"I’m not here to shame anyone for using appetite suppressants like Ozempic or Wegovy. Your body is your business. For some people, these medications might offer benefits that outweigh the risks, especially when used with medical supervision. But there are other approaches to consider, ones that might help you improve your relationship with food and your body without the risks involved."
When I was a teenager, being thinner felt like the ultimate goal. That burning desire to shrink my body led me—and plenty of others in my circle—to use appetite suppressants like Dexatrim. Back then, it seemed like the perfect shortcut to being thinner and, in our minds, healthier. But what I didn’t realize at the time was how dangerous this path could be and the immense cost it would eventually carry. Long-term health wasn’t even on my radar.
Dexatrim "worked" in the short term. My appetite was gone, the pounds slid off, and I thought I’d found the solution. But over time, my relationship with food and my body became increasingly disordered. I got mentally attached to a thinner version of myself, but that weight was only possible when I was barely eating enough to function. Eventually, I rebounded and gained even more weight. What started out as a quick fix contributed to a disordered eating pattern that lasted for years. Looking back, I can see how suppressing my appetite didn’t just impact my weight—it impacted my mental and physical health in ways I didn’t fully appreciate until years later.
The Hidden Dangers of Appetite Suppressants
With the rise of new appetite suppressants like Semaglutide medications—Ozempic and Wegovy being the most well-known—I can’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu. Unlike older options like Dextrim, which worked as stimulants to curb appetite, Semaglutides suppress hunger by mimicking hormones that regulate appetite in the brain and slowing digestion. These medications are being hailed as revolutionary, but I wonder how many people know the potential long-term consequences of shutting down their hunger signals. Appetite suppressants are far from harmless, and it’s important we educate ourselves about the risks before jumping on board.
When you suppress your appetite, it can lead to real, and serious, health issues:
Malnutrition: If you’re eating less, your body could be missing out on essential nutrients. Over time, this can wreak havoc on everything from your energy levels to your immune system.
Metabolic suppression: Your metabolism tends to adjust to fewer calories by slowing down, which makes it harder to maintain a healthy weight over time.
Weight regain and rebound: More often than not, suppressed appetites eventually return. And when they do, many people find themselves overeating or even binging, leading to weight regain—and sometimes even more.
Disordered eating and eating disorders: These medications can complicate your relationship with food, leading to obsessive thoughts about food, guilt around eating, perceptual distortions related to your body, disordered eating, or a full-blown eating disorder.
Mental strain: When your body isn’t properly fueled, it affects your brain too. Anxiety, mood swings, depression, and body dysmorphia often creep in when nutrition is compromised.
What You Can Do
I’m not here to shame anyone for using appetite suppressants like Ozempic or Wegovy. Your body is your business. For some people, these medications might offer benefits that outweigh the risks, especially when used with medical supervision. But there are other approaches to consider, ones that might help you improve your relationship with food and your body without the risks involved.
Put It Off For A Bit
If you’re considering using appetite suppressants, consider putting it off for a bit. Can you focus on building a healthy relationship with food and your body before turning to medication? Working with a supportive team of professionals—like a therapist specializing in eating behaviors, a nutritionist, or a doctor—can guide you toward finding a sustainable eating patterns and a healthy weight for you. It’s an approach that could prioritize not just numbers on a scale, but your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. This way, even if medications later become part of your plan, you’re starting from a much stronger foundation.
The Best Thing You Can Do? Eat Well.
Even if you’re using appetite suppressants, please be sure to eat regularly. You might not feel hungry, but your body still needs fuel to function and thrive. Focus on nutrient-dense foods to keep yourself nourished and strong. Mental health nutritionist and registered dietitian, Dr. David Wiss’ framework is a helpful guide here—aim to include the following six food groups every day:
Strive for balance and variety, aiming to get at least two servings from each category daily. This way, even if you’re eating less overall, your body gets a foundation of nutrients to sustain it.
Protein
Grains
Fruits
Vegetables
Nuts, seeds, and beans
Dairy
Prioritize Nourishment Over Numbers
If you’re using an appetite suppressant, remember that weight loss isn’t the only marker of success. Health is about more than just weight—it’s about energy, strength, mental clarity, and feeling good in your body for the long haul.
There’s no shortcut to lasting health. Your body is an incredible machine that deserves—requires—the right kind of fuel, and enough of it, to keep running strong.
Take it from someone who learned this the hard way—health is so much more than the number on the scale.
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