So-called incretin mimetics have been used successfully for years to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. Their “side effect” – the weight loss of the treated – is moving more and more into the focus of the experts. The German Society for Endocrinology has now established that they are as effective at losing weight as a “bariatric” operation, in which the stomach and / or the intestines are surgically reduced.
The active ingredients, which are also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, are synthetically reproduced intestinal hormones. With diet and increased physical activity at the same time, weight reductions of up to 25 percent of body weight can be achieved. “This is shown by international studies on overweight patients with and without type 2 diabetes,” said the German specialist society. For western industrial societies with a prevalence of obesity in up to two thirds of adult men and around half of women, such treatment approaches may become even more important in the future.
After all, surgical interventions are always associated with an operational risk. Drug therapy can be terminated at short notice in the event of side effects. In Austria, according to Statistics Austria, every fourth person in the 60 to 74 age group is affected by obesity. According to the WHO definition, 18 percent of men and 15 percent of women are obese (BMI greater than 30).
Highly effective and well tolerated
“Incretine mimetics are highly effective and very well tolerated drugs to support weight loss in people who suffer from overweight and obesity,” summarized Jochen Seufert, endocrinologist and diabetologist from the Freiburg University Medical Center. “The weight loss and metabolic normalization that can be achieved here come within the range of the effectiveness of bariatric surgery.” He sees the disadvantage that the weight loss sets in on a plateau after about six to twelve months – as well as the constant need for therapy.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
