Semaglutide is a synthetic re-creation of a peptide that belongs to a family of GLP-1A drugs. A short chemistry lesson will help clarify.
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Amino acids are molecules that combine to form proteins. Proteins are the building blocks of life. When proteins are digested or broken down, amino acids are left. The human body then uses amino acids to make proteins to help the body:
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Break down food
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Grow
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Repair body tissue
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Perform many other body functions
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Our bodies make non-essential amino acids but we must eat foods to provide the essential amino acids
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Some amino acids are only needed in times of stress or illness
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The next step is to understand what a peptide is. A peptide is a chain of 2 to 50 amino acids. Over 7,000 naturally occurring peptides are present in our bodies. Some of the more well-known peptides are hormones.
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Insulin
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Oxytocin
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Glucagon
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Anti-diuretic Hormone​
Some well-known hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are "steroid hormones" and stored in the sex organs, while other "steroid hormones" such as aldosterone, cortisol, and androgens are stored and released by the adrenal glands. These hormones are not formed from amino acid chains but from cholesterol chains.
All peptides are regulated through a complicated feedback system. Like a computer that needs to be upgraded, sometimes the human body fails to make the required amount of hormones or peptides and you will need to get that from a pharmaceutical source.
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Semaglutide is one of the most widely used medications for medically guided weight loss. Ozempic, Wegovey and Rybelsus are FDA approved Semaglutide drugs trademarked and marketed by Novo Nordisk. These drugs are a synthetic version of a peptide that your body makes, but when you have an insufficient amount, you have increased hunger. With Semaglutide, or any of the other GLP-1A medicines, you will have a reduced appetite and you will lose weight simply by eating less.
You will be encouraged to start walking or increase your current activity, which will raise your metabolism and stimulate muscle conditioning. By exercising, you will be gaining lean muscle. Combining an increased metabolism with a decreased appetite results in weight loss. By changing your habits and increasing your metabolism, you will be able to maintain your weight loss and enjoy a healthier, fit lifestyle.
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Semaglutide is FDA approved for the treatment of obesity in patients with BMI over 30, those with BMI over 27 with hypertension or cardiac risk factors, in females with body fat greater than 30% and in males with body fat greater than 25%.
There is no magic combination of foods or restrictions of a food group that is sustainable. Over 80% of those who lose weight by dieting will regain the lost weight within 12 months. The reality is, the only way to lose weight is EAT LESS and MOVE MORE. Many achieve weight loss only after bariatric surgery. Unfortunately, as much as 30% of bariatric surgery patient do not achieve their goal weight. Additionally, there are multiple risks involved in having bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is the most permanent way of enforcing dietary limitation, simply by decreasing the size of the stomach. Despite the surgery, many continue to overeat and struggle with obesity.
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Studies have shown that people who stop semaglutide are likely to gain some, if not all, of the weight they have lost. So, what is the answer to maintaining the ideal body weight once you reach the goal? At Slim Body & Weight Loss, you will be provided the tools to better enable you to make the lifestyle adjustment required to maintain your ideal body weight. Some of these tools are educational, food logs and exercise tracking tools. There are additional peptides that can help you break plateaus and there are hypnosis and affirmation recordings that help you remember that you are in charge of your weight.
Our goal is for you to have the tools you need to maintain your weight loss without medication, but for those who need to continue this program long-term, you will be given the most affordable price.
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Lizard-Inspired Obesity Drug
Where has this miracle drug been all our lives? We can all thank Dr. Daniel Drucker, a research scientist, endocrinologist and clinician who trained at Johns Hopkins and has a research laboratory in Toronto for unlocking the secret to weight loss through GLP-1A drugs. He started his research with the poisonous venom of the Gila Monster in 1995. Ten years later, he had developed a synthetic version of that venom and it was the first drug of its class approved for treatment of diabetes, Byetta, trademarked and marketed by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. This drug was the first of its kind to be approved and was quickly noticed for the side effect of weight loss. In 2021 the FDA approved Semaglutide, another synthetic GLP-1A drug that was approved to treat obesity (read more below). Thank you, Dr. Drucker, for changing the lives of so many people, and very likely, saving the lives of many!
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When Byetta was approved in 2005, patients were noted to be experiencing weight loss along with greatly improved glucose control. This observation is what led researchers to pursue how this class of drugs could be used in non-diabetic patients. At first, the FDA approved the use of GLP-1A medications for obese patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiac risk factors. But clinicians all over the world know that obesity often comes before a diabetes diagnosis, so prevention of diabetes is an important goal for every healthcare provider. At the conclusion of the STEP (Semaglutide Treatment Effect on People) phase 3 clinical trial in March 2021, semaglutide was found to be a significantly effective treatment for chronic obesity. This was the proof the FDA needed to give its approval.
The graphs and charts below illustrate the differences between the Semaglutide group and the placebo (the “control”) group:
Source: New England Journal of Medicine
While the STEP clinical trial was in progress, a parallel trial was being carried out on adolescents aged 12-17 who had no other medical reason for obesity. Adolescents with a history of diabetes, elevated blood glucose or endocrine disorders that may cause obesity were excluded from participating in the trial. The study results have not been posted, but the FDA has now approved semaglutide use to treat obesity in adolescents 12 and over who are 95% or greater of their BMI.
Source: New England Journal of Medicine: Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adolescents with Obesity
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In 2021, Wegovy (semaglutide) injection, in addition to dietary changes and exercise, was approved for treatment of chronic weight management in non-diabetic adults who are overweight or obese. In 2022, CDER expanded the population to patients aged 12 years and older.
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Source: FDA approves Semaglutide use in obese teens
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The primary beneficial effects of Semaglutide:
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Decreased appetite
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Decreased cravings
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Decreased in symptoms and risk of all health issues related to obesity, ie: hypertension, stroke, cardiac disease and many others.
Some effects, good/bad?
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Decreased cravings for alcohol, tobacco and drugs *
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Decrease cravings altogether​
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Current studies include use of GLP-1A in treatment for drug addictions. ​
The most common adverse side effects reported:
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Nausea - Usually experienced with initial dose and when initial during dose increase steps
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Vomiting - Not as common
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Heartburn - More common in those who have pre-existing acid reflux diagnosis
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Constipation - More common. Many report the need for a daily fiber supplement
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Diarrhea - Not as common. Contact your provider if diarrhea greater than 24 hours.
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Abdominal cramping - More common when initial dose during dose increase steps
Rare but serious adverse side effects
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Pancreatitis
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Gallstones
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Worsening of diabetic retinopathy
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Kidney damage
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Thyroid tumors
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Although the above are rare adverse side effects, having a history of pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, diminished renal function or any history in yourself or immediate family of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2 are clinical indicators that you should not attempt to use any GLP-1A medication. ​ Anyone with the above pre-existing diagnosis will not be prescribed semaglutide from this clinic.
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Source: National Institute of Health
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