Preview
  • Magic Pill

  • The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs
  • By: Johann Hari
  • Narrated by: Johann Hari
  • Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (243 ratings)

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Magic Pill

By: Johann Hari
Narrated by: Johann Hari
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Publisher's summary

The bestselling author of Lost Connections and Stolen Focus offers a revelatory look at the new drugs transforming weight loss as we know it—from his personal experience on Ozempic to our ability to heal our society’s dysfunctional relationship with food, weight, and our bodies.

In January 2023, Johann Hari started to inject himself once a week with Ozempic, one of the new drugs that produces significant weight loss. He wasn’t alone—some predictions suggest that in a few years, a quarter of the U.S. population will be taking these drugs. While around 80 percent of diets fail, someone taking one of the new drugs will lose up to a quarter of their body weight in six months. To the drugs’ defenders, here is a moment of liberation from a condition that massively increases your chances of diabetes, cancer, and an early death.

Still, Hari was wildly conflicted. Can these drugs really be as good as they sound? Are they a magic solution—or a magic trick? Finding the answer to this high-stakes question led him on a journey from Iceland to Minneapolis to Tokyo, and to interview the leading experts in the world on these questions. He found that along with the drug’s massive benefits come twelve significant potential risks.

He also found that these drugs radically challenge what we think we know about shame, willpower, and healing. What do they reveal about the nature of obesity itself? What psychological issues begin to emerge when our eating patterns are suddenly disrupted? Are the drugs a liberation or a further symptom of our deeply dysfunctional relationship with food?

These drugs are about to change our world, for better and for worse. Everybody needs to understand how they work—scientifically, emotionally, and culturally. MAGIC PILL is an essential guide to the revolution that has already begun, and which one leading expert argues will be as transformative as the invention of the smartphone.

* This audiobook edition contains a downloadable PDF with additional resources and endnotes.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Johann Hari (P)2024 Random House Audio
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Critic reviews

“Compelling, thoughtful and fascinating, a revealing and inspiring meditation on weight loss, addiction, and the new drugs that may change the way we think about and treat obesity.”—Maia Szalavitz, author of The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog

Magic Pill may be the most revolutionary, honest and important book you read about weight loss, the body and food. As is always the case with a Johann Hari book, what appears to be a story about the drug, Ozempic turns out to be a portal into the deepest investigation and revelation on how to live a healthy life.”—V (Formerly Eve Ensler), The Vagina Monologues, Reckoning

“A deep-dive into Ozempic couldn’t be more timely—and necessary—to get the full scope of how and why everyone is suddenly skinny!”—Andy Cohen

What listeners say about Magic Pill

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Great book!

Well done research. I appreciate all the different angles/arguments presented . It is very thought provoking and I will look at my diet differently from now on.

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Thorough and honest

So informative while also told with compassion and raw honesty. I love all Hari’s books and wish they were taught in schools.

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Such a great listen

Well written with some real “make you think” aha moments. Well done. Some science but more a psychology take

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Best book I’ve read on weight and weight loss drugs

Summarizes a lot of known science about weight, the food and drug industries all in a personal and digestible way. I would recommend this highly.

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Mind shifting!

We all have preconceived notions toward things and this book impacted and changed my thoughts. Would strongly recommend!

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Great narration and content!

Author was passionate and kept me interested throughout. Great ability to explain difficult concepts simply and maintain sense of humor

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Brilliant & riveting work

A must read for anyone concerned about about the effects of the Western diet/culture and the coming age of GLP-1 agonists.

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Honest look at all the new weight loss drugs

Very thoughtful and thorough examination of Wegovy and Zepbound weight loss drugs. I appreciated the very honest look at both pro and con and how our food supply is making us fat from childhood.

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How the people of japan enjoy and eat

I love it all , so truthful and raw. How did we as a society become this was? Of course the food industry is just like pharma who pushed opioids

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Historical path of American eating and use of processed foods.

I enjoyed his personal journey and insights to the medication. It was insightful to understand the journey of American food in the last hundred years. This was especially poignant when contrasted with the Japanese. Good book to read and start your Olympic research.
He makes it very clear that while this pill clearly offers many advantages, it doesn’t fix the reason most people have become obese. It was especially insightful to understand that when replacing one compulsive behavior, another will take its place or be intensified if the root cause is not identified and changed. It’s also important to understand that Ozempic mandates is a lifelong commitment!

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