Semaglutide (generic Wegovy)

Semaglutide (Wegovy) was recently approved by the FDA for use in weight loss. Semaglutide works because it reduces your appetite. It does this by binding to the GLP-1 receptors in your brain, which are the hormones that are released when you eat food. This hormone then sends signals to your brain that you are full, therefore reducing your appetite. As a result, you feel fuller faster, eat less food and lose more weight.

Semaglutide has been shown to help people lose up to 15% of their body weight due to its appetite suppressant qualities; Semaglutide is an effective weight loss medication because patients do not feel deprived of food. It has also been found that Semaglutide regulates food preference and curbs food intake without reducing energy consumption.

Benefits of Semaglutide

• Weight loss
• Suppressed appetite
• A mental sensation of fullness
• Slower gastric emptying into the intestines to help feel fuller longer
• Reduction HbA1c
• Enhanced β-cell proliferation with anti-apoptotic effects on these cells (this induces insulin synthesis)
• Lowered body weight, lipids, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress,
  endothelial dysfunction, and subclinical atherosclerosis
• Promotion of insulin secretion from b cells with a decrease in glucagon secretion in the
  pancreas
• Enhanced glucose-dependent insulin secretion
• De-escalation of high glucagon levels, both in fasting and after eating
• Lower blood sugar levels without any increase in hypoglycemia

Semaglutide FAQ

What is Semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a Glucagon Like Peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) used for glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Semaglutide has been studied for its weight loss abilities in patients with and without diabetes by affecting appetite control and gastric emptying.

What are the side effects of Semaglutide?
Patients taking Semaglutide may experience nausea, dehydration, fatigue, diarrhea, and constipation. Fatty and fried foods, fast food, and foods that are high in sugar are usually the most difficult for the body to digest and will most likely cause nausea. Patients start on low dosage then gradually build up to minimize the side effects.

Semaglutide for weight loss in non-diabetics?
Once-weekly Semaglutide is an effective adjunct for weight loss in adults without diabetes who are overweight or obese.

How long does it take for Semaglutide to work?
Blood glucose (sugar) levels should start to fully decline within the first week after starting Semaglutide, however the full effect can take up to (8) eight weeks or longer, as this is a long-acting medication that is injected only once per week.

How to Get Semaglutide for weight loss?
Call or email our Semaglutide weight loss offices today to schedule your consultation and start the New Year with a new, confident you!

What is the Semaglutide dose?
Semaglutide is injected in the thigh, stomach, or arm once weekly, on the same day each week, and can be taken at any time of the day with or without meals. Most patients will start Semaglutide treatment at the lower 0.25 mg dose injected once a week for (4) four weeks. After (4) four weeks the dose will usually be increased to 0.5 mg per week.

Are Semaglutide and Ozempic the same?
Ozempic is a drug used to treat Type 2 Diabetes. The Food and Drug Administration first approved the injectable medication for treating diabetes in 2017. The FDA approved a drug with a higher dose of the active ingredient Semaglutide to treat obesity in 2021 under the name Wegovy.

Does Semaglutide get rid of belly fat?
Semaglutide injections help reduce overall body fat, because Semaglutide injections activate the metabolism of excess body adipose tissue. The overall effect of Semaglutide is decreased hunger and appetite which results in more lean body mass and reduced body fat.

Does Semaglutide give you energy?
Semaglutide is not going to give you an energetic feeling because it is not a stimulant like Caffeine, Qsymia or Phentermine. Overall, as you lose weight and become more active your energy level will change due to your improved diet and exercise routines.

How soon do you lose weight on Semaglutide?
Individual weight loss varies from patient to patient however patients taking Semaglutide should see weight loss in the first two weeks. On average patients lose four to five pounds the first week. An improved diet and exercise routine will have a positive impact on your weight loss success.

How long does It take for Semaglutide to start working?
It takes Semaglutide about a week to start working however some patients report feeling less hungry immediately. Due to the long drug half-life, it can take 4 to 5 weeks to reach a “steady state” level. That means the rate of drug metabolism is equal to the rate of drug intake. If you are using Semaglutide for blood sugar control, it could take a few weeks to modulate and control your blood glucose levels. Your diet and eating frequency also play a role in this process.

How long does Semaglutide suppress appetite?
Appetite suppression generally occurs within a few days with Semaglutide in the non-Diabetic. However, everybody responds differently to the medication due to different eating habits and different side-effects. Some patients have appetite control within the 1-week period and some patients report continued appetite control at the 6-week period.

Is Semaglutide better than Ozempic? Is Wegovy better than Ozempic?
Semaglutide is Ozempic. Ozempic is a brand of Semaglutide. Wegovy is also Semaglutide. They are both made by Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals. Semaglutide is generic Wegovy, and it is approved for weight loss in non-diabetic patients.

What do Semaglutide injections do to your body?
Semaglutide activates the GLP-1 Receptors in the body. This activation causes multiple biological effects: slows the emptying of the stomach, regulates blood sugar, and reduces appetite. It also accelerates body fat metabolism, promotes healing by reducing neuroinflammation, enhances nerve growth, improves heart function and blood lipid metabolism, decreases blood pressure, lowers fat deposition, and helps the metabolism attack “brown fat.”