Semaglutide

You’ve likely heard of Semaglutide, or the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, recently. This medication has taken the weight loss industry by storm. From celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, and Kim Kardashian to your next-door neighbor, Semaglutide has shown remarkable results for people struggling with weight loss and control. So, what is all the fuss about?

What is it?

Semaglutide is a medication originally created for diabetes management. It binds to receptors in your body known as GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1) receptors and activates them. By doing so, it triggers several events in your body related to insulin secretion, glucose metabolism, and digestion.

How Does it Work?

At lower doses, Semaglutide helps control blood sugar in people with diabetes. However, at medium and higher doses, it has been found to lead to significant weight loss, sometimes up to 20% of total body weight in just 90 days! It works through several mechanisms, not all of which are fully understood, including:

• Decreasing appetite

• Slowing digestion

• Regulating blood sugar and metabolism

  
  

Is it Safe?

Generally speaking, Semaglutide is a safe medication for achieving weight loss in people who meet the guidelines and have not been able to reach their goal weight through lifestyle changes or other weight loss strategies.

Per FDA guidelines, a person must have a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or more along with certain other risk factors (called comorbidities) or a BMI of 30 or more with or without other risk factors.

Depending on your personal medical history, bloodwork may be needed as well.

Who Should Not Take This Medication?

Every individual is different, and you should always speak with your healthcare professional to determine if this or any medication is a good fit for you. That said, there are several medical conditions that generally make a person a less safe candidate for Semaglutide, including:

• History of pancreatitis

• Kidney disease

• Severe gastrointestinal disease

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding

• History of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)

• History of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)

• Heavy alcohol consumption

• Allergy to Semaglutide

Certain medications and other medical considerations might also make you a poor candidate for this medication.

Do I Take This Medication Forever?

Ideally, no. Semaglutide is meant to help you achieve your weight loss goals in conjunction with lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise. Depending on your personal goals, this may take just a few months or quite a bit longer.

What Else Should I Know?

One downside of Semaglutide is that up to 30% of the weight loss can come from muscle loss. Even if you’re not focused on building muscle, this is a significant concern because muscle is hard to regain as we age, and losing muscle can increase the risk of osteoporosis. Working with a healthcare professional who understands these risks and knows how to mitigate them is very important.

This medication is traditionally given by a once-weekly injection. The needle is extremely small, but some people may still find this intimidating. Fortunately, dissolvable versions are hitting the market for the first time, and we have them here at Aeonic Health.

Is Semaglutide Any Different From Wegovy or Ozempic?

You can think of Semaglutide as the generic name, similar to how ibuprofen is the generic name for Advil. The active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic is Semaglutide. Some formulations are paired with additional components to help with your weight loss journey.

What Should I Do Now?

If you’re interested in exploring whether Semaglutide is right for you, click here for our complementary, physician-built intake form to begin your process! Or, if you’d rather speak to someone right away, you can book a weight loss discovery call, or call our office to schedule!

Sources: 

1. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL. "Semaglutide as a weight-loss therapy: Safety and efficacy." Diabetes Obes Metab. 2021. 

2. "FDA Approves New Drug Treatment for Chronic Weight Management, First Since 2014." U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2021. 

3. Nauck MA, Meier JJ. "The Incretin Effect in Healthy Individuals and Those with Type 2 Diabetes: Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Response to Therapeutic Interventions." Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2016.