A closer look at the rapidly evolving world of GLP-1 medications; from who may benefit from them to understanding the research, side effects, misconceptions, and why thoughtful medical guidance matters more than ever.

Keeping Up With the GLP-1s:

Company: NOVO NORDISK

Drug: Semaglutide

• Weight Loss Brand Name: Wegovy (injection & oral)
• DM2 Brand Names: Ozempic (injection) & Rybelsus (oral)

Company: ELI LILLY

Drug: Tirzepatide

• Weight Loss Brand Name: Zepbound (injection)
• DM2 Brand Name: Mounjaro (injection)

Drug: Orforglipron

• Weight Loss Brand Name: Foundayo (oral)

Drug: Retatrutide – In development

• Weight loss & DM2 expected indications

* Just a heads-up: I recorded the indications section before the official PCOS to PMOS name change on 5/12/2026, so you’ll still hear me use the term “PCOS” throughout this episode.

For wonderings, musings, or just a quick hello, feel free to reach out: ⁠drhart@hartfamilymedicine.com⁠

Straight Facts:

• Kushner RF, Jastreboff AM, Ryan DH. Current and Future Medications for Obesity Treatment. The Journal of the American Medical Association. 2025.
• Gonzalez-Rellan MJ, Drucker DJ. New Molecules and Indications for GLP-1 Medicines. JAMA. 2025;334(14):1231–1234. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.14392.
• Mechanisms of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist-Induced Weight Loss: A Review of Central and Peripheral Pathways in Appetite and Energy Regulation. The American Journal of Medicine. 2025.
• Lin S, Deng Y, Huang J, et al. Efficacy and Safety of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on Weight Management and Metabolic Parameters in PCOS Women: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Scientific Reports. 2025.
• Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists: Cardiovascular Benefits and Mechanisms of Action. Nature Reviews Cardiology. 2023.
• Couldwell M, Tidwell AJ, Taylor AE. Impact of GLP-1 Agonists on Reproduction. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2025.
• Choudhury I, Ward JH, Mahesh S, et al. Effect of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RA) on Neuropsychiatric Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clinical Therapeutics. 2026.
• Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes: A Focus on the Metabolic Differences Among Southeast Asian, Chinese and Indian Populations and How This Impacts Treatment. Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism. 2025.
• Pasternak B, Wintzell V, Eliasson B, et al. Use of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and Risk of Serious Renal Events: Scandinavian Cohort Study. Diabetes Care. 2020.
• Chen TH, Hu EH, Chen DY, et al. GLP-1 RAs and Cardiovascular and Kidney Outcomes by Body Mass Index in Type 2 Diabetes. JAMA Network Open. 2025.
• Budini B, Luo S, Tam M, et al. Trajectory of Weight Regain After Cessation of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: A Systematic Review and Nonlinear Meta-Regression. EClinicalMedicine. 2026;93:103796. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2026.103796.
• Compounded Semaglutide and Tirzepatide Products Use Unique Formulations but Efficacy and Safety Largely Unknown. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 2026.
• Association of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists with Risk of Suicidal Ideation and Behaviour: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews. 2025.

Red light therapy is everywhere right now, but what’s real and what’s just really good marketing? In this episode, we review the evidence, address common misconceptions, and rank the top eleven at-home devices to help guide informed, evidence-based use.

For wonderings, musings, or just a quick hello, feel free to reach out: drhart@hartfamilymedicine.com

Straight Facts:

