- Weight loss
- Reduced risk of diabetes
- Lowered risk of heart attack and stroke
- Improved kidney function
- Improved liver function
What is Semaglutide?
Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus) is a medicine used for weight loss in specific patients, and to lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke in type two diabetes patients. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist and works by increasing insulin release, lowering the amount of glucagon released, delaying gastric emptying and reducing appetite.
How does Semaglutide work?
Semaglutide works to lower high blood sugar by increasing the amount of insulin that is released, lowering the amount of glucagon released and by delaying gastric emptying. Semaglutide also controls appetite and so helps you reduce the amount of food that you want to eat. Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist. Glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) is a type of hormone known as an incretin that’s lower than normal in people with type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 receptor agonists belongs to a class of medications known as incretin mimetics.
Added health benefits of Semaglutide
In addition to weight loss these types of medications can reverse pre-diabetic elevations in Hgba1-c and correct type 2 diabetes.
GLP-1 receptor agoinists are very effective at lowering blood sugar levels, both after meals and during periods of fasting. Unlike some medications for type 2 diabetes, they’re unlikely to cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Although more research is needed, some GLP-1 receptor agonists also been shown to have benefits for heart health and kidney function in people with diabetes.
For example, research has shown that treatment with Semaglutide is linked to significant reduction in major heart problems, such as heart attacks, and stroke, in people with diabetes and existing heart disease.
Studies have also found that people who took certain GLP-1 receptor agonists had better kidney outcomes than people who took a placebo.
Conclusion
Patients who have been on the medication after one year noted improved findings on their routine blood work. Many reporting lower cholesterol numbers, decrease in the HgbA1-c, lower cardiac risk factors and improved liver function studies.
Semaglutide and other similar class medications have hit the market by storm but offer a safe and effective solution for obesity and the complications of obesity. We haven’t had a weight loss solution with such a low risk profile and such a tremendous overall health benefits.