When someone repeatedly fails at weight loss or loses only to regain, it can be frustrating and discouraging. These new classes of drugs have been giving those people hope!
Semaglutides essentially mimic a hormone that stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin, in turn lowering blood sugar, reducing cravings, and slowing digestion. All these mechanisms keep you feeling satiated and prevent you from overeating, ultimately leading to weight loss.
If you’ve attempted weight loss in the past, only to find pounds creeping back onto your frame, you know that it's rarely easy. A 2023 poll found that 95 percent of Americans surveyed reported trying to lose weight in the previous five years, and 44 percent actually ended up gaining weight (21 pounds, on average) as a result.
While semaglutides are quite effective for weight loss, they’re not intended for everyone. In fact, only Wegovy is FDA-approved to treat overweight and obesity. Ozempic is being prescribed for the same purposes off-label — a practice in which a drug is prescribed for a health condition other than the one it was approved for.
In addition, if you use Ozempic or another semaglutide, that doesn’t mean you can forget about following a healthy lifestyle. People should always pursue a healthy diet for their overall cardiometabolic health and for adequate nutritional status. There is no medication or supplement that can counteract the effects of a bad diet. Regular exercise, good hydration, and high-quality sleep are other habits crucial for overall health and better weight loss results.
As prescription drugs go, Ozempic and other semaglutides are relatively new, so there’s a lot we still don’t know about them. The effects of years- or decades-long use are largely undocumented.
If you’re curious about whether semaglutide weight loss drugs are right for you, it’s worth a conversation with one of our healthcare professionals at Pittsburgh East Health Center, who can best help you assess the pros and cons, such as cost, long-term use, effectiveness, and whether the state of your health indicates you’re a good candidate.
