Real Health Radio 346: GLP-1’s And Eating Disorder Recovery With Melainie Rogers
Nov 5, 2025
Melanie Rogers, the founder of Balance Eating Disorder Treatment Center and a registered dietitian, dives into the complexities of GLP-1 medications and their effects on eating disorders. She explains how these drugs, originally for diabetes, can blunt appetite but pose risks like relapse or medically induced anorexia. Melanie emphasizes the importance of treating eating disorders before prescribing such medications and discusses the cultural shift towards weight loss. She offers hope for those in recovery, encouraging persistence and informed choices against dieting temptations.
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Designed For Long-Term Use
- Manufacturers frame GLP-1s as lifelong treatments because the body defends against weight loss and will regain without the drug.
- Long-term effects beyond a few years remain unknown and could include metabolic cost of weight cycling.
How GLP-1s Suppress Appetite
- GLP-1s slow gastric emptying and amplify satiety signals, which can produce nausea and artificial fullness.
- That mechanism creates reduced intake but can induce medically driven under-eating and GI side effects.
Assess Eating Disorder Risk First
- Screen and assess eating disorder history before prescribing GLP-1s and involve the treatment team if past ED exists.
- Provide informed consent that includes relapse risk and plan for monitoring while on the drug.
