Semaglutide: A Newly Approved Medication for Managing Weight

What Is It?

GLP-1s FIGHT WEIGHT WITH BIOLOGY.

GLP-1s are not stimulants, non-habit forming and are clinically-proven to be the most effective medications for long-term results. They work on the same receptors as powerful, naturally-occurring GLP-1 hormones that exist in your body, which improve your metabolic function, and regulate your digestion so you can feel full longer and maximize nutrient absorption. GLP-1s also have far-reaching benefits including reducing inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk to help you not only lose weight, but also live a longer and healthier life.

GLP-1s are different from older classes of weight loss medications (like phentermine) because they work on key underlying metabolic pathways to support sustained weight loss, not a quick fix.

Who Can Take It?

Obesity has continually been on the rise for the past six to seven decades. In fact, the CDC estimates that up to 73 percent of Americans aged 20 and above are overweight. When left unmanaged for a long time, obesity gives rise to many health illnesses, including:

• Heart diseases;
• Diabetes;
• Arthritis, and;
• Certain cancers.

That’s where healthy weight management comes in. Losing five to 10 percent weight through a healthy diet and regular exercise has been shown to lower the risk of getting diabetes by 58 percent. Weight loss also protects your heart by reducing the risk of heart diseases and controlling high blood pressure.

Semaglutide is best used for boosting weight loss in overweight people with established weight-related health issues. For example, overweight adults who suffer from conditions, like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol, can achieve better weight loss by taking semaglutide, in addition to clean eating and exercise.

The FDA has recently approved a once-weekly injection of semaglutide 2.4mg for weight management in adults whose:

• BMI is 27 kg/m² and suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure, or;
• BMI is greater than 30kg/m².

Semaglutide is given through a subcutaneous injection under the skin or by mouth. It works uniquely by mimicking the effect of insulin to lower your blood sugar levels. Moreover, it controls specific areas of your brain that regulate appetite and food intake. As a result, your appetite is suppressed, your food cravings are reduced, and you can better control your eating patterns.

Another approved clinical indication of semaglutide is to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events in adults suffering from chronic heart diseases.

Benefits of Taking Semaglutide

Weight loss is hands-down one of the best benefits of taking semaglutide. Coupled with healthy eating and exercise, the drug has been shown to reduce 10 to 15 percent of body weight in obese individuals who have type 2 diabetes. In fact, scientists believe semaglutide is twice as effective as other available treatments for obesity.

Another significant benefit of semaglutide is its effectiveness in treating type 2 diabetes. It’s given by mouth and helps in lowering blood sugar, controlling weight, and reducing high blood pressure. Plus, it can be used alone or in combination with other anti-diabetic drugs to control blood sugar.

Is It Safe?

A bunch of different studies have reviewed whether semaglutide is a safe and effective treatment option for long-term weight management. Some of these studies found:

• A clinical trial study recently published in The Lancet has discovered that using multiple doses of semaglutide along with cagrilintide is a safe treatment option to go with.
• Another research studied the safety profile of oral semaglutide against sitagliptin over a period of 52 weeks. The results revealed that most patients tolerated semaglutide well and showed significant weight reduction and lower HBA1C overtime.
• A recent 2021 clinical review revealed that both oral and injectable formulations of semaglutide are safe and effective in lowering sugar and weight management and are associated with a lower risk of hypoglycemia.

The most commonly known side effects associated with semaglutide use are gastrointestinal. However, while around 50 percent of people on semaglutide complain of mild nausea, vomiting, and constipation, it’s still well tolerated in 95 percent of the patients.

Conclusion

Semaglutide is a safe drug proven to be effective in chronic weight management in adults. Though it was approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes several years back, semaglutide recent approval for weight management promises better treatment outcomes.

Not only is the drug several times more effective than other weight management drugs out there, but it’s also helpful in preventing severe chronic illnesses such as heart disease and high blood pressure down the line.