Kent Holtorf, MD: Yes, it makes no sense to wait until someone has diabetes to use metformin or other interventions. We also use supplements, our favorite is GlucoSX. While metformin was the mainstay for insulin resistance, we have generally bypassed metformin and proceeded right to Byetta and Symlin, due to the much greater potential for weight loss.
Mary Shomon: Many thyroid patients have been asking me about the HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) treatments for weight loss, including prescription injections and sublinguals, and over-the-counter homeopathic sublingual forms of HCG. I've personally met a number of women who were hypothyroid, weighed over 200 lbs, and went on HCG treatments, and lost 25 or more pounds during a 40 day course of HCG treatment. I know more and more doctors who are starting to use it. What are your thoughts about this as a weight loss treatment option?
We have found HCG effective for many women. We have found prescription HCG injections to be much more effective than sublingual HCG or HCG creams. Also, because you must give a much higher dose sublingually and transdermally -- due to the decreased absorption -- it is much less expensive to do as a small subcutaneous injection.
Kent Holtorf, MD is founder of the Holtorf Medical Group in California.
Sources:
Holtorf, MD, Kent. Interview with Mary Shomon. October 2009.
Leibel RL, Hirsch J."Diminished energy requirements in reduced-obese patients." Metabolism. 1984 Feb;33(2):164-70. Online.
