The food noise came back three weeks after I reduced my dose, well before the weight moved, which tells me something about which effect tracks what.
What I actually want to know is whether the quiet is the same mechanism as the appetite suppression or a separate one, because they seem to come and go on different schedules.
Numbers rather than impressions, if you have them.
alex_tucson said:The food noise came back three weeks after I reduced my dose, well before the weight moved, which tells me something about which effect tracks what.
Phantom hunger vs real hunger on food noise: learning to distinguish between the two has been a revelation. Real hunger: gradual onset, physical stomach sensation, any food sounds good. Phantom hunger: sudden, emotionally triggered, specific food cravings, occurs right after eating.
The GLP-1 agonist suppresses real hunger beautifully. Phantom hunger still pops up but I can now recognize it for what it is — an emotional signal, not a physical need. Mindfulness training helped enormously with this distinction.
Dr.ReproEndo said:Phantom hunger vs real hunger on food noise: learning to distinguish between the two has been a revelation.
Alcohol relationship change with food noise: I used to drink 2 glasses of wine most nights. Since starting GLP-1 therapy, I have zero interest in alcohol. Haven't had a drink in 10 months.
The "food noise" reduction seems to extend to other reward-seeking behaviors, including alcohol. My liver enzymes have improved, my sleep is better, and I've saved roughly $176/month on alcohol. Triple win.
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Shop Reference Standardsalex_tucson said:The food noise came back three weeks after I reduced my dose, well before the weight moved, which tells me something about which effect tracks what.
Same experience, arrived at from the opposite direction.
From the other side of the consultation, briefly.
The GLP-1 and alcohol use disorder connection, relevant to food noise: observational data from Scandinavian registries shows reduced alcohol-related hospitalizations in GLP-1 agonist users[1].
The mechanism is plausible: GLP-1R is expressed in the mesolimbic reward pathway (VTA, nucleus accumbens). Agonism at these receptors may reduce the reinforcing properties of alcohol, similar to the reduction in "food noise."
RCTs for GLP-1 agonists in AUD are now underway. If positive, this would be a paradigm-shifting repurposing of existing medications.
[1] Wang W, et al. Nat Med. 2024;30:574-584.