In this episode of Both Sides, Randall Abrahams sits down with Dr. Donald Fick, a medical doctor and health advocate, for a provocative conversation on GLP-1 drugs, obesity, mental health, and the ethics of modern medicine.
They unpack the rising use, and cultural obsession with GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and Mounjaro, discussing how these medications actually work in the body, who they are meant for, and the blurry lines between medical necessity and cosmetic demand.
Dr. Fick shares insights into how these drugs affect appetite, brain chemistry, and sugar metabolism, and explains why they are not magic bullets for weight loss. The conversation dives into deeper questions: Are we treating the symptoms and not the cause? What role does mental health, lifestyle, and food culture play in the obesity crisis?
Randall and Dr. Fick also address the social pressures doctors face, the potential dangers of unregulated access, and the broader implications for future healthcare, drawing parallels to the opioid epidemic and reflecting on lessons from the past.
From counterfeit medication to the power of dopamine, food messaging, and adolescent obesity, this episode tackles one of the most urgent public health issues of our time with nuance and clarity.