Dear Steve,

DID YOU KNOW that early in the pandemic, we suggested supplementing with andrographis at the first sign of COVID-19 to greatly curtail symptom severity, as well as prevent secondary infection such as pneumonia? We've since heard myriad client accounts as to andrographis' effectiveness.

Suffice it to say we were elated to see the results of a Medrxiv study published in mid-March. Researchers reported that patients who supplemented with andrographis at the first sign of infection and continued for at least three days had a 0.3% risk of developing pneumonia versus 24.3% risk in patients not taking andrographis.

That is a tremendous difference, which is why we recommend having andrographis on hand to take at the first sign of any viral infection, not just COVID-19. Moreover, because it is a root, it is well tolerated in most individuals.

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Carolyn Martinelli a.k.a. "Coach Care" will be available to answer your questions about ThorneVet pet supplements at nutroconpet@gmail.com. Please leave detailed contact information as well as the name, age, sex, breed, and/or health issue(s) and med(s) of your pet so Carolyn can respond accordingly.

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Steve: We have entered the age of Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've seen the galling before and after photos, celebrity endorsements, commercials, and incessant media coverage.

Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are from a new class of injectable medicines called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists (incretin mimetics). They retail for between $1000-$1300 per month and off-label prescription is not covered by insurance.

Glucagon is released from the pancreas to make you feel full, which is supposed to happen naturally about 20 minutes after a beginning a meal (achieving satiety). These drugs are an agonists, which mean they promote higher production of glucagon, essentially amplifying a natural "fullness" signal between the stomach and the brain, encouraging people to stop eating sooner than they might otherwise. It also slows down the digestive process, called gastric emptying.

Wegovy is approved for weight loss, while Ozempic is used to treat people with diabetes. Both drugs are given by weekly self-injections. Another treatment sold as Mounjaro to treat diabetes will likely be approved for weight loss later this year. It includes a second medication that is supposed to increase the stop-eating signal even more.

Side Effects and More

You may have heard accounts about what happens after taking your first injection. Within 24 hours, side effects like stomach sensitivity with gas pains, cramping, constipation, and intense nausea are common, warranting taking other medications like anti-nausea drugs to mitigate the symptoms.

Side effects and contraindications written on the drug labels:

• Thyroid C-cell tumors (black box warning)
• Suicidal behavior and ideation
• Hypoglycemia
• Pancreatitis
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• Acute Kidney Injury
• Hypersensitivity Reactions (i.e., anaphylaxis and angioedema)
• Acute Gallbladder Disease

The drugs contraindicate with 223 medications, and strongly with levothyroxine (Synthroid) and alcohol.

One of the inactive ingredients in the injection is propylene glycol, a carcinogen and xenoestrogen.

While not listed on prescription labels, evidence suggests a large portion of patients lose significantly more muscle than they do other weight loss methods. Metabolism also slows down.

Some are facing a superficial side effect known as "Ozempic face," the phrase referencing a gaunt, hollow or "deflated" look around the cheeks.

What They Don't Tell You

• You still need to exercise and eat a healthy diet to see the best results.
• If you want to maintain any weight reduction you achieve, you have to continue taking the medication forever.
• The drugs impact fertility so you cannot take it if you want to have children.
• The most haunting accounts have come from those who stopped taking the drugs. The rebound effect can be beyond extreme, with some accounts of those gaining double the weight back.
• This USA Today investigative piece explains how weight loss drugmakers are using similar tactics from opioid drugmakers "education" campaigns to stimulate interest. We know how that story ended for Americans.

Conclusion

There's no denying that overweight or obesity may boost risk of death by anywhere from 22% to 91%, according to new research in the journal Population Studies. But obesity is a complex, multi-factorial condition that decades of clinical experience has shown requires a multi-factorial approach to resolve. The GLP-1 based drugs only target one part of our appetite control system, ignoring the role of hormones such as leptin, ghrelin, and neurotransmitters. They also do not address inflammatory-related weight gain.

This represents another example in the long line of "quick fixes" that work only as long as you depend on the drugs.

I predict that because we've only had 1-2 years post-market tracking, the number and severity of side effects will increase exponentially in the future.

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