Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith has revealed why she'll never take weight-loss jabs again following an appearance on ITV's This Morning – as well as revealing an unknown side effect. The TV chef appeared on Tuesday's daytime show to promote her latest series of Prue Leith's Cotswold Kitchen, where she's joined by foodie guests to celebrate the best recipes, tips and tricks.
Prue Leith's experience with weight-loss jabs
Chatting to hosts Ben Shepherd and Cat Deeley, Prue, 85, shared that both her and her husband, John Playfair, 71, had tried weight-loss jabs, but while they worked for John, they weren't for her.
"The only reason why I did it was it worked so well with John. He lost about two stone in a couple of months, he looked great and he loved it.
Explaining that it was much better for John's diet because he was eating less but healthily, Prue thought she'd give it a try.
"I absolutely hated it," she admitted. "I just felt awful. I wanted to sleep all the time."
But the chef highlighted the main reason she believed it didn't work for her. "I think it was my fault because I didn't read the instructions that you have to eat and you have to exercise. And I didn't eat anything, and I was starving. So my body just said, 'Well, since this is starvation mode, I'm not going to lose anything.' It actually [stopped me] losing weight."
Prue also highlighted another aspect of her experience. "The interesting thing about those weight-loss jabs is that they kill your appetite for alcohol as well. And so [John] would have a tiny bit of his glass of wine. I'd drink my whole glass of wine, and then I'd have a second glass of wine, which I normally do, and then I'd end up drinking his."
She concluded: "It was very bad for me, but you know what? It didn't really matter. I didn't put on any weight, but I didn't lose anything."
What are weight-loss jabs?
Weight-loss jabs such as Mounjaro and Wegovy have become one of the biggest developments in the health industry over the last couple of years. As with any medication, it's paramount for people to understand the full picture, including potential side effects.
According to the British Heart Foundation, weight-loss jabs are used as treatment for weight loss "for those living with excess weight".
The organisation explains: "They’re known as GLP-1 agonists because they mimic a hormone your body releases after eating called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1). GLP-1 agonists were originally designed to treat type 2 diabetes by triggering the release of another hormone called insulin into the bloodstream, which lowers blood sugar levels.
"But GLP-1 also slows down your digestion, lowering your appetite and making you feel fuller after eating. This means people taking them feel less hungry, so they eat less and lose weight."
As for the side effects, Dr Angela Kwong, a GP with a special interest in obesity management, told us at HELLO!: "The most common side effects are gastrointestinal, nausea, vomiting, constipation, bloating, diarrhoea, and a reduced appetite. These tend to be mild and improve over time as your body adjusts to the medication."
For more information, see the NHS website and check out our explainer here.