Retatrutide, or "reta," is all over the news, and two deaths have been reported to the FDA in people who used products sold as reta online. So is reta safe?

Bariatric surgeon Dr. Matthew Weiner and registered dietitian Zoë Schroeder walk through what reta is, what the trials actually show, what the side effects look like even with a doctor watching, and why reta sold online isn't compounded. It's black market: reta isn't FDA approved, so nobody can know what's in that vial.

Then we answer the reta questions people are searching for: what happens when you stop, whether you can switch from tirzepatide, whether it burns fat or muscle (and how to protect your muscle on any GLP-1), and what's more powerful than tirzepatide.

This is the first episode of our new format: each week is a deep dive on one topic, picked from what you're watching, asking about and seeing in the news. Tell us what you want us to cover next.

WHAT WE GET INTO

• What we know about the two reported reta deaths, and the three possibilities behind them
• Single, double and triple agonists: what glucagon adds, and why it raises heart rate
• Is about 4% more weight loss than tirzepatide worth the risk?
• The skin-burning side effect people report on reta
• Would Dr. Weiner prescribe reta? His honest answer
• What happens when you stop a GLP-1
• Can you switch from tirzepatide to reta?
• Does reta burn fat or muscle, and Zoë's two fixes for protecting muscle
• Why "more powerful" isn't the goal: the right medication is

IS YOUR GLP-1 WORKING?

Our free GLP-1 check compares your weight loss with the clinical trials for your medication, dose and time on treatment: https://poundofcureweightloss.com/r/episode-89-is-reta-safe-a73au/

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Is Reta Safe? (article): https://poundofcureweightloss.com/is-reta-safe/
• Dr. Weiner's earlier prediction about reta's glucagon component, Episode 61: https://poundofcureweightloss.com/podcast/episode-61-2024-weight-loss-predictions-recap/
• The Pound of Cure App: https://poundofcureweightloss.com/get-the-app/
• Book an appointment with Deidre, our nurse practitioner (Arizona patients): https://poundofcureweightloss.com/book-an-appointment/

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Talk with your own physician before starting or changing any treatment.