Health
New weight-loss shot shows major fat reduction, but experts urge caution
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An experimental medication was shown to help boost weight loss by up to 20%, a study found.
Eloralintide, a once-weekly injectable manufactured by Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, led to “meaningful, dose-dependent weight loss” in adults who were overweight or obese but did not have diabetes, according to a press release.
The drug was generally well-tolerated by the study participants.
An experimental medication was shown to help boost weight loss by up to 20%, a study found. (iStock)
The Phase 2 trial, which was funded by Eli Lilly, included 263 adults. After 48 weeks, they had lost between 9.5% and 20.1% of their body weight, compared to 0.4% for those taking the placebo.
Treatment with eloralintide was also linked to improvements in waist circumference, blood pressure, lipid profiles, glycemic control and markers of inflammation, all of which can increase cardiometabolic risk, according to the researchers.
WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS COULD ADD YEARS TO AMERICANS’ LIVES, RESEARCHERS PROJECT
“The weight loss we saw in the study is clinically impactful,” lead study author Liana K. Billings, M.D., director of clinical and genetics research in diabetes and cardiometabolic disease at Endeavor Health in Skokie, Illinois, said in the press release.
“With this degree of weight loss in only 48 weeks, we see people having improvement or resolution in other conditions like hypertension, hyperlipidemia, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and more weight-related conditions.”
Eloralintide, a once-weekly injectable manufactured by Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, led to “meaningful, dose-dependent weight loss” in adults who were overweight or obese but did not have diabetes. (Getty Images)
“Furthermore, in the study, we did not see a nadir or plateau of weight loss, so I would expect weight loss to continue if the study continued for a longer duration. Additionally, up to 90% of participants on eloralintide improved by at least one BMI category,” she added.
The results were published in The Lancet and presented at ObesityWeek 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia, earlier this month.
AMERICA’S FATTEST STATES REVEALED — AND HOW OZEMPIC IS CHANGING THE MAP
While popular GLP-1 drugs — including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound — work by mimicking the gut hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), eloralintide is a selective amylin receptor agonist that works by mimicking a pancreas hormone called amylin.
Similar to GLP-1s, it helps to slow digestion, reduce appetite and control blood sugar after meals. It has not yet been FDA-approved for clinical use.
While GLP-1 drugs work by mimicking the gut hormone GLP-1, eloralintide is a selective amylin receptor agonist that works by mimicking a pancreas hormone called amylin. (iStock)
The biggest side effects noted for eloralintide were mild to moderate gastrointestinal symptoms and fatigue, the researchers noted. These effects were greater at higher doses.
“Obesity is a complex condition, and no single treatment works for everyone,” said Billings.
“To truly address each patient’s needs, we need therapies with different mechanisms of action so that each person can receive the treatment that offers the best balance of effectiveness and tolerability for them.”
COULD GLP-1 WEIGHT-LOSS MEDICATIONS LIKE OZEMPIC BECOME THE ‘EVERYTHING DRUG’?
Based on the trial results, the reseachers plan to launch Phase 3 clinical studies for obesity treatment by the end of this year, the president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health confirmed to Fox News Digital. The drug is also being evaluated for use in combination with GLP-1 medications.
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity expert, shared some concerns about the new anti-obesity agents being developed.
“Bottom line: If an individual has an experienced and competent physician supervising their care — and driving the formation of healthy habits in addition to simply using the medication — they will lose weight,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Between all the agents out there, there is no way any person cannot lose weight when coupled with progressive resistance training and attention to their daily macronutrient intake, even if only a little,” the doctor, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“Yet big pharma will continue to search for novel targets to introduce a new drug that will likely prove similarly, yet not more, efficacious than the current agents. There are enough agents out there to drive weight loss to a malnutrition status.”
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Osborn also noted that the lower cardiovascular risk associated with the drug was likely due to the participants losing body fat, which reduces the risk for all age-related diseases.
“Some side effects are rare or take time to show up, so it is important to monitor new drugs like eloralintide for safety over the long term.”
“Bottom line: If an individual has an experienced and competent physician supervising their care — and driving the formation of healthy habits in addition to simply using the medication — they will lose weight,” he said.
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Sue Decotiis, M.D., a medical weight-loss doctor in New York City, also shared her thoughts on eloralintide’s potential as an alternative treatment.
“It seems that the more receptor systems that are influenced, the more weight a patient can lose,” she told Fox News Digital. “This is why tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), which hits two receptors, induced more weight loss than Ozempic and Wegovy.”
