07/28/25 - #443

Good morning. In today’s edition:

  • A New Study of People Living With Eating Disorders Has Found That Cannabis and Psychedelics, Such as ‘magic Mushrooms’ or LSD, Were Best Rated as Alleviating Symptoms by Respondents Who Self-medicated With the Non-prescribed Drugs. The Worst-rated Drugs Were Alcohol, Tobacco, Nicotine and Cocaine

  • On Stopping Weight Loss Drugs, Many Patients Find They Regain Weight. All the Drugs, Including Ozempic and Wegovy, Were Linked With Significant Weight Loss While in Use, but Weight Regain Started 8 Weeks After Discontinuation and Continued for an Average of 20 Weeks Before Plateauing

  • Vaping More Effective Than Gum and Lozenges for Helping Socially Disadvantaged People Quit Smoking, but 58% of Quitters Continue to Vape Six Months Later; Long-term Safety of Vaping Remains Unclear

  • What Are the Most Common Symptoms When People Get Off Antidepressants?

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

A New Study of People Living With Eating Disorders Has Found That Cannabis and Psychedelics, Such as ‘magic Mushrooms’ or LSD, Were Best Rated as Alleviating Symptoms by Respondents Who Self-medicated With the Non-prescribed Drugs. The Worst-rated Drugs Were Alcohol, Tobacco, Nicotine and Cocaine

A new study found that cannabis and psychedelics, like magic mushrooms and LSD, may help people with eating disorders feel better. The study looked at over 7,600 people from 83 countries who shared how different drugs affected their symptoms.

People rated cannabis and psychedelics as the most helpful. Many said these drugs eased their symptoms and improved their mental health. Even using them just once or twice a year gave long-lasting effects.

Drugs like alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, and cocaine were rated the worst. These made symptoms worse and caused more mental health problems.

Prescription drugs, like antidepressants, did not help much with eating disorder symptoms. But many people said they helped with general mental health.

Cannabis helped most for people with restrictive eating disorders like anorexia. This may be because it increases appetite and makes food more enjoyable. Prescription stimulants, which lower appetite, helped those with binge eating but made symptoms worse for those with restrictive eating.

The study was led by researchers at the University of Sydney’s Lambert Initiative. Because of the results, they plan to run a clinical trial using psilocybin, the ingredient in magic mushrooms, to treat anorexia.

Experts say more research is needed. Many people are already using these substances without medical advice. Studying them in safe, controlled ways may lead to better treatment options in the future.

This study gives hope to people struggling with eating disorders who need more effective help.

WEIGHT LOSS

On Stopping Weight Loss Drugs, Many Patients Find They Regain Weight. All the Drugs, Including Ozempic and Wegovy, Were Linked With Significant Weight Loss While in Use, but Weight Regain Started 8 Weeks After Discontinuation and Continued for an Average of 20 Weeks Before Plateauing

A new study shows that people often gain back weight after they stop taking weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. The study looked at 11 earlier trials with over 2,400 people. While using the drugs, most people lost weight. But about eight weeks after stopping, they started to regain it. The weight gain lasted for around 20 weeks before it stopped.

The study looked at different drugs, including orlistat, phentermine-topiramate, and several GLP-1 drugs. Some people regained only a little weight. Others gained back almost half of what they lost. How much weight came back depended on the type of drug, whether the person had diabetes, and if they made healthy lifestyle changes like eating better or exercising.

This isn’t just a problem with pills. People who lose weight from surgery, like gastric bypass, can also gain weight again. The body tries to go back to its old weight, especially if healthy habits are not kept up.

Doctors say weight loss drugs work best when they are part of a bigger plan. That plan should include regular exercise, healthy meals, and support from a doctor or health coach. These habits help people keep the weight off after stopping the medicine.

If you are taking or thinking about taking a weight loss drug, talk to your doctor. Make sure you have a long-term plan. Losing weight is only the first step—keeping it off takes ongoing effort.

HEALTH

Vaping More Effective Than Gum and Lozenges for Helping Socially Disadvantaged People Quit Smoking, but 58% of Quitters Continue to Vape Six Months Later; Long-term Safety of Vaping Remains Unclear

A new study shows that vaping may help socially disadvantaged adults quit smoking better than nicotine gum or lozenges. However, most people who quit smoking by vaping are still using vapes six months later, and experts say we still don’t know the long-term health risks.

Researchers in Australia followed over 1,000 daily smokers who received government benefits. These people often struggle more to quit than others. Half were given vapes with flavored nicotine, and the other half were given nicotine gum or lozenges.

After six months, 28% of those using vapes had quit smoking, compared to just 10% using gum or lozenges. The vaping group could choose between different devices and flavors, which may have helped them stick with the program.

But while vaping helped more people quit smoking, 58% of those who quit were still vaping. Experts warn that vaping should be seen as a short-term tool, not a long-term habit. The long-term safety of vaping is still not fully known.

Vaping can help people who have tried other ways to quit without success. But health experts say more support is needed to help people stop vaping once they’re no longer smoking.

“It’s never too late to quit,” said lead researcher Ryan Courtney. “Vaping is another tool, but people should plan to stop vaping too when they’re ready.”

Doctors and support services may need to adjust how they guide patients using vapes to quit smoking.

What Are the Most Common Symptoms When People Get Off Antidepressants?

A new study shows that most people who stop taking antidepressants have only mild symptoms. The study looked at nearly 18,000 people and found that serious withdrawal is rare.

Researchers found that common symptoms in the first two weeks include dizziness, nausea, feeling nervous, or lightheaded. Most people had only one more symptom than those taking a fake pill (placebo). For example, about 20% of people who stopped the drug venlafaxine felt dizzy, compared to just 2% of those on a placebo.

The study included many types of antidepressants. Some, like desvenlafaxine, caused more symptoms. Others, like vortioxetine, caused fewer symptoms—almost the same as the placebo.

Doctors say these findings are good news. They show that stopping antidepressants may not be as hard as many fear. Also, the return of symptoms like sadness may not be from withdrawal—it may be a sign that depression is returning.

The study only looked at short-term symptoms over two weeks. Experts say we still need more research on long-term effects and how to stop antidepressants safely.

If you are thinking about stopping your medication, it’s important to talk to your doctor first. Don’t stop suddenly. A slow, guided plan can help reduce side effects.

This study helps reduce fear and confusion. For most people, stopping antidepressants does not lead to serious problems. Knowing what to expect can help you make the best choice for your mental health.

✢ A Note From Hem Hero

The information in this health newsletter is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment; always consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. The publishers are not responsible for any actions taken by the reader based on the information provided.