For a long time, obesity has been a problematic health issue for many adults in the United States. After years of study, research has shown that obesity is linked to stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and an increased risk of cancer. However, that same research also shows that losing 5% to 10% of your body fat with a diet and exercise can reduce the risk for cancers, certain cardiovascular diseases, and cardiometabolic disorders, thus improving your overall health.
In 2021, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported around 70% of American adults are obese or overweight. To combat obesity and help the American population decrease the risk of cancer and disease, the FDA approved the drug Wegovy semaglutide as part of weight loss treatment for adults dealing with chronic weight management. Now, patients having trouble with weight gain can lose unwanted body fat and attain a healthier outlook on life. Many adults who use Wegovy semaglutide report that the treatment is even better than most weight loss drugs.
What Is Semaglutide?
Wegovy semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) that works as a naturally occurring hormone that signals the brain to regulate appetite and food digestion. Through Wegovy injections, the peptide is introduced into the body via the circulatory system, helping adults struggling with chronic weight decrease their appetite and feel fuller after meals.
Although it may seem new, Wegovy semaglutide treatment has been around for almost a decade. The peptide was initially approved in 2014 to help adults with their weight management before lower doses were ratified in 2017 to help control blood sugar in type 2 diabetics as the prescription brand, Ozempic.
At that time, people with diabetes taking Ozempic also noticed that the medication seemed to cause weight loss as an added benefit aside from regulating their blood sugar. Fast-forward four years later, and patients dealing with obesity have made many strides through semaglutide weight loss. Now in 2022, semaglutide is considered one of the most effective weight loss medications in endocrinology among physicians and patients alike.
How Does It Work for Weight Loss?
GLP-1 is an incretin hormone in the human body that helps regulate your appetite and digestion. When you finish a meal, incretin hormones are dispersed throughout the body and send signals to the brain to trigger insulin production, which helps lower your blood sugar. As that occurs, incretin hormones slow down the body’s gastric emptying, so food takes longer to leave your stomach. In doing so, the hormones help to keep your appetite satisfied as they work to decrease your blood sugar intake.
Medications like Wegovy are typically produced in doses and work to mimic the effects of the GLP-1 hormone over a prescribed time. Thanks to its properties, Wegovy has been tested and found very effective for adults with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg.
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Do You Still Have To Diet and Exercise?
It is essential to stick to an exercise routine while using Wegovy. Even though Semaglutide is proven to help weight management, it is not a miracle cure for weight loss. However, combining Wegovy treatment with a balanced diet and exercise regimen can significantly improve your weight loss results.
How Much Weight You’ll Lose
After maintaining routine doses of Wegovy for 68 weeks, patients using semaglutide injections for weight loss typically see a 10% to 16% decrease in body fat after consistent dieting and exercise.
Who Is the Best Candidate To Receive Semaglutide?
A typical semaglutide dose can be used by anyone suffering from obesity, regardless of ethnicity, age, or BMI. However, the best candidates to receive semaglutide are overweight adults suffering from obesity (BMI levels of 30 or above) or related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, or osteoarthritis.
What Are the Side Effects of Semaglutide?
Due to its weight loss properties, patients may experience gastrointestinal side effects while using semaglutide for weight loss. The most common side effects include:
- Stomach pain
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Indigestion
For patients with a family history of medullary thyroid cancer, semaglutide may cause more adverse side effects. In addition, the FDA warns that Wegovy may increase the risk for thyroid tumors, especially for people dealing with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome Type 2.
How Should Semaglutide Be Dosed?
The most effective method to administer Semaglutide is through injection. You will need to inject the peptide under the skin once a week during the first four weeks of treatment.
However, the dosage amount may vary among patients. Your physician will determine the appropriate dosage level based on your medical history and body type.
To effectively aid and monitor patients with their weight management, physicians typically prescribe 0.25 milligrams to start the process. After four weeks, your physician may gradually increase the dosage.
Our staff of hormone doctors at Renew Vitality can help you achieve your weight loss goals with safe and effective hormone replacement therapy. We provide the latest in cutting-edge regenerative medicine and work with reputable vendors to offer affordable semaglutide injections to provide the best weight loss results. In addition, Renew Vitality has hormone replacement clinics all over the United States, so you can always find access to Wegovy semaglutide injections at one of our locations near you. Call us at 1-800-785-3945 to schedule an appointment and speak with one of our specialists.
