The Medical Advisor

Semaglutide, known by the brand names Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus and others, is the latest weight-loss craze to hit Hollywood and beyond. The prescription drug, which is administered via a weekly injection, is intended to treat Type 2 diabetes, but it’s widely used off-label for weight loss. They all belong to the same medication class — glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists ( GLP-1 receptor agonists ).  GLP-1 agonists work by triggering insulin release, blocking sugar production in your liver, and making you feel full. But with all of these brands out there, how do you decide which is right for you? Let’s get to know some of the differences between these major GLP-1 agonist drugs. A 2021 study funded by Novo Nordisk, the drug’s maker, found using semaglutide once a week led to a 14.9% reduction in body weight among adults with obesity. 1  There’s been such a rush on the drugs that the U.S. Food and Drug Administratio...

In April 2021, The Lancet reported  evidence of UK’s first effective drug to treat COVID-19 in patients at home, inhaled budesonide, showing the treatment can reduce recovery time by a median of three days. The treatment has since been included in clinical guidelines for treating early-stage COVID-19 across the UK, Canada and India. Dr. Richard Bartlett shared with   ACWT   (America Can We Talk) about how asthma medicine Budesonide emptied a hospital ICU after being used to treat coronavirus.  Inhaled budesonide is a safe, generic, inexpensive prescription medication that is being successfully used by millions of people who suffer from asthma every day. It can be prescribed by any doctor or nurse practitioner for respiratory symptoms or lung inflammation (FDA-approved). Budesonide is also available in some over-the-counter nasal sprays such as Rhinocort.   Richard Bartlett made waves in a July 2, 2020 interview (the video has been removed for violating YouTube's...

In these past few years, stem cells and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) have been hot topics among researchers and doctors. However, these forms of treatments are often mixed up and are confusing for most average consumers.  As of January 2024, there are  more than 300,000 studies  related to "stem cell" and  more than 14,000 studies  related to PRP on PubMed (US NIH Library of Medicine Database).  Nevertheless, stem cell and PRP-related therapies are not yet established as standard treatments, given their relatively recent emergence. Regenerative medicine is also becoming a buzzword in the medical community. Why? Because the human body is specially equipped to heal itself, and regenerative therapies tap into this powerful ability. Regenerative medicine includes treatments like stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. Research around these therapies is expanding every day and it's not easy to keep updated. We will cover the essentials, diff...

According to the most recent statistics, loneliness is at "epidemic" levels in the U.S. In a 2018 Cigna insurance health survey 1 , 2 , 3   of 20,000 individuals aged 18 and over: 46% report sometimes or always feeling lonely 47% say they feel left out 47% say they do not have meaningful in-person social interactions or extended conversations on daily basis 43% sometimes or always feel the relationships they have aren't meaningful 43% report feeling isolated The loneliest are young adults between the ages of 18 and 22. This age group also rated their health the lowest, which correlates with science linking loneliness with a greater risk for obesity, 4  heart disease, 5  anxiety, 6  dementia 7  and reduced life span. 8  In fact, maintaining strong and healthy social connections has been linked to a 50% reduced risk of early death. 9 , 10  Similarly, emotional loneliness is linked with...