Dr. Rees Checketts

PGY4 @UofUInternalMed #obesitymedicine fellow 2025 | @CreightonIM resident graduate | @TCOM_UNTHSC alum | 🥦 🏋🏻‍♀️ as Medicine | Views are my own.

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

A reintroduction feels appropriate.

I have a degree in nutrition, medicine, am internal-medicine certified. My practice focuses on dysregulated metabolism and the treatment of obesity and other weight-related comorbidities.

My goal is to help you understand what we now know.

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

A colleague, Joseph Zucchi, PA-C, MPAS shared the following on LinkedIn. It is an extraordinary infographic. With his permission, I am sharing the file here for others.

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

Eating less, not more, was shown to decrease the aging pace in this multi-center trial. These were in normal weight to moderately overweight subjects (BMI 22-27.9).

I’d be curious how aging is slowed in those with excess weight.

[David Sinclair @davidasinclair]

In humans, calorie restriction slows biological aging pace by ~2–3% over 2 years (CALERIE trial)
https://t.co/Eg8wBzhDpQ

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

It is exciting to think about the opportunities ahead.

[David Sinclair @davidasinclair]

Congrats Alex! 👏 @biogerontology

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

I’ve never had alcohol. Let’s make a deal!

[James 𝕏ond @james_xond]

You’re offered $1M, but you can never drink alcohol again. Could you do it?

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

Had a great time visiting with Dr. Nessim on his podcast 🎤 https://t.co/zIVTqzu0vh

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

Look AHEAD: ~8% weight loss via lifestyle intervention → no CV benefit.

SELECT: ~9% weight loss via semaglutide → 20% reduction in MACE. Same weight lost, different outcome. The mechanism matters.

There were LOTS of benefits with wt loss. Just not decreased heart events 😔

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

Losing weight makes you hungrier. That’s not weakness. That’s leptin.

When fat cells shrink → leptin drops → your brain screams “EAT.”

The body defends its fat stores harder than you can white-knuckle a diet.

This is biology. Not willpower.

[Mark Cuban @mcuban]

If big pharma sold to big 3 distributors at net prices rather than list prices, patients would save on average 40pct on their specialty and brand medications.

This isn't hard. @BernieSanders @HawleyMO @SenTedCruz @SenateGOP @SenWarren @AOC

https://t.co/COdRaMJPgq

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

When we stop exercising and our diet lapses, weight is regained.

When we stop our cholesterol medications, cholesterol rises.

When we stop blood pressure (BP) meds, BP climbs.

When we stop contraceptives, fertility increases.

When we stop GLP1 medications, weight rises.

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

Here are some of the highlights on Retatrutide.

1️⃣ Binds 3 sites instead of 1 or 2
2️⃣ Weight loss approaches surgical outcomes
3️⃣ Similar side effect profile as semaglutide & tirzepatide
4️⃣ Side effects were dose dependent

Still not available, but promising so far.

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

The cardio respiratory fitness required is incredible! What a specimen.

[NBC Olympics & Paralympics @NBCOlympics]

Sub-six-minute mile pace uphill on skis: #WinterOlympics SPEED. 🔥

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

Well said. The goal is to blunt, not eliminate your appetite.

[Dr. Spencer Nadolsky @DrNadolsky]

GLP-1 meds are not meant to eliminate your appetite. They are meant to normalize your appetite. You still need nutrients.

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

Retatrutide is coming!

1️⃣It treats obesity (up to 22% wt reduction).
2️⃣Reduces osteoarthritis symptoms.
3️⃣Alleviates metabolic disease burden (eg, insulin resistance).

Side effects? Similar to our current GLP-1 agents.

This will change lives. #obesitymedicine

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

Huge congratulations to my program director and dear colleague Juliana Simonetti @UofUHealth on her work on the @aace guidelines for obesity evaluation and treatment!

Great to see @DrKarlNadolsky and Simonetti changing the field of #obesitymedicine.

https://t.co/hQcjadL8RV

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

@DouglasAdlerMD @gautammaddineni As I complete fellowship and weigh out my options, this is very helpful for me.

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

I'll be at #OW2025 and would love to see you there! Let me know if you’re going and we can connect.

Learn more and register here: https://t.co/3yoO79vVps

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

My last streak was more than two years long; hope to surpass it here. Thanks language learning platforms for making the world warmer, more inviting, and familiar. Learning another’s language tears down our perceived barriers! Muchísima gracias por todo ⁦@duolingo⁩!

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

@AF_Siegel_MD @CreightonGI @clivejmiranda @MohammedQasswal @MarcelluSingh @IMCreighton @AmCollegeGastro That’s amazing! Great work.

[Dr. Rees Checketts @CheckettsRees]

A view of the mountains from the lunch break room. It feels like I work in a postcard. @UofUInternalMed #obesitymedicine #internalmedicine