The Food and Drug Administration estimates that as many as seventy percent of Americans are currently suffering from being overweight and obese. This obesity pandemic is not only affecting people’s self-esteem but also their health. Being overweight can lead to issues such as heart disease, an increased risk of stroke, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Losing just five percent of your body weight by way of a healthy diet or exercise can reduce these risks substantially.
There are so many different diet plans, exercise programs, and products that are marketed towards making your weight loss journey easier and more effective. Semaglutide and Tirzepatide are two medications that you can use to boost your metabolism by increasing the secretion of insulin in the body. The use of Semaglutide/Tirzepatide along with lifestyle changes can make a big difference in how much weight you can lose.
Semaglutide/Tirzepatide were originally created as a treatment for Type 2 Diabetes. However, the Food and Drug Administration recently approved this medication for weight loss purposes. It’s a medication that’s injected right into the body to help people lose weight and keep it off along with the use of a diet and exercise regimen.
Is It FDA Approved?
Yes, Semaglutide was FDA-approved for weight loss purposes in June of 2021. The approved dosage is 2.4 milligrams injected on a weekly basis. This is the first chronic weight loss medication to be approved since 2014.
Who’s Eligible for Semaglutide or Tirzepatide?
A prescribed injectable dose of Semaglutide/Tirzepatide usually starts out low and is increased as needed. It initially started out at a low dose because of potential side effects. If those side effects don’t become an issue, more of the medication can be used. The initial dose commonly used is 0.25 milligrams injected under the skin. An increase in your dose usually occurs once every four weeks until you hit the 2.4 milligram mark. A lot of people experience weight loss at the initial dose, and an increase isn’t needed. You should never double up on a dose if you miss one. Skip the dose if you’re close to your next injection and pick back up from there.
Claimed Benefits
Semaglutide/Tirzepatide was a medication developed as an antidiabetic treatment for Type 2 Diabetes as well as long-term weight loss supplement. Semaglutide mimics the performance of human-created peptide-1 to increase the amount of insulin that is being produced by the body. This in turn will increase your body’s ability to metabolize sugar. It’s a drug that functions best over the course of about 7 days, so you only need to have an injection performed once every week for optimal results.
Is It Safe?
When used alone, these medications have been shown very safe and promising results. There have been a few clinical studies completed that show its safety and effectiveness. However, it functions as an inhibitor for gastric emptying. The absorption of other medications, supplements and drugs may be blocked. It’s a good idea to speak with a medical professional before starting either medication to ensure that there are no concerns with any other medical issues that you’re dealing with.
What Are the Side Effects?
There are some commonly reported side effects that can present themselves when you start taking Semaglutide/Tirzepatide. That’s why it’s common to start out with a low dose, working your way up from there as needed if no side effects are an issue. Some of the most common side effects of these medications include:
Nausea
Bowel issues like diarrhea or constipation
Headache / migraine
Bloating
Gas
Pain in the stomach or painful when touched
Vomiting
Fatigue
Vertigo
How Much Weight Can You Lose?
In the largest clinical trial performed using Semaglutide/Tirzepatide, patients were able to lose anywhere from 15 percent to 20 percent of their body weight in about 68 weeks. The patients that used a placebo only lost 2.4 percent of their body weight. Success rate also has a lot to do with the diet and exercise plan being used in conjunction with these medications.
How Fast Can You Lose Weight Taking Semaglutide/Tirzepatide?
They are useful as a long-term weight loss solution. It’s not designed to help you lose a substantial amount of weight in the first few weeks of use. You may not see any results until the medication/s start to build up in the body and cause changes. The most substantial amount of weight loss in clinical trials occurs by the 20-week point. More weight was lost to the end of the trial, which occurred at 48 weeks.
While a lot of diets will claim they help you lose a lot of weight right away, this weight is usually very difficult to keep off. The best weight loss medications and plans will provide long lasting results. It’s also important that you’re monitored for side effects.
Do You Gain Weight After You Stop Taking It?
Finding a long-term weight solution is key to experiencing substantial weight loss that you can keep off. Semaglutide & Tirzepatide are extremely effective methods of losing weight, but it can also cause you to put some weight back on after you’ve stopped the medication. Because of this, it’s imperative that you master your diet and exercise routine before stopping the medication (with the supervision of a doctor). Keep your weight loss goals realistic. Going up or down a few pounds here and there is perfectly normal for your average human.
Who Should Consider Using It?
The optimal candidate for weight loss with the use of either of these medications will be someone that has a BMI within the medication range. Working with a dietician and trainer can help cover some of the other aspects of weight loss, making Semaglutide/Tirzepatide more effective in the long run. If you’ve been having trouble losing weight without the use of medications or supplements and have talked to your doctor, you can consider starting injections of one of these medications.
How Can I Get Started?
Call our office and schedule a consultation appointment with Dr. Christy Bennett. She will go over all aspects of both medications explaining all your options.
