Medical professionals often prescribe semaglutide to patients who have type 2 diabetes. Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, it has also shown to be an incredibly efficient weight loss aid for patients. As the active ingredient in well-known brand-name drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus, semaglutide is currently on everybody’s lips. But what exactly is semaglutide? Does it really work for weight loss? We’ll find an answer for you in this article, and explain the main benefits of using semaglutide for weight loss.
What Is Semaglutide?
A number of diabetic and weight loss medications, including Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus, have semaglutide as their active ingredient. This substance is a synthetic form of the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), that occurs naturally. Developed by the company Novo Nordisk, semaglutide was first approved by the FDA in 2017 as an injection for the treatment of adult type 2 diabetes (as part of the approval procedure for Ozempic). In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration approved a novel semaglutide form known as Rybelsus. Rybelsus was the first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in the United States.
After that, in 2021 precisely, a stronger injection form of semaglutide, marketed as Wegovy, was approved by the FDA. Wegovy is a weight loss medication that is particularly suggested to help patients with obesity or overweight issues lose weight, unlike the other two versions of semaglutide that can also help with weight loss but aren’t officially approved by the FDA for that matter. As professionals who can perform your semaglutide treatment in Albuquerque recommend, semaglutide should always be used in combination with regular exercise and a healthy diet. The usage of semaglutide is increasing at an alarming pace due to the high global rates of type 2 diabetes and obesity. The last five years have seen a fortyfold increase in its prescription. Medications containing semaglutide are taken by around 1.6% of the US population. However, if some studies are to be believed, more than half of American adults are eligible for using semaglutide.
Thanks to its many benefits, semaglutide has helped millions of people minimize their risk of cardiovascular events (such as heart attacks, heart disease, and strokes), lower their blood sugar levels, and lose weight.
Benefits of Semaglutide
Semaglutide has numerous benefits when it comes to achieving and managing weight loss. Here are just a few of them:
- Losing weight gradually and safely: Semaglutide will reduce your cravings and hunger by slowing down digestion and lowering your appetite. This will help you stay loyal to a low-calorie diet. As a bonus, it aids in fat reduction, which means you will lose weight gradually and safely.
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle: Semaglutide promotes long-term weight reduction by encouraging sticking to a healthy lifestyle and diet even after the medication is no longer taken, in contrast to other weight loss medications that only work while they are in your system.
- Improved metabolic health: Along with its weight loss benefits, semaglutide lowers cholesterol levels, inflammation, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin.
- Minimal side effects: Nausea, constipation, and headache are some of the rare and minor side effects experienced by most people taking semaglutide. These side effects can be managed with over-the-counter medications and lifestyle modifications, and they are usually mild.
- Easy to use: Semaglutide injection is a great choice for those with busy and chaotic lifestyles since it is easy to use and requires just weekly dosing. Even if it’s taken once a week, semaglutide has still been proven to work better than other daily-dosing chronic weight control medications.
Who Should Use Semaglutide for Weight Loss?
For people without type 2 diabetes who are dealing with chronic weight, the FDA has approved semaglutide, under the brand name Wegovy. Its weight loss assistance usage is considered “off-label” when it is provided under the brand names Ozempic or Rybelsus.
Target patients for semaglutide are adults who are either overweight (BMI of 27 kg/m2 or more) or have obesity (BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more), who suffer from weight-related health issues including high cholesterol, hypertension, or obstructive sleep apnea. When it comes to children, Wegovy is safe and approved only for children over the age of 12 whose starting BMI is in the 95th percentile for their age.
A typical method of using semaglutide is by a subcutaneous injection, which is applied just under the skin. If you or a loved one is needle-phobic, it’s important to discuss the possible alternatives for weight loss with your doctor.
Who Should Not Use Semaglutide?
Being an anti-obesity medication, semaglutide is specifically prescribed and designed to help people reduce and manage their weight. They are intended to help people who have trouble losing weight with a healthy diet and exercise alone. People of a healthy weight who are just looking to lose a few pounds should not use this medication.
Before you begin semaglutide treatment, you should talk and inform your doctor about a few things. By providing the following information, you can reduce the risk of severe side effects or any drug interactions: kidney disease, family or personal history of MTC, diabetic retinopathy, any digestive disorders, history of pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, and high triglyceride levels. Additionally, pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding, and women attempting to conceive, should not be prescribed semaglutide.
How to Get Semaglutide?
A valid written order from a licensed healthcare provider is required to get semaglutide since it is a prescription medication. You can’t just buy it at a store. As already mentioned, many different brands of semaglutide are on the market, including Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy. These medications are available in a range of dosages and forms (injectable and oral tablet forms). These medications do not have any generic versions currently.
People who are overweight and dealing with a health issue connected to their weight will get prescriptions for these medications from their doctor. Semaglutide may not be appropriate for everyone, as we already stated, so it’s important to talk with your doctor first. Talk about the cost, any possible side effects, and any other concerns you have.
Semaglutide can be a great additional support you need if you’ve been fighting obesity or are overweight and haven’t seen results from changing your lifestyle alone. It has numerous benefits, and it can help you reach and maintain your ideal weight. But remember that this isn’t a magic solution alone; for really long-term effects, you also need to include a nutritious diet and regular exercise into your routine. Have faith; the effort will be worth it!
