Semaglutide weight loss

Semaglutide is a prescription medication used mainly for:

• Type 2 diabetes management (to improve blood sugar control)

• Chronic weight management in people who are overweight or obese.wegovy-weight-loss

How It Works

• Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist (glucagon-like peptide-1).

• It mimics the natural hormone GLP-1, which:

  • Stimulates insulin release when blood sugar is high

  • Reduces glucagon secretion (lowers sugar output from the liver)

  • Slows gastric emptying (food stays in the stomach longer → you feel full sooner)

  • Acts on the brain to reduce appetite.

Brand Names

• Ozempic® → for type 2 diabetes

• Wegovy® → for weight management

• Rybelsus® → oral tablet form

Dosing

• Usually weekly injections (Ozempic, Wegovy) under the skin

• Or daily tablets (Rybelsus)

• Dose is started low and gradually increased to reduce side effects

Common Side Effects

• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation

• Loss of appetite

• Stomach pain, indigestion

Most side effects improve over time.

Serious Risks (less common)

• Pancreatitis

• Gallbladder disease

• Possible increased risk of thyroid C-cell tumors (seen in animal studies → contraindicated if personal/family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2).

• Low blood sugar (especially if combined with other diabetes meds like insulin or sulfonylureas).victoza-weight-loss

Effectiveness

• In diabetes: lowers HbA1c by ~1–1.5%

• In weight loss: clinical trials show 15–20% body weight reduction on higher doses (Wegovy) when combined with diet & exercise. saxenda