920 Woodstock Rd, Roswell, GA 30075
920 Woodstock Rd, Roswell, GA 30075
For those of us living in the United States, it would seem that Semaglutide has only been on the market for a few short years. In reality, it was first developed in 2012 by Danish scientist, Jesper Lau, during his work at Novo Nordisk’s labs. It was later approved by the FDA for treating diabetes patients in 2017. In 2021, it was approved for medical weight loss.
With all the media coverage and marketing campaigns, Semaglutide quickly became a household topic. However, extra attention has also led to a variety of misconceptions and myths about the therapeutic. In this article, our goal is to explain how Semaglutide works, show the scientific evidence, and clear up misconceptions on the medication.
Semaglutide is the generic name for a class of medications referred to as ‘GLP-1’s, which stands for ‘Glucagon-like-peptide-1’. We’ll explain what this means exactly in the next section. First, let’s briefly review the brand names you might be familiar with:
Next, let’s examine the role GLP-1 naturally plays in the body.
Semaglutide is an analog of GLP-1, which is a hormone naturally produced in the body. The term ‘analog’ simply refers to a compound designed to mimic or replicate the function of another substance in the body.
Here’s a closer review of what happens after GLP-1 is produced (and when Semaglutide is in your system):
Before we take a look at the health benefits Semaglutide can bring, let’s start with reviewing the clinical trials.
In interviews and podcasts, people tend to throw around the term ‘studies show’ without either citing the study – or describing how the study was conducted. While this is often well-intentioned, some individuals use this tactic to debate or assert a narrative with a sense of authority when the ‘study’ they’re referring to may be heavily skewed due to bias.
Fortunately, there’s plenty of ways to construct a study to remove such bias. Perhaps the most effective method is what you’ll hear called a ‘randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study’. This was how the STEP 1 Study on Semaglutide (PubMed) was constructed.
First, let’s unpack what the scientific jargon means in plain English. We’ll examine the findings of the STEP 1 study next.
So while some so-called ‘studies’ can be heavily skewed due to bias – a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study is much more reliable. Now, let’s talk about the results of the STEP 1 study.
While other clinical trials of Semaglutide were conducted, the STEP 1 study is one of the most comprehensive and well-structured. Researchers divided 1,961 participants with a BMI of 30 or higher (or BMI 27+ with at least one obesity-related condition) into 2 groups. The first group received Semaglutide and the second received a placebo. Here’s what was found after 68 weeks of observation.
On average, the participants in the treatment group lost 14.9% of their initial body weight – compared to just 2.4% in the placebo group. This is remarkable considering that most of these individuals had struggled with obesity for a number of years (Invigor Medical). Semaglutide helps individuals achieve significant weight loss by reducing appetite and prolonging feelings of fullness.
Beyond weight loss, Semaglutide demonstrated notable benefits in cardiovascular health and the ability to regulate blood sugar:
Chronic conditions like obesity and Type 2 Diabetes require lifestyle interventions like adopting a healthier diet and engaging in more frequent exercise. Since Semaglutide helps control hunger and cravings, participants in the STEP 1 treatment group found it much easier to avoid unhealthy foods. Not only does this further accelerate weight loss, it led to lasting changes to lifestyle habits that allowed many participants to keep the excess weight off.
However, stopping Semaglutide led to some weight regain in certain participants. This highlights the importance of ongoing treatment and lifestyle adjustments for long-term success.
Before we conclude, let’s clear the air on a few common misconceptions.
While Semaglutide is highly effective, it is not a miracle drug. As we’ve already established, the therapeutic works best when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise. While Semaglutide makes it easier to fight cravings, you still need to combine it with a healthier diet.
At Elite Health HRT, we encourage our patients to prioritize protein intake. We also recommend foregoing (or at least minimizing) the intake of ultraprocessed foods that are linked to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and other chronic conditions. This means avoiding foods that contain seed oils, processed grains, and added sugars. You can find more examples in “9 Products to Avoid to Minimize Hormone Disruption.”
To be clear, Semaglutide can cause side effects. Some are mild and include nausea, constipation, or fatigue. Others are more severe and can include pancreatitis and kidney problems. Oftentimes, side effects can be managed or mitigated altogether with the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner. When beginning treatment with Semaglutide, new patients start on a small dose and titrate the dose up over time. Once the target effects are achieved without side effects, the dose is maintained.
When you hear stories of stomach paralysis from celebrities and other figures, it’s likely because they started on a large weekly dose of Semaglutide and made no adjustments to their food intake. For obvious reasons, this is not advisable under any circumstance.
To a degree, this is actually a fair statement. When patients start Semaglutide but fail to maintain appropriate protein intake, engage in resistance training, and lose weight too quickly – they can indeed lose an undesirable amount of lean muscle mass.
If your caloric deficit is too extreme, your body is also more likely to break down muscle tissue for energy instead of just relying on fat stores. Also, if you have an underlying hormone imbalance (like low testosterone), it will be difficult to maintain muscle. For this very reason, many of our patients are on both Semaglutide and hormone replacement therapy.
It’s true that Semaglutide started as a treatment solely intended for individuals with Type 2 Diabetes. However, as we covered earlier, it’s also approved for treating obesity in individuals with a BMI of 30 or higher – or individuals with a BMI of 27+ who also have risk factors (like a high A1C level).
In American medicine, it’s all too common for doctors to treat symptoms once a crisis occurs. Semaglutide can be used more as a ‘preventative measure’ to mitigate risk of severe health events from happening in the first place, especially when combined with healthier diet and exercise.
While the cost of Semaglutide can be high, some insurance plans do cover the medication. Many clinics like Elite Health HRT also offer medical weight loss treatments with generic versions of Semaglutide which are sourced by highly-regulated compounding pharmacies. While some clinics still charge an excess of $1,000 per month, we make the therapeutic far more accessible for patients.
As a quick recap, Semaglutide is an effective therapeutic for managing Type 2 Diabetes and obesity. When administered under medical supervision, it can offer notable health benefits like weight loss, improved cardiovascular function, and better glycemic control. While it’s not a ‘miracle drug’, it can certainly lead to lasting results when combined with a healthy lifestyle.
If you’re interested in further exploring Elite Health HRT’s medical weight loss treatment with Semaglutide, we invite you sign up for a free consult at one of our clinics in Roswell or Hickory Flat. We’re always accepting new patients in the North Atlanta area – including Alpharetta, Milton, Canton and more.
In-person consult with our lead nurse practitioner (15 mins)
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