Muscle loss: We you naturally lose muscle with ageand also with weight loss. With these medications, muscle mass in older adults “may be reduced to the point where they are at risk of complications such as falls,” says Nate Wood, an obesity expert at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn.

Losing excess weight: Older adults who are mildly or moderately overweight may be less likely to die early, Wood says; “This could be because you have extra body fat that would require unexpected hospitalization, or because you lose weight when you are sick.”

Nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting: These side effects appear to be more common in older adults, according to Batsis.

Cost: Medicare Part D does not cover weight-loss medications, which can run you about $1,300 a month for weight loss alone. However, Part D will generally treat these as treatments for type 2 diabetes. And Wegovy is now protected to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in adults with obesity, overweight and cardiovascular disease.