ExclusiveCurb Hunger Hormones to Lose Weight Drug Free | Jason Fung MD｜Vital Signs

The modern weight-loss debate has been missing an essential point, says nephrologist and best-selling author Dr. Jason Fung MD—that it’s more about managing hunger than cutting calories.

On “Vital Signs,” Fung explains how 600 calories of steak and eggs tell the body something entirely different than 600 calories of a sugary frappuccino. The difference, he says, lies in satiety hormones like GLP-1, GIP, peptide YY, and cholecystokinin—signals that ultra-processed foods are engineered to bypass. When those signals are blunted, people can keep eating long after their energy needs are met.

The conversation also dives into GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like semaglutide. While effective at suppressing appetite, Fung notes they don’t retrain eating habits or fix a food environment where eating is constant and socially reinforced. Once the medication stops, the old patterns often return.

His alternative? Rebuild structure. Limit ultra-processed foods. Create clear eating windows to allow the body time in fat-burning mode. And recognize that obesity isn’t a character flaw—it’s a hormonal and environmental trap.

If hunger is the real driver, Fung suggests, then decoding it may be the key to lasting change. This is the focus of “The Hunger Code”—the follow up to his best-selling title “The Obesity Code.”

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Vital Signs’ host, guests, and contributors offer general information on improving health and wellness. This is not intended as diagnosis or medical advice. You should consult your medical doctor or holistic doctor before enacting any suggested strategies for health and wellness improvement, including those in relation to preventing or treating specific diseases featured on this program.