Guidelines for Fasting on Yom Kippur While Using GLP-1 Medications

With Yom Kippur approaching, a physician experienced in obesity medicine explains how individuals on GLP-1 therapies can manage the 25-hour dry fast. The advice notes that starting a new GLP-1 regimen or raising the dose less than two weeks before the holiday can increase nausea, vomiting and dehydration, so patients should postpone such changes. Those receiving weekly injections should maintain their usual dosing day, unless severe nausea occurs, in which case a doctor-approved delay is permissible.

Daily injectors and oral pill users must decide whether to take the dose before the fast, after it ends, or on an alternative schedule, avoiding double-dosing that could trigger pancreatitis. For patients with diabetes, especially those also on insulin or sulfonylureas, close glucose monitoring and possible medication adjustments are essential to prevent hypoglycemia. The article recommends a protein-rich pre-fast meal, adequate fluid intake, and a gentle, low-fat meal to break the fast, while keeping rapid-acting carbs on hand for emergencies.