The Truth About GLP-1 Safety

Before you panic about whether GLP-1s are safe, here’s what Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen wants you to know: these medications have been studied for over 40 years and used clinically for the past 20.

Originally approved for type 2 diabetes, GLP-1s (like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro) help regulate insulin, reduce inflammation, and shift the way the brain responds to food. They’re not a trend, they’re FDA-approved tools backed by decades of clinical data.

“There’s this perception that they’re new,” Dr. Salas-Whalen explained on The Tamsen Show. “But they’ve been used since 2005 in practice, and we’ve had research since the 1980s.”

Not all GLP-1s are identical, but they belong to the same medication class. Some, like tirzepatide (Mounjaro), act on multiple hormones and have shown more significant weight loss. Others, like the upcoming retatrutide, are being developed as triple agonists to enhance fat loss and metabolic improvements even further.

The real risk? Not understanding how to use them. Patients need body composition tracking (via DEXA or bioimpedance scales) to ensure fat loss, not muscle wasting. “You’re not chasing a number on a scale,” Dr. Salas-Whalen emphasized. “You’re rebuilding your metabolic health.”

If you're hearing noise online about knockoffs, compounded versions, or microdosing, listen to this episode before making any decisions.

Want to learn more? Listen to this episode on The Tamsen Show.