Obesity is an epidemic that affects 500 million adults worldwide and over 40% of adults in the United States. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill that will cure it. There is, however, a new type of medicine that might be considered a game-changer. It’s an anti-obesity medication, and what makes it unique is how it’s prescribed: It is used to treat obesity as a chronic metabolic disease rather than assuming the misconception that obesity is a problem that can be overcome by willpower.
HOW SEMAGLUTIDE WORKS
Semaglutide is an FDA-approved medication that is administered once per week.
Semaglutide functions by mimicking glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone the body naturally produces. GLP-1 is normally secreted in the gut when we eat fats and carbohydrates. When this hormone is released, it targets various receptors in the body to help stimulate insulin release, while also suppressing glucagon, slowing gastric emptying, and increasing feelings of fullness. GLP-1 receptor agonists were initially developed to help patients with type 2 diabetes, but it was later proven that the hormone mimicker also helps obese patients.
-SLOWS DIGESTION
-REDUCES CRAVINGS
-LOWERS INFLAMMATION
-STABILIZES BLOOD SUGAR
-INCREASES ENERGY
-VISCERAL FAT LOSS
With the steady supply of this hormone, overweight and obese patients are finally able to receive the bodily signals telling them they are full after eating much smaller portions.
BENEFITS OF SEMAGLUTIDE
While weight loss medications have been around for decades, many are modestly effective at best. Semaglutide is the first of its kind, heading up a new generation of safe and highly effective hormone-based weight loss medications. Most patients lose on average 1-3 pounds per week.
In clinical trials, Semaglutide helped most people with obesity lose at least 10 percent of their body weight, and more than half of them reduced their weight by at least 15 percent, according to results published in February 2021 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Losing 15% of your body weight is an amount that most healthcare professionals say can help reduce the risk for future chronic illnesses.
HOW BODY TONIC CAN HELP YOU?
Body Tonic offers consultations for anyone looking into their medical weight loss options. In these consultations, we work together to develop a comprehensive medical weight loss plan that is safe and effectively tailored just for you. All patients receive direct support under the care of one of our dedicated medical providers, to ensure patient safety and confidentiality.