Guide to GLP-1 Agonists for Weight Loss

Sort 2 diabetes is likely one of the most typical and well-studied fashionable illnesses. So, new medicines to fight this situation are consistently being developed.

One such kind of medicine is known as a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonist. These meds have turn out to be more and more widespread just lately as a result of regardless that GLP-1 receptor agonists have been initially developed to deal with kind 2 diabetes, they started to indicate a really promising profit: important weight reduction. 

For those who assume you’re a candidate for one in all these medicines, learn on to study every little thing it is advisable learn about GLP-1 agonists for weight reduction, how they work, who ought to take them, their uncomfortable side 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 power. 

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

Because of this individuals 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 people with diabetes), your physique sends out the GLP-1 hormone to select up the slack.

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

An agonist is any manufactured substance (like a drug or medicine) 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 normally produced within the small gut. It has a four-fold messenger motion:

It tells the pancreas to extend insulin secretion to handle your blood sugar ranges correctly.

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.

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.

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 absolutely digested. 

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

GLP-1 agonists can lower your urge for food and maintain you feeling full on a regular basis. They could provide help to drop extra pounds, particularly when you discover portion management difficult.

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

6 Key Issues of GLP-1 Medicine 

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

It’s essential inject them into the fatty tissue underneath 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 normally beneficial solely after safer and extra typical strategies like eating regimen and train have failed to provide the specified outcomes.

Even then, GLP-1 agonists aren’t miracle medicine and may’t work alone. They should be accompanied by dietary and way of life adjustments for long-term use.

1. Be taught who can and can’t take these medicine

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

Prediabetes or kind 2 diabetes 

Heart problems 

Hypertension

Excessive ldl cholesterol 

Non-alcoholic fatty liver illness

Obstructive sleep apnea

Polycystic ovarian syndrome

In line with MyFitnessPal’s registered dietician, Stephanie Nelson, it’s essential to seek the advice of your well being care supplier earlier than beginning this medicine. It is because taking any medicine comes with sure dangers and attainable uncomfortable side effects. A great well being care supplier will provide help to weigh the dangers you face by taking the medicine versus the dangers of not taking it.

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

However when you’re NOT at well being danger, then these medicine aren’t beneficial for you as a result of they put you at pointless danger of uncomfortable side effects.

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

You may have a private or household historical past of thyroid most cancers, as they improve the danger of thyroid most cancers.

You’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to get pregnant.

You may have extreme bowel illness.

You’re allergic/delicate to semaglutide.

You may have a previous or energetic consuming dysfunction.

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

For instance, GLP-1s influence meals consumption 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 have to be acutely aware and aware of what you’re consuming to make sure you’re consuming sufficient—which is the place monitoring what you eat is available in.

Whereas taking GLP-1 medicines, it is advisable keep disciplined about making nutritious meals selections and monitoring your energy 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 presently permitted 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:

Producer-sponsored research of 803 and 1,961 individuals: common lower in physique weight of seven.9% and 14.9%, respectively, with smaller waists and decrease whole levels of cholesterol, systolic blood strain, and triglycerides

Analysis overview in 2021: weekly dose of Wegovy led to weight discount results in a number of research

Liraglutide (Saxenda)

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 resolution for the primary 4 weeks 

Upkeep dose: 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, or 15 mg from week 5 (primarily based on therapy response and drug tolerance) 

Efficacy findings:

Manufactured-sponsored SURMOUNT-3 trial: whole imply weight lack of 26.6% over 84 weeks

Manufactured-sponsored SURMOUNT-4 trial: whole imply weight lack of 26% over 88 weeks

3. Have in mind their potential uncomfortable side effects

GLP-1 agonists include an extended listing of potential opposed results similar to:

Digestive system: abdomen ache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, indigestion, flatulence, bloating, belching, and gastroesophageal reflux

Nervous system: headache, dizziness, fatigue, temper adjustments, and suicidal conduct or ideation

Low blood sugar and diabetic retinopathy in individuals with diabetes

Allergic reactions

Drug interactions

Coronary heart charge adjustments

Gall stones

Pancreatitis 

Kidney injury

Elevated danger of thyroid most cancers

In line with heart specialist and MyFitnessPal scientific advisor Danielle Belardo, MD, most gut-related uncomfortable side effects might be resolved by dietary adjustments like consuming smaller meals, growing fiber consumption, and staying hydrated.

Enjoyable Reality: MyFitnessPal presents a FREE 7-day GLP-1 Vitamin Plan, made in collaboration with consultants from our scientific advisory board. Be taught extra!

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 medicine, plan, supplier, and well being situation.

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

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

You’ll want to verify along with your supplier earlier than beginning this drug. Some plans could require prior authorization or a documented analysis. You may additionally want to satisfy sure well being standards or pay some copayment quantity.

Wegovy and Saxenda price $1,349.02 per month-to-month bundle.

Zepbound prices round $1,059.87 monthly.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly (the producers) supply financial savings packages for individuals with out insurance coverage protection.

With this, it can save you round $500 a month for a four-week provide of Wegovy or Zepbound. In line with the corporate, most individuals with industrial protection for this drug pay lower than $25 monthly.

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 an alternative of ultra-processed meals.

Make small, sustainable adjustments to vitamin.

Add extra protein and fiber to your eating regimen.

Reduce down on high-sugar drinks. Drink extra plain water as an alternative.

Make certain to get enough, high-quality sleep.

Transfer your physique extra — whether or not it’s by train, taking a stroll, and even doing chores.

In excessive circumstances, contemplate different weight reduction remedies like surgical procedure or medicines that trigger weight reduction (like phentermine).

Search recommendation from professionals like a registered dietician, psychologist, endocrinologist, or bodily therapist to obtain personalized care tailor-made to your wants.

6. Have in mind the utmost therapy length for GLP-1

Analysis reveals that folks acquire round two-thirds of their misplaced weight again inside a yr after stopping GLP-1 dietary supplements. So, these medicine might not be your most suitable option for long-term weight reduction. 

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

Briefly, GLP-1s can be utilized for the therapy of weight problems however can not treatment it fully. That’s why it is advisable be mentally ready to be on GLP-1s doubtlessly for all times when you want to obtain everlasting advantages.

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

Selecting the best drug depends on many components like your well being standing, drug tolerance, finances, and insurance coverage protection. Communicate to your well being care supplier earlier than beginning any medicines. 

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