The Truth About Weight Loss Drugs

Discontinuation of Semaglutide Among Older Adults With Diabetes in the US & Japan
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2839152

so-called GLP-1-based therapies mimic hormones released by the small intestine when we eat, which help regulate blood sugar levels. They also trigger the production of insulin, a hormone that allows glucose to enter the body’s cells for energy. In addition, they slow digestion and enhance the feeling of fullness after eating.

a 2022 JAMA study,
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2787907
participants taking semaglutide lost 15.8% of their weight. Depending on the drug, it may also lower cardiovascular risk or the likelihood of kidney complications in those with type 2 diabetes, ease heart failure symptoms, reduce liver fat, improve metabolic dysfunction, and lessen the severity of sleep apnea.

people are likely to see a reversal of weight loss if they discontinue the drug. For instance, a study found that someone taking semaglutide who shed about 17 percent of their body weight could expect to regain about two-thirds of it after stopping the med

Side Effects and Safety
Some of these meds have been used to treat diabetes for over two decades and are generally considered safe. But more research is needed in populations such as older adults. Here are some of the potential side effects and possible risks.

• Gastrointestinal problems: Common side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur more frequently in older adults, according to John Batsis, MD, a geriatric obesity specialist at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Global Public Health in Chapel Hill. Eating frequent small meals may minimize the side effects.

• Muscle loss: Semaglutide has been associated with the loss of lean body mass (muscle and bone), accounting for up to 40 percent of total weight loss. With these drugs, muscle mass may decline to the point where older adults are at risk for complications, such as falls.

• Nutrient deficiencies: Because the drugs suppress appetite and reduce caloric intake, some people may not get sufficient amounts of essential vitamins and minerals.

• Fracture: A 2026 study of adults with type 2 diabetes found that patients who started a GLP-1 faced an 11 percent higher risk of fractures than those taking other diabetes medications.

• Eye complications: The meds may carry a rare risk of eye-related side effects, such as a loss of blood flow to the optic nerve, which can cause permanent loss of vision.

If your doctor thinks that you could benefit from taking a GLP-1, follow these rules to prevent loss of muscle mass: Consume at least 30 grams of protein per meal, and do 15 to 20 minutes of resistance activities two or more times a week in addition to aerobic exercise such as brisk walking. Also, have your doctor monitor your nutrition status.

Despite Updated Safety Rules, Baby Loungers Are Still Putting Babies at Risk

loungers should never be used for sleep. “Babies should sleep alone on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet, or play yard that meets current safety standards,” says Lisa Trofe, executive director of the Baby Safety Alliance. “If a baby falls asleep anywhere else, they should be moved immediately to a safe sleep space.”

In May 2025, a federal safety rule took effect requiring infant loungers and support cushions to be redesigned to reduce dangerous sleep-related risks. The rule followed years of infant deaths related to baby loungers, as well as product recalls and mounting concerns that these products dangerously blurred the line between a place for babies to “hang out” and a place where they might fall asleep.

Why Baby Loungers Are So Risky for Sleep
Infant loungers can contain soft padding, raised sides, cushioned surfaces, and positioning features that can increase the risk of suffocation or airway obstruction if a baby falls asleep. Casares says several dangerous things can happen at once when a baby falls asleep in a lounger. A baby can roll into a face-down position and lack the strength to keep their airway clear; soft materials can trap exhaled carbon dioxide, leading to rebreathing; and the curved shape can cause a baby’s chin to tilt toward their chest, partially blocking the airway.

While loungers aren’t supposed to be sold as sleep products and may be marketed as places for supervised awake time, babies can easily fall asleep in them. “From the baby’s perspective, any place is a place they can sleep,” says Benjamin Hoffman, MD, a pediatrician and nationally recognized child safety expert.

FDA Approves Bemotrizinol, First New Sunscreen Ingredient in Decades

What Is Bemotrizinol and How Effective Is It?
Bemotrizinol is a chemical sunscreen active ingredient that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays cause sunburn. UVA rays primarily cause skin aging, and both types contribute to skin cancer risk.

More on sun safety
CR's Guide to Staying Safe in the Sun
CR's Sunscreen Ratings & Buying Guide
Best Sunscreens for People With Dark Skin
Best Sunscreens, Lab-Tested and Reviewed
Does Sunscreen Expire?
It’s a significant addition to the U.S. sun safety profile because few other active ingredients regularly used in sunscreens in this country provide as broad protection against UVA radiation. And those that do, while effective, have downsides. For example, avobenzone, a chemical active ingredient, is photounstable, meaning that it breaks down in sunlight, which limits how long its protection lasts. Another, zinc oxide, is a mineral active ingredient that works well against UVA radiation and is stable in the sun, but it gives a white cast to the skin when applied.

Bemotrizinol, however, has neither problem. This gives it a versatility that’s unique among U.S. sunscreen ingredients.

“Another advantage is that it can help stabilize other sunscreen ingredients, improving the overall performance of the formula,” Gohara says. “It may also contribute to the cosmetic elegance of sunscreen formulations, helping manufacturers create products that people enjoy wearing.”

Is Bemotrizinol Safe?
As part of its decision to add bemotrizinol as a sunscreen ingredient, the FDA reviewed a range of studies examining bemotrizinol’s safety—just as it does for any new drug intended to be sold over the counter. The agency determined that there was adequate evidence to support bemotrizinol as safe for use in sunscreens for both adults and children at least 6 months old.

One important feature of bemotrizinol is that, because of its large molecule size, it is absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin at lower rates than other chemical sunscreen active ingredients.

In 2019 and 2020, the FDA released research showing that six common chemical sunscreen ingredients—avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate, and octinoxate—entered the bloodstream at higher levels than previously believed. The actual health implications of that weren’t, and still aren’t, clear. (And the FDA and health experts do not recommend avoiding sunscreens that contain them.) But the finding highlighted the need for stronger evidence regarding the safety of existing sunscreen ingredients, which the FDA has called for.

It also doesn’t appear to raise the risk of skin irritation or phototoxicity (when an ingredient causes skin to become unusually sensitive to sunlight).

Gohara says that its long history of successful use in Europe and Asia should give consumers added confidence in its safety.