Oprah Winfrey recently announced that she has lost 42 pounds since starting the medication semaglutide. The medication, is available in the brand name form of Ozempic(for diabetes) and Wegovy (for weight loss). Both of these brand name medications require a prescription and may or may not be covered by your insurance. Semaglutide is also available from compounding pharmacies and is usually combined with vitamin B. Semaglutide from compounding pharmacies is just effective as the name brand versions.
Semaglutide works by mimicking the effects of GLP-1, which leads to feelings of fullness and satiety, as well as decreased hunger and cravings. In clinical trials, semaglutide has been shown to lead to significant weight loss, with patients losing an average of 5-7% of their body weight.
In addition to its effects on appetite, semaglutide also helps with weight loss by decreasing the number of calories absorbed from food. This happens because semaglutide slows down gastric emptying, which is the process by which food moves from the stomach into the small intestine. When food stays in the stomach for a longer period of time, it is broken down more completely and fewer calories are absorbed. Research also suggests that, in addition to improving metabolic health and body weight, semaglutide may also help to lower the rate of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of cardiovascular disease.
Another way that semaglutide has been found to promote weight loss is by increasing energy expenditure. This means that you burn more calories even when you’re at rest. One study found that patients who took semaglutide had an increase in energy expenditure of 5%, which led to an average weight loss of 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) over 16 weeks.
If you’re looking for a medication that can help you lose weight, semaglutide may be worth considering. This once-weekly injection has been shown to lead to significant weight loss, with patients losing an average of 5-7% of their body weight. Semaglutide works by decreasing appetite and slowing down gastric emptying, as well as increasing energy expenditure. So if you’re struggling to lose weight on your own, call our office to schedule a consultation about whether semaglutide could be right for you.
