Sort 2 diabetes is without doubt one of the most typical and well-studied trendy illnesses. So, new medicines to fight this situation are consistently being developed.

One such sort of treatment is known as a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonist. These meds have develop into more and more common not too long ago as a result of regardless that GLP-1 receptor agonists had been initially developed to deal with sort 2 diabetes, they started to point out a really promising profit: important weight loss. 

Should you suppose you’re a candidate for certainly one of these medicines, learn on to study all the things you should learn about GLP-1 agonists for weight reduction, how they work, who ought to take them, their unwanted effects, and extra.

What Are GLP-1 Agonists? 

Hormones are your physique’s pure messengers. They carry necessary messages to totally different organs to maintain your physique functioning usually. Each insulin and GLP-1 peptide are naturally occurring hormones. 

The meals you eat will get damaged down into easy sugars (like glucose) in your abdomen.

This sugar then enters the bloodstream and travels all through the physique. Insulin directs the sugar out of your blood into your cells for use as vitality. 

However when insulin can’t do its job properly anymore, the sugar stays within the blood, and also you develop type 2 diabetes.

That is why folks with diabetes have higher-than-normal blood sugar ranges. It’s additionally why most diabetes medicines (together with GLP-1 agonists) are focused in the direction of blood sugar management. 

However like all good planners, your physique at all times has a backup. When insulin begins slacking off (prefer it does in of us with diabetes), your physique sends out the GLP-1 hormone to select up the slack.

When scientists found this good transfer, they got here up with a strategy to mimic the physique’s actions. Thus, GLP-1 agonists had been developed. 

An agonist is any manufactured substance (like a drug or treatment) that copies or boosts the actions of a naturally occurring substance (on this case, GLP-1) by stimulating its receptor.

How Does GLP-1 Work? 

GLP-1 is often produced within the small gut. It has a four-fold messenger action:

1. It tells the pancreas to extend insulin secretion to handle your blood sugar ranges correctly.
2. It additionally tells the pancreas to not launch hormones like glucagon, which might transfer glucose from different storage locations (just like the liver) into the bloodstream.
3. It tells your abdomen to digest the meals slowly in order that extra sugars don’t get added to the bloodstream earlier than insulin can clear them out.
4. It tells your mind that you simply’re full and never hungry in any respect — aka, it decreases starvation and will increase satiety. This prevents overeating and retains you from taking in additional meals earlier than the earlier meal is totally digested. 

This last motion has caught the attention of most of the people and has pushed GLP-1 agonists—probably the most well-known being semaglutide—into the limelight, even amongst folks with out diabetes.

GLP-1 agonists can lower your urge for food and preserve you feeling full on a regular basis. They could allow you to shed some pounds, particularly in case you discover portion management difficult.

Does this imply anybody can take GLP-1 medicine to shed some pounds? Let’s discover the professionals and cons of taking these medicines for weight reduction results. 

6 Key Issues of GLP-1 Medication 

GLP-1 agonists had been first authorised to be used as sort 2 diabetes treatment by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2005. These medicine are often accessible in a liquid type, together with a needle and syringe. 

It’s good to inject them into the fatty tissue beneath your pores and skin. The most typical injection web site is the stomach, adopted by the outer thighs, higher buttocks, and the backs of your arms.

These medicine are often really useful solely after extra typical strategies like weight loss program and train have failed to provide the specified outcomes.

Even then, GLP-1 agonists aren’t miracle medicine. They need to be accompanied by dietary and lifestyle changes for long-term use.

1. Study who can and can’t take these medicine

To learn from GLP-1 agonist medicine, your body mass index ought to both be 30 or greater or be 27 or greater with a well being complication like: 

• Prediabetes or sort 2 diabetes 
• Heart problems 
• Hypertension
• Excessive ldl cholesterol 
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver illness
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome

In response to MyFitnessPal’s registered dietitian, Stephanie Saletta, you will need to seek the advice of your well being care supplier earlier than beginning this treatment. It’s because taking any treatment comes with sure dangers and potential unwanted effects. A very good well being care supplier will allow you to weigh the dangers you face by taking the treatment versus the dangers of not taking it.

They’ll additionally issue within the well being advantages you’ll obtain by taking the treatment. These medicine are greatest fitted to people who’re at health risk related to their weight. For instance, you probably have weight problems, you’re at a higher risk of creating diabetes or coronary heart illness. 

However in case you’re NOT at well being threat, then these medicine aren’t recommended for you as a result of they put you at pointless threat of unwanted effects.

You additionally shouldn’t take GLP-1s if:

• You might have a private or household historical past of thyroid most cancers, as they enhance the danger of thyroid most cancers.
• You’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to get pregnant.
• You might have extreme bowel illness.
• You’re allergic/delicate to Semaglutide.

One other factor to contemplate when choosing GLP-1s is the affect of those medicine in your meals consumption.  

For instance, GLP-1s impact food intake by quieting meals noise and subconsciously getting you to decide on much less salty, sugary, and fatty meals. This speaks to how highly effective your unconscious cues to eat are and the function your mind performs in weight problems. 

However it is a double-edged sword since you nonetheless must be acutely aware and aware of what you’re consuming to ensure you’re eating enough—which is the place monitoring what you eat is available in.

Whereas taking GLP-1 medicines, you should keep disciplined about making nutritious meals selections and tracking your calories to stop malnutrition and obtain wholesome weight reduction.

