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GLP-1 drugs are meant to treat metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity. But as they become more available, some people might choose to use them even if they're not currently overweight. NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports.
YUKI NOGUCHI, BYLINE: At just over 5-foot-5, Christie Woodard weighs a lean 125 pounds. She's also open about relying on a low-dose GLP-1 to keep her weight there.
CHRISTIE WOODARD: And sometimes, like, you know, I get, like, the, why? Because they look at me and think I'm healthy weight. Or maybe they even think I'm thin.
NOGUCHI: What people no longer see is Woodard's struggles with obesity, which began in her 30s and landed her at 260 pounds. The weight made running painful.
WOODARD: I was not fast. I had massive issues. I was in physical therapy constantly. I tore my meniscus.
NOGUCHI: Woodard, who is now 53 and lives in Easton, Maryland, got gastric bypass surgery four years ago, halving her body size. Elated, she set a goal of completing half marathons in all 50 states. Her weight remained stable until last year, when pounds began creeping back.
WOODARD: I feel it in my knees, but mainly I feel it in my soul. Like, I feel it in my confidence. It's messing with my head in a big way. Like, I was terrified that I was going to go back to what I was.
NOGUCHI: Her bariatric surgeon, Betsy Dovec, prescribed the drug Zepbound, though Woodard's body mass didn't technically classify her as overweight. Dovec says Woodard isn't alone.
BETSY DOVEC: I prescribe medications for all types of people.
NOGUCHI: Dovec says she would not, however, prescribe GLP-1s to someone trying to simply shed a few pounds. GLP-1 drugs are now cheaper, available in pill form and can treat various conditions, like sleep apnea. There are also plenty of online sellers offering GLP-1s and compounded versions of them, opening a potential avenue to people for whom they are not medically indicated. And that's controversial. Dovec says to call this cosmetic use misunderstands the various circumstances patients face. Obesity is a chronic disease, she says, and some patients, like Woodard, need multiple treatments to keep it in check - surgery, diet, exercise and GLP-1s.
DOVEC: I've never had someone that's abused it to the point of, like, uh-oh, your BMI is now under what is considered normal. Never. I've never seen that in my career.
NOGUCHI: But Dr. Jennifer Manne-Goehler, an obesity specialist with Mass General Brigham, does see risk. She notes people using GLP-1s tend to lose muscle, then regain fat when they stop the drug. Periodic use, therefore, creates potential for yo-yo dieting effects known to be harmful.
JENNIFER MANNE-GOEHLER: I think the problem with giving this medication to people who really don't have an indication for it is they assume all the risks of it, plus the risk of weight regain, which may be adverse for their health.
NOGUCHI: Christie Woodard is no stranger to the controversies. Initially, she felt ashamed to admit she needed GLP-1s.
WOODARD: I didn't tell anybody at first. I felt like I'd failed.
NOGUCHI: With time, she saw that as stigma. As head of human resources for a large company, she successfully advocated to include GLP-1s in their health insurance plan. She cited her own need for far fewer doctors' appointments and medications to manage ailments associated with obesity. Plus, she says, feeling in control makes her much happier and more effective.
WOODARD: Clothes become like an armor. And I wear what I want, and the confidence is there. And that shows up in everything I do, whether I am negotiating rates with our health insurance company or whether I am talking to an employee about a delicate situation or negotiating something with my boss.
NOGUCHI: Woodard's also now run 34 half-marathons in as many states and has confidence she can complete the rest.
Yuki Noguchi, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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