Diabetes comes with a lot of complications. One of these is how the disease causes serious foot problems. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases explains that diabetic foot issues happen when there is nerve damage or neuropathy. The symptoms include a burning or stinging pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness in the foot. Insufficient blood flow or changes in the shape of feet and toes may also cause added complications.

For many patients with diabetes, weight loss and targeted medications have helped treat the condition. Interestingly, recent healthcare trends have seen FDA-approved diabetes medication successfully used in medical weight loss interventions.
This has given rise to conversations about whether this means such medications can treat diabetes on multiple ends—including any complications the disease brings, like the aforementioned foot problems. In line with this, the following article will discuss what medical weight loss is and if it’s also a solution to diabetic foot issues.

What is medical weight loss?

Medical weight loss refers to medicated interventions for certain individuals who fit specific criteria. Typically, if a person has a BMI over 30 or near it with comorbidities like diabetes, they are eligible for medical weight loss programs. Since these programs aim to level the weight loss playing field, they involve prescription medications like Saxenda, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.

These medications are all under one group of drugs called incretin mimetics. And despite conversations comparing the differences between Saxenda vs Wegovy, these drugs, along with Mounjaro, are classified as glucagon-like peptide one receptor agonists, also known as GLP-1 agonists. These medications are used primarily for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, they are also used in off-label prescriptions for weight management because they can regulate blood sugar. This helps with weight loss as this can increase levels of satiation while decreasing appetites and cravings.

How weight loss helps with diabetes

The benefits of healthily shedding excess pounds to reach an ideal weight are well-documented. The CDC explains that losing a mere 5% to 10%, which is already 10 to 20 pounds for a 200-pound person can immediately improve their health as it reduces the strain on the body. Individuals with diabetes will find their blood sugar levels are more manageable, and the need for medicine can be reduced as insulin resistance dips. With these benefits in mind, this is why some diabetic patients do look to solutions like medical weight loss.

Can medical weight loss aid in diabetic foot care?

Since foot complications result from diabetes, it makes sense that any flare-ups can be managed once the root cause is addressed. For instance, one manifestation of diabetes in the feet comes in the form of ulcers. As diabetes affects blood flow to the lower extremities, blisters form and burst on the feet. Because diabetes also affects the immune system, these open wounds take longer to heal. In some cases, these can fester and develop gangrene. When this occurs, some patients have no choice but to get amputations. Being at a lower weight while also receiving the right medications can ensure blood flow and healing are at more optimal conditions, thereby reducing the risk of developing diabetic blisters. At the very least, any wounds or neuropathy concerns are less likely to linger as insulin resistance is lower.

Having said this, since the medications aren’t specifically designed to heal neuropathy in your feet, they should not be considered primary diabetic foot treatments. If you need solutions specifically focused on neuropathy, medications like Duloxetine and Pregabalin serve as more specific treatments. Both treat the pain associated with diabetic neuropathy. Pregabalin is an FDA-approved anticonvulsant and analgesic that also helps treat co-morbidities like sleep interference and anxiety. Duloxetine, on the other hand, is the only tricyclic antidepressant with FDA approval that functions in the central nervous system to block pain signals.

If you’re looking for home remedies to specifically treat diabetes-related foot issues, try these regular foot care regimens to prevent future problems and soothe present concerns.

As suggested in our article entitled “Daily Diabetic Foot Care Tips”, make sure to inspect your feet daily since the loss of sensation in your feet will not alert you to color changes, dry or cracked skin, and sores. To prevent any irritations, wear support-friendly footwear, look for shoes with more depth in the toe box, and avoid seams in the shoe and your socks. Finally, wash your feet with lukewarm water daily to prevent any bacteria from spreading. Do not use hot water since there is a risk you won’t feel it, and it will result in scalding, burns, and blisters.