Weight loss is now a trending topic, especially in news media, film industry, and online as well. In June 2021, the FDA gave the green signal by approving semaglutide(Wegoby), which is good to take for helping adults maintain weight in the long term, along with a healthy diet and exercise routine.
Before it got approved, this drug was famous because the organization reported that people in research lost around 15-18% of their initial lose weight related condition. Now, it is also good for youngsters aged 12+ who need help in weight management.
However, it’s necessary to know if semaglutide is right for you. At the same time, it might be more effective than some other obesity medicine for burning fewer calories.
Let’s get through what you should know about semaglutide:
What is semaglutide?
Sema glutide is also famous as glucagon, just like peptide-1(GLP-1). Authentically, it was approved in 2017; people may use once-a-week subcutaneous injection for those adults suffering from Type 2 diabetes.
A few years later, the FDA approved Rybelsus, which is a once-a-day pill form of semaglutide.
People who take semaglutide for Type 2 diabetes often search for lean body mass as an extra bonus.
Because the manufacturer looked into using the medication often for significant weight loss but at a higher dose, it is necessary to note that there are versions of semaglutide available in the market that are compound or made for research purposes. These differ from FDA-approved versions of products like Rybelsus, ozempic, and wegovy.
Working of Semaglutide – How does it work?
How does semaglutide work for weight loss? It’s a commonly asked question. So here is how:
- Repression of the Release of Glucagon
Semaglutide facilitates the reduction of the glucagon like peptide 1 release factor. Glucagon like peptide 1 stimulates the release of glucose from the liver, raising blood sugar levels. Your body weight can better control blood sugar levels by slowing down glucagon like peptide 1.
- Blood Sugar Circulation
When the sugar level is higher, dulaglutide promotes the pancreatic GLP-1 receptors, which help in releasing factor of insulin. Therefore, insulin lowers the sugar level in the blood and facilitates the uptake of glucose into cells.
- Gastric Emptying at a Slow Pace
Semaglutide decreases the stomach’s evacuation, which aids in controlling the absorption of nutrients such as glucose into the digestive system. It also aids in reducing the feelings of hunger.
- GLP-1 Receptor Activation
Semaglutide activates the GLP-1 receptors and attaches to the pancreas plus other places in the body, acting like the natural GLP-1 hormone.
- Appetite Regulation
Semaglutide can make you feel full and eat in response to the appetite regulation in body composition.
How is Semaglutide Good for Weight Loss?
Semaglutide works on GLP-1, an incretin naturally occurring hormone that plays a vital role in digestion & appetite. It is difficult to work with some different methods to reduce obesity. These are:
- Slow down the movement of appetite in your stomach.
- The brain is the target area that supports the regulate appetite and fullness.
- Decrease cravings for some food intake like sweets and salty snacks.
- Some effects of semaglutide, like slower stomach empties, might decrease over time.
Additionally, reduced appetite only sticks around as long as you keep taking the medication.
How Do Semaglutide Dosages Support Weight Loss?
Semaglutide is injected one time a week. You can take any time in a day, with or without food intake. Usually, it begins with a dosage of semaglutide, increasing it every four weeks until it reaches the target dose of 2.4 mg once a week.
This step-by-step dosing helps maintain possible drawbacks. If you have trouble with the semaglutide, your consultant might reduce your dose or tell you to stop using it more.
How to Inject Semaglutide?
Wegovy is a semaglutide product that is approved for weight loss to reduce obesity; it is available as a single-use and looks like an injection pen. The dosage is preset, and the needle is attached to the pen. Every man has one dose; therefore, you will discard it after taking an injection.
Inject the dosage of semaglutide into your body(subcutaneously), that is, your abdominal part or upper arm or thigh. Don’t inject every time at the same place in your body.
So, changing the site of injection with each dose may support limiting injection place reactions. After selecting and deep cleaning the injection spot, remove the pen cap of the injection. Push the pen unwaveringly against the skin, which will activate the injection.
You can hear a “click” sound, and the yellow bar starts moving. Keep holding onto the pen until the bar stops moving. Then, toss your used pen into a special container for sharp objects.
Remember that Ozempic is another injection of semaglutide, which is prescribed when off-label to lose weight. The injection pen of Ozempic works differently than the Qegovy pen.
However, this process is also a substitute for bariatric surgery. However, many people have a fear of bariatric surgery, so semaglutide is better than surgery.
Dark Side of Semaglutide
Semaglutide is an FDA-approved weight loss treatment that helps in the weight loss journey. Moreover, it is used to heal obesity in conjunction with lifestyle interventions, including exercise programs and reducing obesity.
However, treating obesity with semaglutide has some health risks & safety perspectives, which are:
Major side effects of taking semaglutide injections may have:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Burping
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Heartburn
Semaglutide might interact with other medications by increasing the possibility of drawbacks.
People who take semaglutide may face some risks that are:
- Gallbladder issues
- Thyroid cancer
- Sudden kidney problems
- Complications related to diabetic eye disease
- Faster heart rate
- Pancreas inflammation
- Suicidal thoughts
- Depression
Precautions
Drink plenty of water before using semaglutide, and consult your healthcare provider or medical experts if you are allergic to it or if you feel some allergic reactions.
This medication might contain some issues or cause allergic reactions.
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Kidney problems
- Gallbladder issues
- Pancreas problems such as pancreatitis
- Mental health condition disorders such as suicidal thoughts or depression
- Stomach pain like gastroparesis or difficulty in digesting food
- If you are a diabetic patient, these medications could affect high blood sugar levels
Get your blood sugar level checkups regularly as instructed, and consult with your doctor about your body’s changes.
