Ask The Pharmacist
Have a supplement or wellness question?
Our pharmacist Eddie, licensed in 30 states, reviews questions and shares answers here. A graduate of St. John’s University with more than 30 years of experience in retail and hospital pharmacy, he’s passionate about helping people better understand supplements and wellness.
Ask Your Question Here
Answers are provided for general educational purposes and are not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medications or supplements. Our pharmacist reviews questions regularly and will answer as many as possible.
💊 Medication Questions
My GLP-1 Stopped Working?
Question:
Hi there! I've been taking a GLP-1 shot for almost a year, and it seems like I'm not losing weight anymore. Does it stop working after your body gets used to it? Thank you! 😊
Answer:
Hi Hailey. While it's possible to develop tolerance to any medication, I haven't really seen any strong evidence suggesting that the body develops tolerance to the weight-loss effects of GLP-1s over time. The weight loss does, however, tend to plateau after the initial phase of rapid weight reduction, which can give the impression that the medication is becoming less effective. This happens because as body weight decreases, the body’s energy requirements also drop, making further weight loss slower.
The good news is that studies show that most people who stay on the medication continue to maintain their weight loss or experience gradual improvements over time. Also, I cannot stress enough the importance of making lifestyle changes while on any weight loss medication. The reason is because, unfortunately, stopping semaglutide often leads to weight regain unless you also make lifestyle changes. This suggests that its effects are maintained with continued use, rather than being diminished due to tolerance.
What I've personally done, and which has helped tremendously, is to use the new positive physical and mental changes that I've experience while being on Ozempic to motivate me go to the gym at least 3 days a week. Now, two years later, I'm in my mid 50's and I've never felt better because I'm in the best shape that I have ever been in. It is possible at any age to feel your best with the right intention and effort.
~ Pharmacist Eddie
Not diabetic but...
Question:
Do those GLP-1 meds work for weight loss even if you don’t have diabetes? Just wondering if they would be an option for me. Thanks! ~ Nina
Answer:
GLP-1 medications mimic the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and slows down digestion. By delaying gastric emptying and reducing hunger signals in the brain, these medications help people feel full longer, leading to reduced calorie intake.
While they were originally developed for people with type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 medications have proven highly effective for weight loss, even in people who are not diabetic. Clinical trials show that non-diabetic individuals can experience significant weight loss, often 10-15% of their body weight. This makes GLP-1 medications a powerful option for those struggling with obesity or weight management.
Remember, it's always important to check with your healthcare provider to see if they're a good option for you. Hope that helps! Be well.
~ Pharmacist Eddie
❓ Supplement Questions
Do hair supplements actually work?
Question:
Do hair supplements actually work? Like, how can taking vitamins really help with hair growth or thinning? ~ Penny
Answer:
Great question, Penny! A good hair supplement can actually make a real difference in hair health, especially if your body’s been missing some key nutrients which can happen if you're eating less, or on certain diets, like keto.
Hair growth is super dependent on internal nutrition. For example, biotin (one of the main ingredients in GILA Renew) is essential for keratin production, which is the protein your hair is made of. If you're low on biotin, you might notice more shedding or your hair can appear dull. The same goes for vitamins like A, C, D, and E, because these all play a role in scalp health, collagen production, and protecting hair follicles from damage.
Minerals like zinc and iron are also really important. Iron helps carry oxygen to your hair follicles, and zinc supports tissue growth and oil gland function. If you’ve ever had thinning hair due to low iron (super common, especially in women), you’ll know what a big difference it can make to get those levels back up.
Our own product, GILA Renew, also has a blend of herbs like saw palmetto, nettle, and bamboo extract. These are believed to help reduce DHT (a hormone linked to hair thinning), support hair strength with silica, and promote a healthy scalp.
So while it’s not a magic pill, a supplement like this helps create the ideal environment for healthy hair to grow, become stronger, shinier, and less prone to falling out. If your hair issues are linked to nutritional gaps or hormonal imbalances, this kind of supplement can really help turn things around over time.
~ Pharmacist Eddie
👨⚕️ Pharmacist Advice
Splitting Pills
Question:
Is it safe to cut a pill in half to save money, or does that change how the medication works? Which pills are okay to split? 🤔 Thanks! - Emily W.
Answer:
Great question Emily, and one we get all the time at the pharmacy. Yes, some pills can be safely split to save money, but not all medications are safe to cut, and doing it incorrectly can lead to underdosing, overdosing, or serious side effects.
Safe to split: Immediate-release tablets that aren’t coated and have a scored line (a groove in the middle) - and only if your doctor or pharmacist confirms it’s okay.
On the other hand, extended release (XR, ER, SR, CR, LA) medication should generally never be split. Cutting or crushing these destroys the time-release mechanism and can end up releasing the entire dose all at one. Some of these are designed to be released in the body over 12 or 24 hours (or longer) and having all that medication getting released at once can be dangerous.
Other medication that should generally not be split or crushed are enteric coated tablets, capsules, or very low dose or particularly dangerous medication which require the dose to be precise (especially if the tablets are extremely small).
As a precaution, it’s always best to ask your pharmacist about the particular medication you are taking if it’s fine to split the dose. If you get the green light, please don’t use a knife to split the doses, always use a tablet splitter. Tablet splitters are inexpensive and are available at most pharmacies.
If you want to save money, ask your doctor or pharmacist if there is a higher dose medication that you safely split. Sometimes a 20mg tablet costs the same as a 10mg tablet, so splitting can make sense if it’s safe to do so.
~ Pharmacist Eddie
What do you wish we'd stop doing?
Question:
Thanks for making this forum for us! I want to know: what's a common health 'hack' or home remedy that pharmacists wish people would stop trying and ask an expert about instead? ~ Jamie
Answer:
I know this might ruffle a few feathers, but one home remedy I wish people would stop relying on is cranberry juice for treating urinary tract infections (UTIs).
There’s a common belief that cranberry juice can cure a UTI, but that’s a misconception. Some research suggests that certain cranberry extracts may help prevent bacteria, especially E. coli, from sticking to the bladder wall. But that’s prevention, not treatment. And even then, most cranberry juices don’t contain enough of the active compound (called proanthocyanidins) to be effective. What they do contain is a lot of sugar, which isn’t doing your body any favors, especially if you're drinking multiple glasses a day hoping it’ll help.
The real concern is that delaying proper treatment gives the infection time to worsen or spread to the kidneys. In severe cases, this can lead to a dangerous condition called urosepsis, which is a life-threatening immune response to infection.
UTIs are painful and disruptive, but the good news is they’re typically easy to treat with antibiotics. In many cases, symptoms begin improving within a dose or two (though it’s important to finish the full course). And even without insurance, the generic versions of most UTI antibiotics are affordable at many pharmacies.
If you think you have a UTI, skip the juice and see a doctor or urgent care provider. Prompt treatment can save you a lot of discomfort, and potentially something much more serious.
~ Pharmacist Eddie