Lesser-Known Side Effects of GLP-1s - Support Your Corporate Wellness Participants with These Food Choices
Hello, I hope your September is going well!
My last Wellness in Action newsletter focused on how your company or organization’s health and wellness program can support those taking GLP-1 medications to ensure proper bone, muscle, nutrition and energy needs. GLP-1 drugs, a class of medications used for blood sugar regulation and weight management, can affect these areas of one’s health; it is important to educate and support participants while on GLP-1s.
Despite the known side effects, weight loss drugs continue to increase in popularity—these GLP-1 medications, known by their brand names Ozempic or Wegovy, are catching consumer attention for their positive outcomes for those seeking weight loss support.
More GLP-1 Side Effects: Gut Dysregulation
But the side effects of GLP-1s don’t stop there. A lesser-known side effect of taking GLP-1 medications is gut health dysregulation, namely, constipation. The medications slow the digestive tract, thus increasing satiety and helping one to reduce food intake. When left untreated, constipation can be a painful problem that may take additional medication or a doctor visit to resolve.
While taking GLP-1s, people with a diminished appetite have an even harder time eating fiber-rich foods and drinking plenty of water to help prevent this side effect.
Fiber, a prebiotic, nourishes and promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. Consuming foods that contain prebiotics and probiotics naturally support gut health, including whole plant-based foods, on a regular basis. As you’ll learn in the 12-Fix Program, it doesn’t take long to strengthen the microbiota balance with whole foods that nourish the helpful gut microbes. A systematic review of 21 dietary fiber studies involving 538 subjects confirmed that short-term increases in fiber consistently lead to gut bacterial community responses. The researchers found the changes were consistent across studies, despite high variation among individuals. The study concluded that short-term increases in dietary fiber consistently result in changes to the gut bacterial community, with effects that were reproducible across different studies (Rodriguez CI, Isobe K, Martiny JBH. Short-term dietary fiber interventions produce consistent gut microbiome responses across studies. mSystems. 2024 Jun 18;9(6):e0013324. doi: 10.1128/msystems.00133-24. Epub 2024 May 14. PMID: 38742890; PMCID: PMC11237734.)
Be Carb Smart
There are so many choices when it comes to carbs - but eating carbs that provide a wide range of fibers especially help those taking GLP-1s . Various whole food carbohydrates help improve the balance and diversity of the gut and provide the fiber needed to help move food through the digestive tract. Fiber-rich whole grains - found in foods like oats, brown or black rice, sorghum, farro, quinoa, barley, popcorn and whole wheat are effective in slowing down the absorption of sugar and keeping insulin from spiking. Those who eat more fiber gain less weight over time (Spieth LE et al., A low-glycemic index diet in the treatment of pediatric obesity. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154(9):947-951), improve their gut health and keep their digestive tracts moving!
The 12-Fix Program: Taking Employees’ GLP-1 Medications Into Account
The 12-Fix Program meets employees where they are at - including those who are taking GLP-1 drugs. The 12-Fix Program takes a non-diet approach to wellness in a Challenge format that is based on a whole-food, fiber-rich lifestyle. Help them manage weight while protecting their gut health: the 12-Fix Program dietitians show them how. Participants start by adopting just one new Fix; additional Fixes are introduced one at a time throughout a 12-week time period.
A registered dietitian nutritionist leads groups in implementing each of the 12 Fixes, in turn, using the 12 Fixes to Healthy book and 12 Fixes app. Together, the participants focus on just one Fix and continue to add each of the 12 Fixes one at a time as the challenge progresses over 12 weeks, allowing participants time to concentrate and adopt sustainable changes.
Why This Challenge Over Other Corporate Wellness Programs?
Makes space for employees taking GLP-1s - provides nutrition and food education in support of employee weight loss goals
User-friendly app that tracks participants’ progress and displays Challenge Program points
Practical, easy-to-adopt education and daily interaction and encouragement from the dietitian lead
98% of Challenge program participants continue following new behaviors
Contact me to learn more about the 12-Fix Program and how it supports your employees taking GLP-1s. Email me or schedule a few minutes to connect. If you’re a dietitian interested in offering the 12-Fix Program, let’s talk!