2. Know the GLP-1 medicine accessible and their effectiveness

Many GLP-1 medicines can be found on the U.S. market. Nonetheless, solely the next three are at the moment authorised by the FDA to be used as weight-loss medicine: 

Semaglutide (Wegovy)

• Sort: injectable
• Frequency: weekly 
• Beginning dose: 0.25 to 1.7 mg for the primary 16 weeks 
• Upkeep dose: 2.4 mg
• Efficacy findings:
  1. Producer-sponsored research of 803 and 1,961 folks: common lower in physique weight of seven.9% and 14.9%, respectively, with smaller waists and decrease complete levels of cholesterol, systolic blood strain, and triglycerides
  2. Research review in 2021: weekly dose of Wegovy led to weight discount results in a number of research

Liraglutide (Saxenda)

• Sort: injectable
• Frequency: day by day 
• Beginning dose: 0.6 mg/day (with weekly will increase) 
• Upkeep dose: 3 mg/day
• Eligibility: Overweight adults and overweight kids older than 12 years 
• Efficacy findings:
  1. 2021 study of 169 people with obesity: 62.1% misplaced at the least 5% of their physique weight over 6 months and 17.2% misplaced at the least 10% of their physique weight
  2. 2021  manufacturer-sponsored study of 277  people: 9-lb weight reduction over 7 months
  3. 2022 study comparing Wegovy and Saxenda in 338 people: Wegovy prompted extra weight after 68 weeks because of decreased starvation and meals cravings 

Tirzepatide (Zepbound)

• Twin GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist
• Sort: injectable
• Frequency: weekly 
• Beginning dose: 2.5 mg in 0.5-mL liquid answer for the primary 4 weeks 
• Upkeep dose: 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, or 15 mg from week 5 (based mostly on therapy response and drug tolerance) 
• Efficacy findings:
  1. Manufactured-sponsored SURMOUNT-3 trial: complete imply weight lack of 26.6% over 84 weeks
  2. Manufactured-sponsored SURMOUNT-4 trial: complete imply weight lack of 26% over 88 weeks

3. Take into accout their potential unwanted effects

GLP-1 agonists include a protracted checklist of potential adverse effects similar to:

1. Digestive system: abdomen ache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, indigestion, flatulence, bloating, belching, and gastroesophageal reflux
2. Nervous system: headache, dizziness, fatigue, temper modifications, and suicidal conduct or ideation
3. Low blood sugar and diabetic retinopathy in folks with diabetes
4. Allergic reactions
5. Drug interactions
6. Coronary heart fee modifications
7. Gall stones
8. Pancreatitis 
9. Kidney injury
10. Elevated threat of thyroid most cancers

In response to heart specialist and MyFitnessPal scientific advisor Danielle Belardo, MD, most gut-related unwanted effects will be resolved by way of dietary modifications like consuming smaller meals, growing fiber consumption, and staying hydrated.

4. Perceive the insurance coverage protection of those medicine

Insurance coverage protection for GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide is dependent upon a number of components, similar to the kind of treatment, plan, supplier, and well being situation.

GLP-1s are typically lined by insurance coverage, however provided that deemed medically needed. For instance, some suppliers cowl them in the event that they’re used to deal with sort 2 diabetes.

Medicare doesn’t cowl these medicine for weight reduction, however in some states, Medicaid does.

Make sure you verify together with your supplier earlier than beginning this drug. Some plans might require prior authorization or a documented prognosis. You might also want to fulfill sure well being standards or pay some copayment quantity.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly (the producers) supply savings programs for folks with out insurance coverage protection.

5. Know the weight problems therapy alternate options to GLP-1

Listed below are some methods for weight administration if GLP-1s aren’t for you:

• Go for home-cooked as a substitute of ultra-processed foods.
• Make small, sustainable modifications to diet.
• Add extra protein and fiber to your weight loss program.
• Minimize down on high-sugar drinks. Drink extra plain water as a substitute.
• Make sure that to get sufficient, high-quality sleep.
• Transfer your physique extra — whether or not it’s by way of train, taking a walk, and even doing chores.
• In excessive circumstances, take into account different weight reduction remedies like surgical procedure or medicines that trigger weight reduction (like phentermine).
• Search recommendation from professionals like a registered dietitian, psychologist, endocrinologist, or bodily therapist to obtain personalized care tailor-made to your wants.

6. Take into accout the utmost therapy length for GLP-1

Research exhibits that folks achieve round two-thirds of their misplaced weight again inside a 12 months after stopping GLP-1 dietary supplements. So, these medicine might not be your best option for long-term weight reduction. 

Weight problems is taken into account a persistent situation. Medication like GLP-1s suppress cravings, enhance insulin sensitivity, and mute obesity-promoting pathways within the physique. However these results will be reversed as soon as the drug is stopped. 

In brief, GLP-1s can be utilized for the treatment of obesity however can not remedy it utterly. That’s why you should be mentally ready to be on GLP-1s probably for all times in case you want to obtain everlasting advantages.

The Backside Line: GLP-1s Aren’t Proper for Everybody 

Choosing the proper drug relies on many components like your well being standing, drug tolerance, price range, and insurance coverage protection. Converse to your well being care supplier earlier than beginning any medicines. 

On the finish of the day, weight loss program and train are simply as necessary in a profitable weight reduction journey. For a straightforward begin, introduce small modifications like planning your meals, monitoring your energy, or creating an train routine.

Initially printed June 12, 2024; Up to date December 2025

The put up Essential Guide to GLP-1 Agonists for Weight Loss appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.

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