Doctors Warn GLP-1 Drugs Endanger Patients With 3 Eating Disorders

5 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 23

Clinicians say some patients with anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorder are taking GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, raising alarms that the medicines can worsen already dangerous eating behaviors.
GLP-1s suppress appetite and drive weight loss, effects doctors fear can reinforce restriction, purging or obsessive focus on body size in people with active or past eating disorders.
Providers said the concern is showing up in treatment settings as patients seek the drugs for appearance-related anxiety or weight control despite their psychiatric and nutritional risks.
The warnings add a new safety concern to the rapid spread of GLP-1 obesity drugs, whose use is expanding beyond traditional diabetes and weight-management patients.

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