

The New Science That’s Changing Everything We Know About Obesity | ft. Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen
Oct 16, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen, an obesity and metabolic health specialist, dives into the complexities of GLP-1 medications. She explains how these drugs go beyond weight loss, highlighting their roles in reducing cancer and Alzheimer’s risk through anti-inflammatory properties. Dr. Salas-Whalen also discusses how menopause affects fat gain and the potential of combining hormone replacement therapy with GLP-1s. Plus, she debunks myths around willpower and obesity, emphasizing the genetic factors at play.
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GLP-1s Are Rapidly Evolving Therapeutics
- GLP-1 drugs are evolving like iPhones with newer versions combining hormones for greater efficacy.
- Triple agonists (GLP-1, GIP, glucagon) show phase‑3 results with far larger weight loss than earlier drugs.
Glucagon May Boost Weight Loss — Mechanism Unknown
- Adding glucagon to GLP-1 and GIP produced much larger weight loss in trials, though the mechanism is unclear.
- Researchers observed up to ~40% body weight loss versus ~24% with dual agonists in early results.
Estrogen Loss Drives Midlife Fat Shift
- After age 40 women commonly gain 1–2 pounds per year largely due to changing estrogen.
- Estrogen protects against visceral, pro‑inflammatory fat and its decline shifts fat centrally increasing metabolic risk.