The use of weight loss drugs has gained significant traction recently, with many individuals worldwide becoming quite reliant on them.
In the United States, approximately 12 percent of adults, translating to about 15 to 20 million people, report using some form of weight loss medication.
The surge in popularity is largely due to the fact that these drugs often allow individuals to continue their usual lifestyle while still losing weight effectively.
These medications often function by mimicking the natural hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is released in the gut post-meal.
This process helps manage blood sugar levels, prolongs the sensation of being full, and subsequently supports weight loss.
The FDA has granted approval for six medications aimed at weight management, including semaglutide (Wegovy) and Liraglutide (Saxenda). However, there are instances where individuals misuse other medications that produce similar effects to the approved ones.
Additionally, there is an unsettling trend involving the use of ‘illegal’ weight loss drugs that have yet to be introduced to the market.
One such drug is retatrutide, developed by Eli Lilly, which is still undergoing clinical trials.
Nevertheless, Wired reports that some individuals have managed to obtain the drug and have praised its effects despite the potential for unknown side effects.
Niki Biro, a spokesperson for Eli Lilly, advises against the use of these drugs in such a manner.
In a statement to Futurism, they noted: “Retatrutide is an investigational molecule that is legally available only to participants in Lilly’s clinical trials. Anyone purporting to sell retatrutide for human use is breaking the law, and no one should consider taking anything claiming to be retatrutide outside of a Lilly-sponsored clinical trial.”
Dr. Helen Wall has previously highlighted the dangers of consuming medication obtained from ‘grey markets’. Despite warnings on packaging that often states ‘for research purposes’ or ‘not for human consumption’, people continue to use them.
Dr. Wall explained to Metro: “The issue is, we don’t really know what the risks are and we don’t know the dosing either. It’s certainly not just a stronger version of Ozempic and Mounjaro. It’s working on a different pathway, so that needs exploration in terms of, what the safety is, what the risks are and what the side effects are.
“It’s been developed by Eli Lilly, who are a reputable, well-known pharmaceutical company, so ultimately, it may well end up on the market, but at the moment it’s still in clinical trials.”
A spokesperson for Eli Lilly further elaborated: “Retatrutide is an investigational molecule that Lilly is studying for the treatment of obesity – it is in phase 3 clinical trials and is not available to patients outside of these trials. Retatrutide has not been reviewed or approved by any regulatory agency anywhere in the world, and therefore at this time no one can sell retatrutide for human use.
“Any product falsely representing itself as a Lilly investigational product not yet approved by regulators may expose patients to potentially serious health risks.”