Look at the sheer number of people affected
For decades, pharmacotherapy for obesity was a disappointment, offering 5 to 8% weight reduction at best
The most important serious side effects include acute pancreatitis (severe persistent abdominal pain radiating to the back, though clinical trials found similar pancreatitis rates to comparators), severe dehydration from persistent vomiting or diarrhea (signs include dizziness, decreased urination, extreme thirst), gallbladder disease including cholecystitis or cholelithiasis (right upper quadrant pain, fever, jaundice), severe allergic reactions (difficulty breathing, swelling of face or throat), and severe hypoglycemia when combined with insulin or sulfonylureas (confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures)
GLP-1 receptor agonists act downstream, targeting the visceral fat accumulation, insulin resistance, and dysregulated appetite that estrogen's absence creates
Tryptophan hydroxylase represents the rate-limiting step in serotonin and melatonin synthesis