alcohol. If you got heart problems. Health Care believes every aspect of life & health needs altering..
Here’s my nod to Mr. RFK/lifestyle changes : I knew I’d be taking the class with Yankees, because- I knew- hillbillies would not submit even to the exercise. Two were Southern; rest were fm West Coast / East Coast, Michigan, MN – and India.
Southerners worship bacon, and it was Christian Free Will , to demand liquor stores be open on Sunday.
My wife just got back fm a GA wedding shower, was shocked at the alcohol consumption of these proper ladies, with flowery dresses..
Diabetes has cost my family its vision, its extremities. Obesity taking self-respect. Type two has certainly has
overtaken my life. But Life is such that Ive reconsidered what is healthy, and given up on anything that makes me appear thin, which is to appear healthy.
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Were you healthier with the new diet? I feel that my low carb low sugar few processed foods plus exercise daily regimen for the past 60 years just means that I will die healthy.
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As Hal Hill’s mother said, “ mess around with life long enough and it will catch up with you..”
To me that just means what you said- I’m healthy but not feeling it. Could just live on apple pie topped with ice cream- and die happy, but I know now— quicker..
Life is a 7- layer chocolate cake, where I go into a coma or lose a leg. Can anyone guarantee the coma?..
Think of your lab tests as social occasions. Gathering information and planning is secondary, to having a good time with the techs.
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Good morning, Dr. Black. My online research found no record of an independent study of Eli Lilly’s retatrutide conducted by an entity aside from Eli Lilly. The skeptic in me questions the findings of a pharmaceutical company about the benefits of the drug they hope to market. As an aside, recently, I watched a history program, which explained how cigarette manufacturing companies, back in the 1940s and 1950s, touted the benefits of smoking to medical doctors, who, in turn, suggested smoking to patients. The best way to lose weight is to never gain it. If you put on weight, start eating right and exercising! On a personal note, I pray that your test result for diabetes was a false positive.
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An excellent point. Let’s hope that there is corroborated evidence. But as I said “it sounds too good to be true.” And thanks too for the hope for a false positive.
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So far, I have known quite a few people that have taken these drugs. They had success initially, and then they fell off the wagon because they didn’t feel good when they took them and that’s just because what a lot of people do. They go on a diet. Have some success gain the weight back after a while.There are alsotoo many side effects that are not so uncommon. So not for me, I’d rather do it the hard way.
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I feel the same but it’s interesting that the obesity rates are going down.
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