Q. There is a lot of news lately about regulations on obesity medications; are herbal weight loss treatments safe?

Medications like Saxenda or Wegovy are currently trending. However, because these drugs forcibly suppress appetite or interfere with hormones, many patients suffer from severe rebound effects (yo-yo effect) or adverse reactions once the medication is stopped. Having studied these cases, the systemic instability they can cause is quite concerning.

In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), we do not simply aim for starvation. Instead, we first address Damjeok (痰積), which refers to the accumulation of metabolic waste that blocks the circulation of Qi and Blood. Prescriptions vary completely depending on whether the patient has a Bi-heo (脾虛) type—characterized by a constitutionally weak digestive system—or if their energy is stagnated due to stress.

• Personalized Prescription: Rather than a one-size-fits-all drug, we reflect the current state of your organs and your unique constitution.
• Improvement of Metabolic Function: We induce a reduction primarily in body fat while maintaining the basal metabolic rate.
• Side Effect Management: We finely adjust the dosage to manage possible reactions such as insomnia or palpitations.

Ultimately, the most important point is whether the method is 'something your body can handle.' Rather than the indiscriminate use of medication, I recommend first receiving an accurate diagnosis of your current physical state.