There is a troubling new symptom to add to the seemingly never-ending list of maladies for GLP-1 users – and it is being labeled as ‘ghost fat.’
It happens when those who have lost a lot of weight by taking drugs such as Ozempic or Mounjaro feel like they still have fat where they don’t, and still see themselves in a larger body.
Over the past few years, the drugs, which were originally intended to treat type 2 diabetes, have been widely adopted as blockbuster weight-loss tools.
In skinny-obsessed Hollywood, tons of famous figures have admitted to taking the drugs, like Amy Schumer, Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Trainor, Rebel Wilson, and even pro tennis player, Serena Williams.
But like any other drug, there are serious side effects to the fat jabs.
Others have reported sight loss, hair loss, scurvy, osteoporosis, sagging skin and even a potentially higher risk of developing pancreatitis.
Now, there’s just one more to add to the list – and experts say it’s not just physical, but psychological.
‘I see “ghost fat,” or phantom fat, in some of my patients who have lost weight,’ Dr Jessica Duncan, board-certified obesity medicine physician and Chief Medical Officer at Ivim Health, told the Daily Mail.
There is a troubling new symptom to add to the seemingly never-ending list of maladies for GLP-1 users – and it is being labeled as ‘ghost fat’ (stock image)
‘I tend to see it more often in patients who have struggled with obesity for a longer period, who lost a larger amount of weight, or who lost the weight over a shorter window,’ she explained.
However, Duncan shared that although ‘ghost fat’ can be confused with body dysmorphic disorder, they’re not the same.
‘Ghost fat is different. It’s when a patient still perceives themselves as having a larger body,’ Duncan said.
‘They may instinctively reach for their old size in a store, or be surprised when they catch a glimpse of themselves in a mirror,’ she said.
‘It’s really the mind not catching up to the body’s changes. I also think phantom fat reflects external obesity stigma that has been internalized,’ she said.
The doctor explained that much of body image can be tied to ‘external validation, or lack of it.’
‘Over time, that gets internalized and becomes a lens through which one views their own body,’ Duncan said.
‘Once it becomes more static, and it’s very hard to shake even after appearance changes.’
Over the past few years, the drugs, which were originally intended to treat type 2 diabetes, have been widely adopted as blockbuster weight-loss tools (stock image)
Dr Jessica Duncan (left), board-certified obesity medicine physician and Chief Medical Officer at Ivim Health, and Lisa George (right), the founder of Talk Tribeca Psychiatry in NYC, both spoke to the Daily Mail
Lisa George, the founder of Talk Tribeca Psychiatry in NYC, told the Daily Mail that the quick weight loss that some people experience while taking a GLP-1 is driving this phenomenon.
‘When someone has lived in a larger body for a long time, that body becomes part of how they understand themselves,’ the Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatry and Family Health told the Daily Mail.
‘It becomes part of their identity and how they navigate the world,’ she said.
‘They automatically grab the bigger size off the rack, avoid situations they assume their body won’t fit (literally or socially), or see themselves as larger than they actually are,’ she said.
However, although it can be difficult to deal with, there are some solutions that can help patients dealing with this complex side effect.
‘The mind needs time to catch up with the body but there are things that can help,’ George explained.
‘Wearing clothes that actually fit, tracking progress visually, and daily movement can all help,’ she continued.
‘Therapy is also helpful for those that connect their weight to shame or self-worth.’
Duncan also shared that therapy can be a helpful tool, as well as calming activities like journaling and meditation, which help with ‘processing and tapping into inner thoughts.’
She also recommended that patients follow an exercise routine that they enjoy.
‘Seeing what your body can do may help the mind focus on function rather than appearance,’ Duncan told the Daily Mail.
In addition, finding a support group with others who are dealing with the same can also be helpful, she said.