• Guo Z, Yuan K. The application of light emitting diode (LED) in cosmetic dermatology. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2025;41(5):e70041. doi:10.1111/phpp.70041
• Park SH, Park SO, Jung JA. Clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of home-used LED and IRED mask for crow’s feet: a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2025;104(7):e41596. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000041596
• Arranz-Paraíso D, Sola Y, Baeza-Moyano D, et al. Mitochondria and light: an overview of the pathways triggered in skin and retina with incident infrared radiation. J Photochem Photobiol B. 2022.
• Mineroff J, Austin E, Jagdeo J. Cutaneous effects of photobiomodulation with 1072 nm light. Arch Dermatol Res. 2023.
• Li WH, Seo I, Kim B, et al. Low-level red plus near infrared lights combination induces expressions of collagen and elastin in human skin in vitro. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2021.
• Cohen M, Austin E, Masub N, et al. Home-based devices in dermatology: a systematic review of safety and efficacy. Arch Dermatol Res. 2022;314(3):239-246. doi:10.1007/s00403-021-02231-0
• Maghfour J, Ozog DM, Mineroff J, et al. Photobiomodulation CME Part I: overview and mechanism of action. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2024;91(5):793-802. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2023.10.073
• Bragato EF, Pires JA, Momolli M, et al. Comparison of the effects of 2 frequencies of application of photobiomodulation on facial rejuvenation: controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023;102(5):e32514. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000032514
• Bragato EF, Paisano AF, Pavani C, et al. Role of photobiomodulation application frequency in facial rejuvenation: randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Lasers Med Sci. 2025;40(1):170. doi:10.1007/s10103-025-04383-1
• Gutiérrez-Menéndez A, Marcos-Nistal M, Méndez M, Arias JL. Photobiomodulation as a promising new tool in the management of psychological disorders: a systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020.
• Ji Q, Yan S, Ding J, et al. Photobiomodulation improves depression symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Psychiatry. 2024.
• Papageorgiou P, Katsambas A, Chu A. Phototherapy with blue (415 nm) and red (660 nm) light in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Br J Dermatol. 2000.
• Li J, Li J, Zhang L, et al. Comparison of red light and blue light therapies for mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris: a randomized controlled clinical study. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2022.
• Wilkerson EC, Van Acker MM, Bloom BS, Goldberg DJ. Utilization of laser therapy during pregnancy: a systematic review of the maternal and fetal effects reported from 1960 to 2017. Dermatol Surg. 2019.
• Sharma AN, Kincaid CM, Mesinkovska NA. The burden of melasma: race, ethnicity, and comorbidities. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024.
• Tähkämö L, Partonen T, Pesonen AK. Systematic review of light exposure impact on human circadian rhythm. Chronobiol Int. 2019.
• Knutson KL, Dixon DD, Grandner MA, et al. Role of circadian health in cardiometabolic health and disease risk: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2025.
• Pan R, Zhang G, Deng F, Lin W, Pan J. Effects of red light on sleep and mood in healthy subjects and individuals with insomnia disorder. Front Psychiatry. 2023.
• Lee YI, Lee E, Nam KH, et al. The use of a light-emitting diode device for neck rejuvenation and its safety on thyroid glands. J Clin Med. 2021.

A big-picture look at the supplement world: how they work, why the advice is so mixed, and what’s behind the marketing. Just a practical, slightly skeptical guide to making sense of it all.

For wonderings, musings, or just a quick hello, feel free to reach out: drhart@hartfamilymedicine.com

Straight Facts:

• Wimalawansa SJ. Enhancing the design of nutrient clinical trials for disease prevention: a focus on vitamin D. Nutrition Reviews. 2025;83(7):e1740–e1781. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuae164
• Costello RB, Elin RJ, Rosanoff A, et al. The case for an evidence-based reference interval for serum magnesium. Advances in Nutrition. 2016;7(6):977–993. doi:10.3945/an.116.012765
• Touyz RM, de Baaij JHF, Hoenderop JGJ. Magnesium disorders. New England Journal of Medicine. 2024;390(21):1998–2009. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1510603
• Lopresti AL. Effects of psychological and environmental stress on micronutrient concentrations. Advances in Nutrition. 2020;11(1):103–112. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz082
• Pickering G, Mazur A, Trousselard M, et al. Magnesium status and stress: the vicious circle revisited. Nutrients. 2020;12(12):E3672. doi:10.3390/nu12123672
• Arancibia-Hernández YL, Hernández-Cruz EY, Pedraza-Chaverri J. Magnesium deficiency and chronic disease. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry. 2023;57(S1):1–23. doi:10.33594/000000603
• Veatch-Blohm ME, Chicas I, Margolis K, et al. Consistency and contamination in herbal supplements. PLOS ONE. 2021;16(11):e0260463. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0260463
• White CM. Continued risk of adulterated dietary supplements. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2022;62(8):928–934. doi:10.1002/jcph.2046
• Tucker J, Fischer T, Upjohn L, et al. Unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients in supplements. JAMA Network Open. 2018;1(6):e183337. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.3337
• DeLoughery TG, Jackson CS, Ko CW, Rockey DC. Iron deficiency anemia management update. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2024;22(8):1575–1583. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2024.03.046
• Fedosov SN. Vitamin B12 uptake and balance. Biochimie. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.biochi.2025.12.002
• Dai Q, Zhu X, Manson JE, et al. Magnesium and vitamin D metabolism. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2018;108(6):1249–1258. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy274
• Kuang X, Liu C, Guo X, et al. Vitamin K and D effects on bone. Food & Function. 2020;11(4):3280–3297. doi:10.1039/c9fo03063h
• Asher GN, Corbett AH, Hawke RL. Herbal supplement–drug interactions. American Family Physician. 2017;96(2):101–107