The Lure of the Magic Pill
Johann Hari explores the drugs being sold as miracles
The injectable weight loss drugs are everywhere.
The ridiculously catchy jingles with happy people. Advertising on what feels like every single webpage. Promotions in doctor’s offices. I’m not on social media, but I can only imagine how bad it is there. At first glance one might think all their problems with weight could be easily solved.
I admit, I was tempted. But there’s always a catch.
Balanced Approach to the Issue
Because I’d enjoyed the balanced writing in his previous books, I decided to read what Mr. Hari had to say. I was not disappointed.
Mr. Hari doesn’t just talk about weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. He explores the food and health environment we find ourselves in that set the stage for these issues. The big question centers around why in the world has obesity tripled throughout the globe since 1975 according to the World Health Organization? (p. 20)
In the quest for ever-growing profits, the food industry has convinced us that processed, chemical-laden foods are good for us. Mr. Hari shares interviews and insights from multiple experts in various fields and then lays out how the food industry has been poisoning people with cheap, addictive, and damaging food that does nothing for nourishment. Instead, the food industry has contributed to alarming adverse health consequences. As a population, we eat more, get fat, and get sick.
Enter Big Pharma. If the food industry harmed us, Big Pharma will fix us. At least that’s the sales pitch. People with Type 2 diabetes have been using drugs like Ozempic for some time with good results, but does that mean it should be used as the magic weight loss pill? There are documented good short term results, and those are presented in the book, but how many people will explore both sides of the issue? What are the harms? How do these drugs compare with traditional diet and exercise?
There are ten significant downsides mentioned in the book. I won’t list them all here, because if you’re considering one of these drugs, I highly, highly, highly recommend getting your hands on this book or its audio version. Or listen to Mr. Hari talk about it on the multitude of podcasts he’s been on. These drugs increase the risk of thyroid cancer, pancreatitis, malnutrition, loss of muscle mass, and psychological changes, but perhaps the most disturbing is the permanent reliance on something extraordinarily expensive that may be hard to get. The knockoff drugs that are cheaper can seriously harm you, and when you stop taking the drug, the weight is likely going to come back.
Accessible and Personable
I don’t want to give the impression that the author is trying to steer people away from these drugs. He’s not. In fact, one of the endearing and captivating aspects of the book was the inside look at Mr. Hari’s own struggle with weight and why he chose to use Ozempic. Perhaps that is why I read it in a day. It is an honest, raw look at a complicated issue, one that cannot be decided by absorbing sound bites and ad clips.
Mr. Hari presents the dilemma of the magic pill in context with biological, psychological, sociological, and environmental influences that contribute to the current state of health many of us find ourselves in. This includes the financial consequences in a healthcare industry that rewards providers for treating sick people and all of the other factors stacked against busy, stressed out people. He advised that those with BMI under 35 may not be the best candidates for these drugs, but also encouraged readers to make informed decisions.
What the author wants readers to know is they need to be prepared for the costs and consequences.
The struggle is real.
There are significant health risks for people with obesity. There are reasons people with obesity would rather have others accept them for who they are. There are ways to reduce obesity to mitigate other health issues. But the easy solutions are not always the best solutions.
Maybe with his research and the voices of others calling for a healthy America will help motivate the food industry to change. But as Mr. Hari explains, those of us facing health issues due to weight don’t have time to wait for that.
This book will provide you with easy to understand, personable advice from someone who has been there. Mr. Hari talked to all the experts we don’t have access to and looked at the issues from multiple angles. The book is well-researched and thoroughly sourced, with links to further information. If you are considering one of these weight-loss drugs for yourself or a loved one, please, take the time to read what Mr. Hari has to say.