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Diet, Exercise Can Help GLP-1 Patients Who Miss Doses

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It can sometimes be tough to fill prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound, given the overwhelming popularity of the breakthrough weight-loss meds. But people who miss a dose here and there shouldn’t worry about losing ground in their fight against excess weight, a new study says. Folks on GLP-1 drugs can expect to maintain their weight loss if they have a disruption in access, as long as they’ve also adopted healthy lifestyle habits like eating right and exercising, researchers reported at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco. “While unpredictable GLP-1 medication access is frustrating, the good news is that our research shows effective weight loss can still be achieved if paired with appropriate lifestyle changes and coaching support,” lead researcher Kaelen Medeiros, director of data and research at the private weight-loss company Calibrate in New York City, said in a news release. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs mimic the GLP-1 hormone, which helps control insulin and blood sugar levels, decreases appetite and slows digestion of food. The drugs’ effectiveness in battling obesity has made them wildly popular, resulting in occasional shortages, Medeiros said. They’re also pricey, which means some insurance companies have instituted strict coverage guidelines. “Patients taking GLP-1 treatments like semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound) often face challenges consistently accessing their medications due to supply shortages or insurance coverage obstacles,” Medeiros…  read on >  read on >

Bread Sold at Walmart, Kroger Recalled for Hazelnut Allergy

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A popular brand of bread sold at Walmart, Kroger and other stores has been recalled in 12 U.S. states due to undeclared hazelnuts. Hartford Bakery Inc. is recalling six lots of its Lewis Bake Shop Artisan Style 1/2 Loaf bread because they may contain hazelnuts, a tree nut that can trigger dangerous allergic reactions, People reported. “People with a nut allergy or severe sensitivity to hazelnuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said. So far, no major health issues have been reported, but one person “experienced digestive discomfort after consumption,” the FDA said. The bread was sold in stores across Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama and Mississippi. Bread subject to the recall can be identified by checking the front of the package. The affected lot codes are: T10 174010206 T10 174010306 T10 174010406 T10 174020206 T10 174020306 T10 174020406 The packaging also includes: Net Weight: 12OZ (340G) UPC: 24126018152 Expiration Date: July 13, 2025 “While the packaging states ‘May Contain Tree Nuts,’ it does not state that it ‘Contains Hazelnuts,’ ” the FDA said. An internal investigation confirmed a packaging error. About 883 loaves are affected. Customers who purchased the recalled bread should return it to the store for a full refund, the FDA…  read on >  read on >

Bread Sold at Walmart, Kroger Recalled for Hazelnut Allergy

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A popular brand of bread sold at Walmart, Kroger and other stores has been recalled in 12 U.S. states due to undeclared hazelnuts. Hartford Bakery Inc. is recalling six lots of its Lewis Bake Shop Artisan Style 1/2 Loaf bread because they may contain hazelnuts, a tree nut that can trigger dangerous allergic reactions, People reported. “People with a nut allergy or severe sensitivity to hazelnuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said. So far, no major health issues have been reported, but one person “experienced digestive discomfort after consumption,” the FDA said. The bread was sold in stores across Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama and Mississippi. Bread subject to the recall can be identified by checking the front of the package. Look for these lot codes: T10 174010206 T10 174010306 T10 174010406 T10 174020206 T10 174020306 T10 174020406 The packaging also includes: Net Weight: 12OZ (340G) UPC: 24126018152 Expiration Date: July 13, 2025 “While the packaging states ‘May Contain Tree Nuts,’ it does not state that it ‘Contains Hazelnuts,’ ” the FDA said. An internal investigation confirmed a packaging error. About 883 loaves are affected. Customers who purchased the recalled bread should return it to the store for a full refund, the FDA…  read on >  read on >

Diet Influences Constipation Risk, Study Says

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Worried about maintaining your regularity as you grow older? Changing your diet can reduce the risk of chronic constipation in middle-aged folks and seniors, a new study says. The Mediterranean diet and plant-based diets were found to best ward off constipation, researchers reported recently in the journal Gastroenterology. “Chronic constipation affects millions of people and can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life,” senior researcher Dr. Kyle Staller, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a news release. “Our findings suggest that as we age, certain healthy diets may provide benefits to our gut beyond the known cardiovascular benefits,” he continued. Healthy diets are known to ease constipation, but this is the first study to show certain diets might be able to prevent it in the first place, researchers said. For the study, they analyzed data on nearly 96,000 people who participated in three studies tracking the physical condition of health professionals. Participants regularly filled out diet questionnaires as part of the studies. More than 7,500 cases of constipation occurred among the participants during up to four years of follow-up, the study found. Researchers analyzed participants’ diets based on adherence to five different types of eating patterns: Mediterranean diet, low-carb diet, Western diet, plant-based diet, and a diet aimed at reducing inflammation. Plant-based diets reduced constipation risk by 20%, while Mediterranean diets…  read on >  read on >

