What’s this new weight loss drug, that’s blowing up the internet?
Semaglutide is sold under the brand name Ozempic and is a medication that is primarily used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and now is also used as an anti-obesity medication.
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, by mimicking the action of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) it increases the production of insulin, the hormone which lowers the blood sugar level.
An agonist is a drug or substance that binds to a receptor inside a cell or on its surface and causes the same action as the substance that normally binds to the receptor.
It also enhances the growth of beta cells in the pancreas, which are responsible for the production and release of Insulin.
Additionally it inhibits the production of glucagon. Glucagon is the hormone responsible for increasing glycogenolysis break down and release of stored carbohydrate from the liver and gluconeogenesis (synthesis of new glucose).
How does it help you lose weight?
It reduces food intake by lowering appetite by slowing down digestion in the stomach.
This is great news as it can make it much easier for people to lose weight as they feel less hungry and therefore consume less calories.
BUT
People who are desperate, I get it, you want to try anything to lose weight.
The issue with this new drug is once you stop taking the drug… guess what your appetite will come back, and you’ll go back to overeating.
You haven’t changed your habits to eating proper, high-quality food which keeps
you full and stops overeating and binging.
Eating whole foods such as lean protein makes you feel more full making it easier to eat in a calorie deficit.
Therefore eating enough protein can suppresses appetite and reduces the amount you consume.
However there is an argument that long term use of Ozempic maybe a solution if the side effects aren’t too serious.
If there are less people who are obese, this will cost the NHS less and maybe the drug will cost less than having a population that is severely obese.
Telling someone who is severely overweight just to eat less is like telling someone who is poor just to earn more money.
Earning more money, just like losing weight is a multifactorial issue.
Conclusion
Ozempic will help you lose weight by reducing your appetite.
If you haven’t changed your habits by eating better food choices that fill you up, you will end up putting all the weight back on.
Start by concentrating on whole protein foods with plenty of fruit and veg and this way you will lose weight and continue to keep the weight off.
There is an argument to suggest that long term use of Ozempic would be useful in some circumstances to keep the weight off.
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