It should be noted that MTC is rare (estimated incidence of 0.2 cases per 100,000 patient-years), and as such, it is very difficult to definitively rule out an association between GLP-1RA and thyroid malignancies
The FDA has been increasingly vocal about concerns
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Notably, that protective effect held even among patients who were not obese suggesting the medication itself may be doing more than simply reducing weight
Specifically, local ghrelin injections to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and laterodorsal tegmental area 27,40,41 as well as central administration to the lateral or third ventricle 27,42 increased extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc)
For a complete week-by-week timeline of what to expect on semaglutide-based medications, see our pharmacists guide to semaglutide side effects week by week