Diet Influences Constipation Risk, Study Says

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Worried about maintaining your regularity as you grow older? Changing your diet can reduce the risk of chronic constipation in middle-aged folks and seniors, a new study says. The Mediterranean diet and plant-based diets were found to best ward off constipation, researchers reported recently in the journal Gastroenterology. “Chronic constipation affects millions of people and can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life,” senior researcher Dr. Kyle Staller, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a news release. “Our findings suggest that as we age, certain healthy diets may provide benefits to our gut beyond the known cardiovascular benefits,” he continued. Healthy diets are known to ease constipation, but this is the first study to show certain diets might be able to prevent it in the first place, researchers said. For the study, they analyzed data on nearly 96,000 people who participated in three studies tracking the physical condition of health professionals. Participants regularly filled out diet questionnaires as part of the studies. More than 7,500 cases of constipation occurred among the participants during up to four years of follow-up, the study found. Researchers analyzed participants’ diets based on adherence to five different types of eating patterns: Mediterranean diet, low-carb diet, Western diet, plant-based diet, and a diet aimed at reducing inflammation. Plant-based diets reduced constipation risk by 20%, while Mediterranean diets…  read on >  read on >

Sugar, Sweeteners Might Trigger Early Puberty In Some Kids

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Sugar and artificial sweeteners might increase the risk of early puberty in children, a new study says. Sugar, aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda) and glycyrrhizin (licorice root) are all significantly associated with a higher risk of early puberty, particularly in genetically predisposed children, researchers reported Sunday at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco. Further, the more of these sweeteners that children consumed, the greater their risk of early puberty, researchers found. “This study is one of the first to connect modern dietary habits — specifically sweetener intake — with both genetic factors and early puberty development in a large, real-world cohort,” researcher Dr. Yang-Ching Chen, a professor of family medicine at Taipei Municipal Wan Fang Hospital and Taipei Medical University in Taiwan, said in a news release. In previous research, Chen had found that certain sweeteners can directly influence hormones and gut bacteria linked to early puberty. For example, the artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) triggers the release of puberty-related hormones, and glycyrrhizin changes the balance of gut bacteria and influences genes involved in puberty, Chen’s earlier work showed. “This suggests that what children eat and drink, especially products with sweeteners, may have a surprising and powerful impact on their development,” Chen said. For the new study, researchers analyzed data on more than 1,400 teens in Taiwan, of whom 481 experienced a form of…  read on >  read on >

Sugar, Sweeteners Might Trigger Early Puberty In Some Kids

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Sugar and artificial sweeteners might increase the risk of early puberty in children, a new study says. Sugar, aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda) and glycyrrhizin (licorice root) are all significantly associated with a higher risk of early puberty, particularly in genetically predisposed children, researchers reported Sunday at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco. Further, the more of these sweeteners that children consumed, the greater their risk of early puberty, researchers found. “This study is one of the first to connect modern dietary habits — specifically sweetener intake — with both genetic factors and early puberty development in a large, real-world cohort,” researcher Dr. Yang-Ching Chen, a professor of family medicine at Taipei Municipal Wan Fang Hospital and Taipei Medical University in Taiwan, said in a news release. In previous research, Chen had found that certain sweeteners can directly influence hormones and gut bacteria linked to early puberty. For example, the artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) triggers the release of puberty-related hormones, and glycyrrhizin changes the balance of gut bacteria and influences genes involved in puberty, Chen’s earlier work showed. “This suggests that what children eat and drink, especially products with sweeteners, may have a surprising and powerful impact on their development,” Chen said. For the new study, researchers analyzed data on more than 1,400 teens in Taiwan, of whom 481 experienced a form of…  read on >  read on >

Menopause Hormone Therapy Boosts GLP-1 Drug Effectiveness, Researchers Say

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Good news for women of a certain age: Hormone replacement therapy for menopause appears to boost the effectiveness of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound, a new study says. Women using tirzepatide (Zepbound) lost more weight if they also were taking hormone therapy — 17% of body weight lost versus 14% after a median 18 months, researchers reported Saturday at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco. Further, more women taking Zepbound and hormone therapy achieved at least 20% total body weight loss, with 45% meeting this goal compared to 18% of those not on hormone therapy. “These data are the first to show the combined use of tirzepatide and menopause hormone therapy significantly increases treatment effectiveness in postmenopausal women,” presenting investigator Dr. Regina Castaneda, a research fellow in endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla, said in a news release. Casteneda noted that previous studies of semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) yielded similar findings. “Achieving these outcomes with a second obesity medication may indicate a broader efficacy trend for pairing these two classes of medications,” Castenada said. More women are using hormone therapy to manage menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, following research that found such therapy didn’t increase risk of diseases like breast cancer and heart disease as dramatically as previously thought. Menopause-related hormone changes often result in increased belly…  read on >  read on >

Menopause Hormone Therapy Boosts GLP-1 Drug Effectiveness, Researchers Say

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Good news for women of a certain age: Hormone replacement therapy for menopause appears to boost the effectiveness of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound, a new study says. Women using tirzepatide (Zepbound) lost more weight if they also were taking hormone therapy — 17% of body weight lost versus 14% after a median 18 months, researchers reported Saturday at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco. Further, more women taking Zepbound and hormone therapy achieved at least 20% total body weight loss, with 45% meeting this goal compared to 18% of those not on hormone therapy. “These data are the first to show the combined use of tirzepatide and menopause hormone therapy significantly increases treatment effectiveness in postmenopausal women,” presenting investigator Dr. Regina Castaneda, a research fellow in endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla, said in a news release. Casteneda noted that previous studies of semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) yielded similar findings. “Achieving these outcomes with a second obesity medication may indicate a broader efficacy trend for pairing these two classes of medications,” Castenada said. More women are using hormone therapy to manage menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, following research that found such therapy didn’t increase risk of diseases like breast cancer and heart disease as dramatically as previously thought. Menopause-related hormone changes often result in increased belly…  read on >  read on >