A concrete plan is better
The observed AMPK upregulation aligns with studies showing that Spirulina platensis and its phycocyanin content can activate AMPK pathways, improving lipid metabolism and redox balance (Karimzadeh et al., 2025)
For most people, this is a manageable tradeoff
A 2021 study on nalfurafine, a -opioid agonist metabolized by cytochrome P450 into an inactive form, showed significant improvement in pruritus scores without notable adverse effects at doses of 2.5 mg and 5 mg, regardless of daytime or nighttime itching (24)
This is a reasonable question to raise with a prescribing physician, since a more gradual pace of weight loss may give skin more time to adapt, though individual factors including age, baseline skin quality, and total weight lost also play a role