Tell your doctor if you experience low blood sugar symptoms. Your healthcare provider may need to treat diabetes medication, a healthy diet, and an exercise routine.
Health Journey with Semaglutide
Semaglutide produces fine results for chronic weight management, and it is important to know that it is not an autonomous solution. It is important to complement the treatment option of semaglutide with life changes such as maintaining a healthy diet and exercise.
These adjustments are combined with the effects of semaglutide, making a powerful synergy that increases the possibility of success in the weight loss medications journey.
Prior to initiating semaglutide or other medications for weight loss, the professionals conduct an evolution to find out the suitability of you. Your medical history and current situation are very important to make decisions.
The complete assessment assures that semaglutide is the right choice or not. The healthcare provider is empowered with important guides and tools to achieve desired weight management plus overall health improvement. The mechanism of the semaglutide act directly targets the appetite circle and energy expenditure.
Who Should Take Semaglutide?
While using semaglutide as a weight loss medication, it is very crucial to describe the potential advantages and risks of therapy with the healthcare provider.
This happened because semaglutide is not good for everybody. It is a long-term commitment until you recover from weight gain if you stop using it.
Semaglutide was researched in some adults and teenagers who met strong BMI criteria. Behalf of this, this is especially approved for below populations:
Youngsters
Youngsters have a BMI of 30 higher, which means they are overweight, or if your BMI is 27 or higher than that, then it means you have health problems related to weight gain, such as diabetes (Type 2) & high blood pressure (high cholesterol).
Teenager
For teenagers who are 12 to 17 years old, initial BMI is at or more to the 95th percentile for gender and age, which means you are overweight.
Semaglutide is often prescribed off-label for those who do not meet the upper criteria. This means that the FDA has not confirmed that semaglutide is effective and safe for these uses. Your consultant may decide that semaglutide is right for you.
Does Semaglutide Have Any Interactions with Other Weight Loss Drugs?
Yes, semaglutide may interact with other diabetes weight loss drugs, like insulin, and those that boost insulin release(like sulfonylureas). The combination may increase the risk of blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia).
Semaglutide slows gastric emptying, and it can potentially interfere with your body’s absorption orally medicated. However, this effect can be left for the initial months of the treatment.
So, the study participants can determine the interactions among potential effects that you have and manage them safely.
Which Body Mass Index BMI is Appropriate For Semaglutide Use?
To be permitted to have Wavy for weight loss medication, people may have a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more or a body mass index BMI of 27 kg/m2 or more and a weight-related situation or chronic disease like high cholesterol, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
Semaglutide (Wegovy) is approved for children who are 12 years or older with a BMI at the 95th or greater percentile appropriate for age.
What Dosage of Semaglutide is Recommended for Weight Loss?
The recommended dosage for body weight loss of Wegovy for plumpness management is once a week, semaglutide 2.4 mg injected into the skin. To minimize the side effects of gastrointestinal, your study participants will prescribe a lower dose, initialized with 0.25 mg, and circumspectly increase the dosage with the passage of time, around 16-20 weeks, to manage the dosage of 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg once a week.
Semaglutide is injected under the skin of the upper arm, thigh, or abdomen. You can use this obesity medicine once a week on the same day every week. Semaglutide can be injected anytime throughout the day without having a meal. You need to treat obesity medication for weight loss.
What Happens if You Quit Taking Semaglutide?
Semaglutine’s prescription originated from long-term use. Semaglutide user uses semaglutide for weight loss goals or may gain or get back their weight if they quit taking the medicines. Well, those persons who want healthy lifestyle changes may have the ability to mitigate their body weight gain.
Overdose of Semaglutide
If anyone takes an overdose and has some brutal symptoms like trouble breathing or passing out, then call the healthcare helpline contact. Otherwise, you may call the poison control center immediately. Common symptoms of overdosage may include vomiting and severe nausea.
What Conditions Does Semaglutide Treat?
Semaglutide belongs to the drugs family that are famous as glucagon, such as peptide-1 receptor agonists or incretin mimetics. The brand name of this weight loss drug is Ozempic(which has semaglutide as an active ingredient).
It is used with a healthy lifestyle containing diet and exercise to maintain sugar levels in youngsters with type-2 diabetes. This drug helps to reduce risk factors of cardiovascular disease and heart disease like stroke, heart attack, and death with type-2 diabetes by circulating sugar levels.
The prescription drug Wegovey (that has a frisky ingredient in semaglutide) is used with lower obesity, low-fat diet, and boosted physical activity to encourage weight loss goals in obesity in youngsters and children 12 years and more as long as they connect with certain criteria.
Some evidence shows that semaglutide can have a vital role in the nonalcoholic treatment of nonalcoholic and fatty liver disease.
Final Verdict – How does semaglutide work for weight loss?
Semaglutide energizes the pancreas to emit more insulin in order to increase sugar levels. Healthcare providers prescribe this drug according to your health conditions.
Semaglutide delays gastric emptying and delays the movement of the meal, boosting feelings of fullness & regulating the appetite process. You can take semaglutide for weight loss one time in a week according to obesity management; an overdose may harm your body parts with some symptoms like vomiting and nausea.
Stop using semaglutide if you feel changes in body composition or any kind of severe symptoms in your body. Sometimes people lose weight as a fashion. You can see on other weight loss program but semaglutide is one of the best drugs to use.
You can also get insurance plans from a bank but these insurance coverage may differ according to the insurance policies.