“To truly address each patient’s needs, we need therapies with different mechanisms of action so that each person can receive the treatment that offers the best balance of effectiveness and tolerability for them,” a researcher said. (iStock)
“In my practice, I witnessed significantly better results with tirzepatide when patients were switched from Ozempic.”
Hitting more receptors may be the answer for those patients who do not respond well or who “hit the wall” with simpler drugs, according to Decotiis, who also was not involved in the study.
“For long-term safety and results, peptide drugs show promise,” she said.
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Whitney Di Bona, in-house attorney and consumer safety advocate for Drugwatch, noted that while the Phase 2 results are “promising,” it is important to be cautious.
“These drugs have been used for years, but new safety concerns keep appearing,” the Florida-based expert told Fox News Digital. Some of those include a potentially serious eye condition, delayed stomach emptying, bowel obstruction and serious digestive problems, which have led to many lawsuits.
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“Some side effects are rare or take time to show up, so it is important to monitor new drugs like eloralintide for safety over the long term,” Di Bona advised. “Even with careful studies, some risks may only become clear after the drug is used by many people.”
Jill Biden says Joe’s debate performance made her wonder if he had a stroke
Former first lady Jill Biden revises her account of former President Joe Biden’s disastrous 2024 debate, now alleging she feared he was suffering a stroke. This new statement from the first lady contrasts sharply with her earlier public affirmations of his performance. Contributor Ben Domenech scrutinizes the timing and motivations behind this sudden shift.
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Former first lady Jill Biden has expressed her concerns about former President Joe Biden’s health status, noting that she feared he was having a stroke during a 2024 debate against President Donald Trump.
Biden struggled his way through the performance, with long periods of silence, confused facial expressions and stammered speech. In a recent interview with CBS, Jill Biden commented that she was “frightened.”
“I don’t know what happened,” she said. “I mean, when I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh my God, he’s having a stroke,’ and it scared me to death.”
JILL BIDEN SAYS SHE THOUGHT JOE WAS HAVING A STROKE DURING HIS DISASTROUS 2024 DEBATE PERFORMANCE
A stroke occurs when there is bleeding in the brain or when blood flow to the brain is blocked, according to Mayo Clinic.
Identifying a stroke may be difficult, as symptoms can vary.
Stroke symptoms can include balance loss, weakness, slurred speech, face drooping, confusion and severe headaches. (iStock)
The American Stroke Association (ASA) identifies the following key warning signs, using the acronym “B.E. F.A.S.T.”
- B – Balance loss
- E – Eye (vision) changes
- F – Face drooping
- A – Arm weakness
- S – Speech difficulty
- T – Time to call 911
In a situation in which someone could be having a stroke, “the only” thing to do is to call 911, Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital.
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The doctor emphasized other symptoms to watch for, including weakness on one side, slurred speech, difficulty processing information and confusion.
The ASA also warns that severe headaches can also be a sign of stroke.
At the first sign of stroke, 911 should be contacted immediately, as 1.9 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke goes untreated. (iStock)
Siegel advised against giving the person an aspirin, as it could worsen bleeding in the brain if that is the cause of stroke.
With an ischemic stroke, that type of medication could be helpful.
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The ASA says 1.9 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke goes untreated, which means earlier treatment leads to higher survival rates and lower risk of disability.
“In medicine, we use the term ‘time is brain,’” Siegel said. “This means that the faster you bring the patient to the emergency room, the faster they can receive emergency treatment if indicated to reopen the blocked artery in the brain, if there is one.”
Brain imaging should be done within the first several hours after seeking medical attention for a stroke, according to a top physician. (iStock)
Brain imaging can also be done on arrival at the ER, which should occur within the first several hours, Siegel said.
Anyone who is experiencing a stroke should not drive themselves to the hospital, according to the CDC. Instead, the person should get a ride or call 911 — as treatment begins inside the ambulance.
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About 80% of strokes are preventable, the American Heart Association states.
Prevention includes managing high blood pressure, diabetes, atrial fibrillation and other risk factors.
One in four survivors have another stroke within the next five years, per CDC data, so those at higher risk should prepare a prevention and treatment plan.
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Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
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Health
Single infusion of controversial drug changed severe depression symptoms within hours, study finds
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People experiencing severe depression with suicidal symptoms may not have to wait weeks for traditional antidepressants to take effect.
A recent review suggests that a single intravenous ketamine infusion can provide rapid relief for some patients.
Originally developed as an anesthetic, ketamine is a medicine that can reduce pain and, in some cases, help treat depression, but it can also be misused as a recreational drug, experts warn.
