Semaglutide for weight loss is an FDA approved medications for the use in certain patients with BMI's greater than 30.
It is a weekly injectable prescription medication that has been FDA approved for use in adults with obesity and BMIs of over 30 or overweight patients with a BMI greater than 27 whom also have medical comorbidities/problems associated with their weight. Diabetes and high blood pressure for example. This medication has been shown to help patients both lose weight as well as maintain the weight loss. A once weekly injection has been shown to cause patients to reduce their caloric intake and lose significant weight. Its so effective that the FDA approved Semaglutide (Wegovy) for use in adults for weight loss.
Semaglutide has been shown to be particularly effective when used
in conjunction with the reduced calorie diet plan as well as some form of
exercise and or physical activity.
Approved by the US food and drug in ministration (FDA), The
following press release stated by Dr John Sharretts, deputy Director of the
division of diabetes, lipid disorders and obesity in the FDA‘s center for drug
evaluation and research. Wegovy or Semaglutide “offers adults with obesity or those who are
overweight a beneficial new treatment option to incorporate into a weight
management program.” The benefits of starting a program for some induvial is too great to pass up, as ultimately one's health is in jeopardy when they are chronically overweight or obese.
Based on statistics from the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) an
estimated 73% of all Americans over the age of 20 are considered overweight or
obese. This comorbidity is directly related to several other secondary health problems. Being overweight or obese increases the risks of other comorbidities and serious medical
conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers as well as stroke,
orthopedic, neurological, and even psychological disorders and triples the likelihood
of hospitalization due to COVID-19.
In
a study published online in February 2016 in the journal cell metabolism, Dr
Samuel Klein MD, Director of Washington University Center for human nutrition
found that a relatively small amount of weight loss significantly lowered
patient’s risk for conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease as
well as showed improvement in metabolic functions in the liver, fat and muscle
tissue as well. The benefits to losing weight are too numerous to
list as unfortunately obesity is a significant risk factor and contributor to increased
morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, to name a new. Not to mention the psychological issues that often occur as a result of being overweight.
fortunately, obesity is something that patients and physicians have some potential measure of control over and may be able to
improve their BMI over time with smart diet and nutritional planning, increased
exercise, some lifestyle modifications and when indicated and appropriate, physician
monitored and prescribed FDA approved weight loss medications.
Semaglutide works by mimicking GLP-1 hormones (glucagon like
peptide-1). GLP is a naturally occurring hormone which targets areas in the
brain that are responsible for the regulation of both food intake and appetite.
When taking semaglutide It’s advised to slowly increase the dosing over the
course of 16 to 20 weeks until a patient can tolerate 2.4 mg injected once
weekly, to reduce and potential side effects and benefit from the medications effect
on the patient. In studies published on the FDA website, Wegovy showed an
average weight loss of 12.4% of the participants initial body weight compared
to individuals that received a placebo instead. It has been shown to have tremendous potential for patients who are in need of a boost to get their weight loss journey started.
On the US Department of health and human services website the
national Institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases defines overweight
and obesity.
A person whose weight is higher than what’s considered a normal
weight adjusted for their height is described as overweight or someone who is
obese.
According to data from the national health and nutrition
examination survey (The NHANES) 2013-2014 more than one and three adults were
considered overweight and more than two and three adults were considered to be
overweight or have obesity. More than one and every three adults were
considered to have obesity and about one and every 13 adults were considered to
have what was known as extreme obesity.
Some of the problems however with the BMI is they do not necessarily calculate variations in a person’s body type.
Regarding the prevalence of obesity and overweight men and women,
the CDC estimates that over 70% of all men and women are either overweight or
obese. Fortunately, there are medications that may a tremendous
benefit for those needing to lose weight. Semaglutide was granted FDA approval, via a 1 mg injection
called Ozempic which was first approved as a treatment in 2017 for type
two diabetes, and then found to possess remarkable weight loss potential.
The New England Journal of medicine published an article titled “once
weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity” which concluded
that participants who were overweight or obese using 2.4 mg of semaglutide once
weekly as well as making some lifestyle interventions showed sustained and
clinically relevant reduction of their body weight. The main change in body
weight from their week 1 baseline to week 68 was a 14.9% reduction in weight.
Semaglutide
2.4 mg is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. GLP one is a hormone that occurs naturally
in the body that helps you to suppress your appetite and delay the emptying of
your stomach. GLP-1 therapy is considered one of the most effective and safest
weight loss management medication for obese patients trying to improve overall
quality of life and to improve health outcomes. Medication like liraglutide, the
generic version of trulicity, is prescribed to help patients manage diabetes
and has been proven clinically safe and effective in weight reduction.
Semaglutide helps patients eat less and feel fuller. This medication
helped many patients to lose weight slowly for about 16 months, well past the
duration of time they were taking the medication. Losing weight slowly is
typically a much safer and more effective long-term weight loss solution. I
know most people really want a lose weight quick program however those can
often result in the weight returning just as quickly as it was lost. When used in
conjunction with a healthy balanced diet and smart lifestyle choices as well as
a physical fitness routine, GLP-1 medications can dramatically improve the
patient’s life for the better.
Consulting
with a physician to discuss the benefits of Semaglutide is simple. Fill
out our new patient intake form by clicking the link here and we will reach out
to schedule you for a free initial online consultation. You can call or text us
with any questions at 561-277-8260 to see if you qualify. NovaGenix medical staff would love to assist with any questions and help schedule an appointment with our physician, Dr. Mackey.
