GLP-1 and Weight Loss
GLP-1 is a breakthrough treatment for people who struggle with serious, chronic weight management challenges. First isolated as an effective diabetes drug, this insulin-boosting medication is now available to patients who need to lose a significant amount of weight in a consistent way and achieve results long-term. This treatment method doesn’t rely on stimulants, harmful crash diets, unsustainable exercise plans, or any other mechanism that can jeopardize the patient’s overall health.
What Is GLP-1?
Unless you’re a healthcare professional or have Type 2 diabetes, it’s entirely possible that you’ve never heard of GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide or tirzepatide before. Despite their relatively new application as a powerful weight loss drug, GLP-1 medications are actually an extremely safe and well-researched substance. They have already been prescribed for several years and used by diabetes patients as an injectable medicine used for the management of diabetes by improving glycemic control.
In recent months, these medications have been taking the world of weight loss by storm. The FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) recently approved semaglutide as a prescription weight loss aid. Its approval has already improved the lives of many chronically overweight patients by assisting in safe and consistent weight loss.
There’s no need to struggle with perpetual cycles of weight loss and gain. There’s also no need to live with the hopeless feeling that comes with an inability to manage serious weight issues with diet and exercise alone. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide turn to modern medicine every day to keep their bodies in the best possible condition. It’s long past time to end the stigma associated with seeking medical intervention for serious weight management issues.
Your dedication to healthy lifestyle choices will be crucial for sustainable, long-term weight management. However, injectable GLP-1 medication treatment can be an extremely valuable tool. It can help you achieve your goal of having better overall health by getting you on track towards a healthy weight. With weekly GLP-1 injections, you can reach your ideal body weight in a way that can be maintained for the rest of your life. You can do so without turning to starvation-based “diets” or unrealistic 30-day workout programs.
GLP1 for Weight Loss
GLP-1 stands for a glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor agonist. It has emerged as a life-changing option for overweight or obese people who are committed to shedding a significant amount of weight and do not have other significant underlying health issues. These medications are not a miracle cure or a gimmicky “fat-burning” supplement. They are long-acting prescription medicines designed to be used over an extended period of several months or more.
DO GLP-1 medications really Work for Losing Weight?
There is an impressive body of scientific evidence backing the effectiveness of GLP-1s as a weight-loss drug. Some of the research that was conducted leading up to its recent FDA approval for weight management includes:
A randomized, double-blind trial occurring over a long period in the mid-2010s found that semaglutide use resulted in significant body weight reductions. This weight reduction was not only compared to a placebo group, but also compared to another substance in the GLP-1 receptor agonist class called Liraglutide.[1]
A 2019 report found that semaglutide “appears to be superior” for weight loss stimulation in type 2 diabetes patients when evaluated compared to a variety of other GLP-1 receptor agonists. The same study noted that trials evaluating semaglutide as a weight-loss drug exceeded the criterion set forth by both the FDA and EMA (European Medicines Agency) for obesity medications. This was regardless of whether the patients evaluated were Type 2 diabetics, and that it achieved these results with “no safety concerns”.[2]
A more recent double-blind trial involved nearly 2,000 individuals who were not diagnosed with diabetes and had a BMI over 30. When individuals implemented other lifestyle changes such as exercise, this study found the mean change in body weight after 68 weeks of semaglutide treatment was -14.9%. The placebo group only saw a -2.4% change.[3]
Another interesting study from 2020 concluded that semaglutide provides superior weight loss efficacy with no demonstrable link to “gastrointestinal adverse events.” Gastrointestinal adverse events included negative side effects in the stomach and digestive system, such as stomachaches and diarrhea.[4]
Yet another study focusing on semaglutide and weight loss paired the substance (or, alternately, a placebo) with intensive behavioral therapy and a low-calorie diet. This study also concluded that semaglutide use resulted in demonstrably superior weight loss outcomes.[5]
How Do GLP-1 medications Work?
Glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists (GLP-1) work by stimulating your pancreas to increase insulin. This additional insulin causes the stomach to empty over a longer period of time. The idea of the stomach processing food more slowly can seem counterintuitive to patients who have turned to stimulant-based diet pills in the past. However, this slow and consistent digestion is merely an early step in the chain reaction that makes GLP-1s so effective weight loss drug.
When your stomach takes more time to empty itself of food, it sends signals of “fullness” to the brain. This signal is sent throughout a larger portion of your day, even if you’re eating less food than usual. The end result of this process is a powerful appetite suppression effect based on the patient’s own natural insulin production. This means patients can benefit from medically assisted weight loss without any need for invasive surgeries or harsh stimulants.
A GLP-1 regimen will also lead to healthier blood sugar levels, which can help you feel more energetic throughout your day. Stabilized and controlled blood sugar levels can also help improve other areas of your overall health. Even if you aren’t at risk for diabetes, this effect can contribute to a general sense of well-being, which is a crucial component in any weight loss journey.
GLP-1 Medications: A New Approach for Weight Loss Success
Losing a significant amount of weight is difficult, and many people give up because they don’t see immediate results. This medication provides hope for those patients who have tried other methods without success. GLP-1 agonists are a novel treatment that has been shown to be both safe and effective. If you are struggling with your weight, contact us to see if this medication might be right for you.
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE HEALING & WELLNESS
Dr. Fabio Almeida M.D. ABOIM, ABNM, ABOM is the founder and director of the Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness at the CIVANA Carefree Resort. Dr. Fabio is a triple board-certified physician with expertise in Integrative & Functional Medicine/Oncology, Molecular Imaging and Obesity. He served as an Assistant Professor of Radiology & Radiation Oncology, and subsequently as the Director of Molecular Imaging for the University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson Arizona. Dr. Fabio is a fellow of the Integrative Medicine Program at the University of Arizona, and is an expert in integrative medicine, herbal medicine, nutrition, fitness, and stress management. He is published in several peer-reviewed journals and book chapters in radiology, oncology, cardiology, nutrition, and information science.
At the Center, Dr. Fabio and his team offer concierge adult primary care and a wide variety of personalized integrative, holistic and anti-aging therapies (traditional medicine, nutrition, culinary medicine, herbal/botanical, lifestyle, weight loss, hormone balance, fitness, energy medicine) to address all our client’s longevity and health care needs.