Real Health Radio 346: GLP-1’s And Eating Disorder Recovery With Melainie Rogers
Nov 5, 2025
Melanie Rogers, the founder of Balance Eating Disorder Treatment Center and a registered dietitian, dives into the complexities of GLP-1 medications and their effects on eating disorders. She explains how these drugs, originally for diabetes, can blunt appetite but pose risks like relapse or medically induced anorexia. Melanie emphasizes the importance of treating eating disorders before prescribing such medications and discusses the cultural shift towards weight loss. She offers hope for those in recovery, encouraging persistence and informed choices against dieting temptations.
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What GLP-1s Actually Are
- GLP-1s are modified gut hormones (semaglutide) that extend a two-minute half-life to about a week and improve receptor binding.
- They were developed for type 2 diabetes and later repurposed at higher doses for weight loss (e.g., Wegovy).
Weight Returns After Stopping
- The STEP trial used semaglutide at weight-loss doses for 68 weeks and then stopped the drug to observe outcomes for 52 weeks.
- After one year off drug participants largely regained weight, retaining only ~5% loss on average.
Designed For Long-Term Use
- Manufacturers frame GLP-1s as lifelong treatments because the body defends against weight loss and will regain without the drug.
- Long-term effects beyond a few years remain unknown and could include metabolic cost of weight cycling.
