[mikhailt]

Nobody understands why it all helps, they just noticed it does work for something, quickly pushed it to the market first to get patents and get all the profits from it before generics + derivatives hit their pockets. Now, everyone is studying it because there's all new funding coming in for it and finding other versions of it that they can profit off it.

Nobody knows what migraine really is, so this isn't a surprise to them that GLP-1 may help, the main question is; why? So they have another data point proving that gut health has a direct correlation to the brain.

Keep in mind that a lot of the benefits go away once patients come off GLP-1 and we have not seen any studies yet on what happens to people who come off it for long term effects. It may in fact make things even worse and for a lot of people, they may have to stay on it for the rest of their lives.

[Topfi]

> [...] quickly pushed it to the market first to get patents and get all the profits [...]

Beyond what others have commented already, especially on obesity and cardiovascular disease, I have to correct this specifically, because it is a very common and honestly understandable misunderstanding people have about these drugs.

While only having appeared in the public consciousness comparatively recently, this class of drugs has been in use for two decades at this stage [0], showcasing a very solid safety profile with well established side-effects [1].

Continued research is important, as is proper prescription and use under the care of a Medical Professional up-to-date on current day evidence based practices (as is the case with all interventions), but to have a proper discussion about these, we shouldn't spread myths such as this being "quickly pushed" out, as these have undergone the clinical trials and regulations established across multiple agencies from multiple governments [2].

Again, it is understandable why these are considered rather new or appeared suddenly, especially if one doesn't take a look into their approval, but I don't see any evidence for them being rushed out or anything of the sort.

[0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572151/

[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5397288/

[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6667915/

[crooked-v]

Right, at this point it's not "we don't understand what negative impacts it could have", it's "only just now are people realizing that it also has these other positive side-effects".

[borski]

> Keep in mind that a lot of the benefits go away once patients come off GLP-1 and we have not seen any studies yet on what happens to people who come off it for long term effects.

Not if they increase muscle mass and change their lifestyle, like every physician (and the FDA/pharma companies) recommend.

> It may in fact make things even worse and for a lot of people, they may have to stay on it for the rest of their lives.

It does not. And some people may.

You know what’s worse than taking a GLP-1 forever? Obesity or metabolic syndrome killing you before you get to “forever.”

[apple4ever]

> You know what’s worse than taking a GLP-1 forever? Obesity or metabolic syndrome killing you before you get to “forever.”

Bingo. Being obese has so many downstream effects. Anything that helps that is tremendous.

[inglor_cz]

Benefits of reading, swimming, walking, playing an instrument etc. will go away too if you stop doing that thing.

Biology rarely awards something "forever". Maybe one day we can "fix" obese metabolisms permanently by killing off some receptors etc., but in that case, I would be afraid of intractable long-term effects even more.

[throwawaysleep]

> Keep in mind that a lot of the benefits go away once patients come off GLP-1

All medicines taken for chronic conditions as this way.

[array_key_first]

Right, this mentality peeves me a little bit.

The idea that drugs shouldn't be taken forever just doesn't make any sense. There are plenty of forever diseases, naturally those should require forever drugs.

[redwall_hp]

Oh no, my psoriasis will come back if I stop taking my psoriasis biologic. Oh wait, why the fuck would I want to do that?

[mikhailt]

Just an update, because I think my last point wasn't clear.

I'm not saying forever drug is a bad thing. I'm saying people who wants to take GLP-1 as a temp drug to lose weight quickly and get off it may not realize the long term impact it may have on their body.

For an example, certain type of anti-depressants has serious side effect that if not carefully tapered off and managed with a different drug, can leave folks with cluster headaches that lasted several months if not years.

[mikhailt]

This basically summarizes up my point: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/11/28/1128511/what-we-...

[crooked-v]

> for the rest of their lives

Plenty of people take regular doses of caffeine for their entire lives and we don't moralize at them about it.

[aetherson]

Do you know what else stops working if you stop taking the therapy?

Diet and exercise.