Dr. Tommy Wood, a professor at the University of Washington, warns that popular GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy can pose risks to brain health if used with extreme caloric restriction. He explains that while these medications offer cognitive benefits for people with obesity or metabolic diseases by improving blood sugar control, severe calorie deficits force the brain to consume its own tissue, potentially shrinking white matter temporarily as seen in marathon runners. To mitigate such risks, Dr. Wood suggests incorporating regular resistance training into weight loss regimens to protect muscle and brain health.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-01,
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Story summary
Dr. Tommy Wood, a professor at the University of Washington, warned during New York City’s Strong NY festival on October 1, 2026, about potential brain risks associated with rapid weight loss using GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. He explained that these medications could cause the brain to "starve" if the body undergoes severe caloric restriction, leading to a lack of vital energy and nutrients. Wood referenced a study where marathon runners experienced temporary shrinkage in their white matter due to insufficient energy supply during intensive activity. The professor highlighted that the brain, being the most energy-demanding organ, needs adequate nourishment; otherwise, it might consume its own tissue to survive. While GLP-1 drugs can offer cognitive benefits by improving blood sugar control and lowering blood pressure for individuals with metabolic issues, severe caloric deprivation could negate these advantages by starving the brain of essential nutrients.
Written for “Weight Loss Drugs Brain Risk Warning” on 2026-10-05,
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Rapid weight loss on popular drugs could ‘starve’ the brain, expert warns
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expert → starve → brain
As GLP-1 weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy continue to surge in popularity, experts warn that rapid weight loss and severe caloric restriction could deprive the brain of vital energy and nutrients.
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loss → continue → energy
Dr. Tommy Wood, a professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Washington, said the drugs’ effects on the brain may depend on whether the body is getting enough energy and nutrients during weight loss.
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body → say → loss
“The best way to think about this is the spectrum of what we call energy availability,” Wood told Fox News Digital at Strong NY, New York City’s largest annual fitness and wellness festival.
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Wood → think → NY
Excess energy caused by obesity, high blood sugar and metabolic disease can lower the brain’s resilience by damaging blood vessels and contributing to insulin resistance.
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energy → cause → resistance
In these cases, GLP-1 medications can provide cognitive benefits by lowering blood pressure and improving blood sugar control.
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medications → provide → control
However, Wood noted that the lower end of the energy spectrum poses its own structural risks to the brain.
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end → note → brain
Because the brain relies heavily on continuous fuel, extreme caloric deficits can force the organ to consume its own tissue.
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deficits → rely → tissue
“There was a study that looked at the brains of people who ran a marathon … because the marathon is so energy-intensive, the white matter in the brain actually shrank during a marathon because the brain didn’t have enough energy … so it was eating its own white matter,” Wood said, noting that the participants’ brains recovered after resting and refueling.
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brains → be → resting
“It just shows that the brain is really energy-hungry, and it will decrease its size if it’s not getting enough energy.”
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it → show → energy
Concerns about lean muscle loss when taking GLP-1 medications are often nuanced, Wood said.
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Wood → take → medications
Some of the early “lean mass” that’s lost is actually fat that had built up inside the muscles.
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that → lose → muscles
“So technically, your muscles get smaller, but you don’t get weaker,” he told Fox News Digital.
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he → get → Digital
“And the quality and functioning of your muscles actually gets better.”
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quality → get → muscles
However, risks arise when individuals taking GLP-1 medications drastically reduce their food intake for extended periods.
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individuals → arise → periods
Chronic under-eating can deprive the central nervous system of essential structural nutrients, Wood warned.
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Wood → deprive → nutrients
“It is possible that you can end up going too far,” he said.
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he → end → ?
“If you’re not eating enough, you’re not getting the nutrients that are critical for the brain.
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that → eat → brain
So you’re not getting in enough omega-3 fats, which we know are really important.
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we → get → fats
You’re not getting enough iron and protein and all those kinds of things.
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You → get → things
”
Protecting the brain during weight loss
To safeguard brain health while losing weight, Wood recommends pairing weight-loss regimens with resistance training twice a week to maintain functional muscle mass and to stimulate brain growth factors.
Additionally, ensuring adequate intake of core “neuro-nutrients” — including B vitamins (B12, folate, B6), vitamin D, iron and omega-3 fatty acids — prevents long-term cognitive impairment, according to Wood.
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ensuring → protect → Wood
“For most people, I think it’s going to be beneficial to start, but you just need to make sure that you don’t push it too far, that you’re now getting enough of everything that the brain needs,” he advised.
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he → think → that
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