What is Semaglutide?

What is all this buzz about Semaglutide?

For the past several decades, Americans have fought a losing battle against weight gain. Today, more than 70% of people in the United States are overweight or obese with rates continuing to climb. There are a new class of medications on the market helping people take back control of their life and lose weight. 

What is semaglutide?

Sold under the brand name Ozempic® or Wegovy®, semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, which is a scientific way of saying that semaglutide helps your pancreas release insulin to bring down blood sugar levels.

Researchers investigated the effectiveness of semaglutide as a weight loss aid when given as a once-weekly injection. Most of the participants lost at least 10% of their body weight and more than half of them lost 15% of their body weight.

The trial included close to 2,000 adults with a BMI of 30 and above. The participants did not have diabetes, which researchers assert indicates that semaglutide is beneficial for weight loss in people whether they have diabetes or not.

Additionally, participants taking semaglutide experienced improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart disease risk.

Ozempic® was approved by the FDA in 2017. Wegovy® was approved by the FDA in 2021. 

Semaglutide promotes weight loss

Semaglutide works by mimicking the effects of the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). When you eat, GLP-1 is released in the gut, which tells your brain that you are getting full. It can also slow the movement of food through your stomach and small intestine, helping you stay fuller for longer. As a result, you may eat less food, which can lead to weight loss.

It also has an affect on the brain to decrease hunger, increase satisfaction, and alter the food-reward system (changing food preferences in favor of healthier options).

Semaglutide triggers the release of insulin, which lowers your blood sugar and helps your cells use glucose from the food you have eaten. Any glucose that your cells do not use is stored as fat, which is why high blood sugar can lead to weight gain.

Semaglutide offers long-term weight management

Present evidence suggests that semaglutide offers a long-term solution for managing weight. Medications in the same family have a long history of safe use and have remained on the market for years. This lowers the chances of unexpected problems with safety.

Who is a candidate for semaglutide?

The great news is that semaglutide appears to be effective across a range of individuals who are overweight or obese, even if you don’t have diabetes. Semaglutide is effective for people of all ages, races, and backgrounds.

The medication should not be prescribed to anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), because there is an increased risk of developing thyroid C-cell tumors. 

There is also an increased risk of other complications, including gallbladder problems, such as gallstones and inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis

It’s important to note that semaglutide is most effective as part of a healthy lifestyle change. This means that you will get the most out of semaglutide when combined with a nutritious diet and exercise regimen. 

What are the side effects?

The most common side effects are mild nausea, headache, diarrhea, constipation, or fatigue  early on in treatment. More rarely, severe side effects such as vomiting, pancreatitis, or gallbladder inflammation may occur.

Ready to start?

Do you want to see if semaglutide is right for your weight loss journey? Call your nearest Victory Men's Health location to book a consultation and let us help you reach your goals.

To schedule an appointment:

Victory Men's Health O’Fallon, IL 618.632.9000 info@victorymenshealth.com

Victory Men's Health Town and Country, MO 314.833.9000 moinfo@victorymenshealth.com

Victory Men's Health Winghaven, MO 636.229.9000 winghaven@victorymenshealth.com