GLP-1 India
Unsupervised medication use, stigma and misinformation continue to shape obesity care in India, even as demand for GLP-1 based treatments surges. With monthly costs exceeding â¹15,000 and rising interest in quick-fix solutions, unregulated providers have been distributing GLP-1s without diagnostics or medical oversight.
This pattern emerged during the early spread of drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro in India. Before mainstream approvals, many people obtained GLP-1 injections through informal imports or e-commerce sellers. Though originally created for diabetes, these medications are now approved in India and globally for weight loss, heart health, sleep apnea, and fatty liver. Their early use, however, lacked medical supervision.
Endocrinologist Dr. Saptarshi Bhattacharya highlighted the risks, saying, "People were using prescription medication without active doctor monitoring and nutrition guidance," noting that incorrect dosing and unmanaged side effects were common concerns.
Amid this landscape, structured platforms like Early.Fit are introducing supervised care. The New York-founded company by Parth Chopra and Saloni Paliwal, offers doctor-led GLP-1 programs supported by endocrinologists, comprehensive blood work, and one-on-one coaching around diet, nutrition, side effect management etc. Early.Fit's app tracks body composition, syncs with fitness watches, records meals and monitors calorie intake.
According to the company, their GLP-1 users achieve around 20% average weight loss, consistent with international studies, alongside improvements in blood pressure, joint pain, and diabetes control. Moreover, those following its full protocol see 1.8x higher weight loss and fewer side effects due to guided exercise, better eating habits and scientific side-effect management. Co-founder Parth Chopra noted, "We're trying to make sure people use these medicines responsibly and under the right medical care. It's not about quick fixes, it's about treating obesity as a chronic condition."
The broader market reflects growing demand. The global GLP-1 category is expected to cross USD 155 billion by 2030. Experts estimate that more than 40 crore people worldwide have used GLP-1 medications in the past twenty years. In India, Mounjaro and Wegovy have rapidly gained attention, generating over USD 240 million annually, with Mounjaro becoming one of the country's top-selling medicines soon after launch.
With so many players rushing into the GLP-1 space, India is entering a phase where credibility, safety and trust will matter as much as results. Experts say the next big test for consumers will be cutting through the noise to distinguish high-quality care from clever branding. The rise of products positioned as "GLP-1-like" supplements, despite having no clinical backing, has already sparked unease about misleading claims.
In response, a few companies are leaning into transparency and education. Early.Fit, for example, is educating the market to move beyond crash diets and misinformation towards a science-backed, clinically supervised era of preventive healthcare.
As clinical supervision becomes more integrated into weight-loss programs, India's approach to obesity care appears to be moving toward a more structured, science-led framework, away from unsupervised use.