SINGLE DOSE OF POWERFUL PSYCHEDELIC CUTS DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS IN CLINICAL STUDY
Researchers from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine reviewed 26 clinical trials that included more than 1,100 patients. Approximately 626 received ketamine and 540 served as controls who did not take the drug.
Most of the trials included patients with major depressive disorder, but 11.5% included those with bipolar depression and 7.7% included people with both unipolar and bipolar depressive diagnoses.
A recent review suggests that a single intravenous ketamine infusion can provide rapid relief for some patients with treatment-resistant depression. (iStock)
Compared to a placebo, a single treatment significantly reduced depression in just four hours and dramatically lowered suicidal thoughts within 24 hours, the study found.
Patients reported fewer depressive symptoms after a week and reduced suicidal thoughts for up to a month after one ketamine infusion. Those who received repeated ketamine infusions showed a similar reduction of suicidal and depressive symptoms at the end of the treatment.
WHAT IS KETAMINE THERAPY? MORMON REALITY STARS TOUT CONTROVERSIAL TREATMENT
The most common adverse effects of ketamine – including headaches, numbness, dissociation (“out of body” experiences), nausea, dizziness and visual disturbances – were temporary and resolved within hours of the infusion.
Rarer, more serious side events included hospitalization, suicide attempts and suicide, but most were unrelated to ketamine, the review stated.
The analysis was published in May in JAMA Psychiatry.
Treatment-resistant depression
Major depressive disorder is a formal psychiatric diagnosis affecting approximately 280 million people globally, according to recent research.
Effective treatment involves a combination of therapy and medication, frequently antidepressants. However, for a few patients, symptoms do not respond to multiple therapies, a condition known as treatment-resistant depression, doctors say.
“When all existing treatment options fail, patients with severe depression could consider ketamine infusions.”
These patients are at a higher risk of very serious, sometimes tragic consequences, including suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and death.
“When all existing treatment options fail, patients with severe depression could consider ketamine infusions,” lead author Taeho Greg Rhee, PhD, of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This is still a safer option when compared to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).”
Compared to a placebo, a single treatment significantly reduced depression in just four hours and dramatically lowered suicidal thoughts within 24 hours, the study found. (iStock)
Traditional antidepressants stabilize mood by slowly elevating serotonin levels in the brain, but it can take weeks for the full effect to be achieved.
Ketamine, in contrast, works rapidly by blocking glutamate, a neurotransmitter that can impact emotions negatively when levels are too high in the brain, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Implications for care
The authors say their findings have two important potential clinical applications.
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First, ketamine’s rapid effects can be a life-saving treatment in the emergency room for patients presenting with suicidal ideation.
Experts caution that the medication should only be administered in closely monitored settings, such as clinics, to ensure safe treatment. (iStock)
Second, the effects of a single ketamine infusion are relatively short-lived – as almost all patients relapsed with depressive symptoms after a single infusion – so those with treatment-resistant depression will need repeated sessions.
“While intravenous ketamine is not yet FDA-approved for treating depression, it may still be used with off-label indications for those with severe depression and/or with a high risk of suicidal behaviors,” said Rhee.
Experts urge caution despite promise
Dr. Lama Bazzi, a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City, has had several patients receive ketamine infusions.
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“For a small subset of patients in a major depressive episode or struggling with suicidal thoughts, intravenous ketamine can be genuinely lifesaving,” Bazzi, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “The relief they experience is almost immediate, offering them distance from the intensity of their emotions.”
However, she cautions that the medication should only be administered in closely monitored settings, such as clinics, to ensure safe treatment.
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Ketamine is not a panacea, Rhee agreed, warning of the potential risk of abuse and addiction.
“It should only be used medically,” he advised.
Ketamine’s rapid effects can be a life-saving treatment in the emergency room for patients presenting with suicidal ideation, some experts claim. (Getty Images)
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, noted in previous comments to Fox News Digital that ketamine is increasingly being used to treat severe depression, but emphasized that it should be administered under careful medical supervision because of its potential risks.
Study limitations
Although the studies compared ketamine with a placebo, some patients may have realized they were receiving the drug. This could have influenced how they reported their symptoms and how effective they perceived the treatment to be, according to the researchers.
“It should only be used medically.”
Another limitation is the small sample size of the studies, which could make the effects seem disproportionately magnified.
Also, as this was a review of many different studies, it is challenging to apply the findings to the general population, the researchers noted.
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“While long-term outcomes have not been studied, I believe that when patients are severely depressed or suicidal, ketamine is sometimes the only choice that almost always works,” Bazzi added.
Anyone interested in exploring alternative depression treatments should first consult a doctor.
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