Semaglutide for Weight Loss: Is it Effective?

For the past several decades, Americans have fought a losing battle against weight gain. Today, more than 70% of people in the United States are overweight or obese. At any given time, at least half of people in the U.S are trying to lose weight, mostly through diet and exercise. Despite this, rates of overweight and obesity continue to climb.

Semaglutide is a game-changing medication that’s FDA-approved to treat diabetes and may help people with and without the condition lose weight. If you’ve tried to lose weight without success, semaglutide may help you slim down and keep it off. 

The team of wellness experts at Renew Infusions and East Valley Serenity Health in Gilbert, Arizona, offers a range of wellness care, including innovative weight loss solutions such as semaglutide.

What is semaglutide?

Sold under the brand name Ozempic®, semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, which is a scientific way of saying that semaglutide helps your pancreas release insulin to bring down blood sugar levels. It does this by activating a blood-sugar regulating protein found within the beta cells of your pancreas. 

Ozempic was approved by the FDA in 2017. It’s administered as a once weekly injection and is also available in oral pill form.

Semaglutide promotes weight loss

Researchers investigated the effectiveness of semaglutide as a weight loss aid when given as a once-weekly injection. Most of the participants lost at least 10% of their body weight and more than half of them lost 15% of their body weight.

The trial included close to 2,000 adults with a BMI of 30 and above. The participants did not have diabetes, which researchers assert indicates that semaglutide is beneficial for weight loss in people whether they have diabetes or not.

Additionally, participants taking semaglutide experienced improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart disease risk.

Semaglutide is more effective than other weight loss medications

Many weight loss medications have been withdrawn from the market as a result of dangerous or life-threatening side effects. Of the currently available weight loss medications, semaglutide is more effective, according to a review published in the journal Current Obesity Reports in 2021.

When examining other available weight loss medication, researchers found that the most effective medication resulted in a 6.8% loss of body weight. Other weight loss medications produce 5.4% body weight loss or less. One popular weight loss medication produced a 2.9% loss of body weight.

Semaglutide produced much more significant weight loss in comparison.

Semaglutide offers long-term weight management

Present evidence suggests that semaglutide offers a long-term solution for managing weight. Medications in the same family have a long history of safe use and have remained on the market for years. This lowers the chances of unexpected problems with safety.

Who is a good candidate for semaglutide?

The great news is that semaglutide appears to be effective across a range of individuals who are overweight or obese, even if you don’t have diabetes. Semaglutide is effective for people of all ages, races, and backgrounds.

It’s important to note that semaglutide is most effective as part of a healthy lifestyle change. This means that you will get the most out of semaglutide when combined with a nutritious diet and exercise regimen. 

Carrying excess weight is more than a cosmetic issue. Being overweight or obese is an independent risk factor for a range of chronic diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. 

If you’re overweight or obese, make shedding excess pounds a top priority. We’re here to provide the guidance, tools, and support to help you succeed in achieving meaningful, long-term weight loss. 

To learn more about semaglutide and other weight loss solutions, give us a call to set up a consultation with one of our weight loss specialists or book an appointment online today.