Medically Supervised Weight Loss Clinic in Longmont and Ft. Collins, Colorado.
Obesity and diabetes are common, serious, and costly medical conditions. The annual medical costs for adults with obesity alone are more than $2000 higher than that of people with a healthy weight.
About 2 in 5 US adults are obese and 1 in 3 are overweight. Roughly 2/3 of US adults are either obese or overweight. These numbers are staggering because obesity is strongly associated with several conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
Diabetes can affect nearly every organ in the body. Left uncontrolled, it can cause heart disease (heart failure, heart attack), stroke, end stage kidney disease, high cholesterol levels, nerve damage (neuropathy), eye damage (cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and blindness), digestion problems (gastroparesis), erectile dysfunction, skin infections, frequent urinary tract infections, and dental infections and gum disease.
Management of obesity and type 2 diabetes using GLP-1 agonist
Our Medically Supervised Weight Loss Program at Aesthetics & Medical Lasers of Colorado uses a medication that mimics the body’s natural weight control hormone called Glucagon like peptide- 1 (GLP-1).
GLP-1 is a type of incretin or gut hormone released mainly by the small intestines, and to a lesser extent the pancreas (pancreatic GLP-1) and central nervous system (brain-derived GLP-1) whenever we eat.
The main role of GLP-1 is to regulate your appetite, digestion, and blood glucose while ensuring that you get just enough energy from your food.
Because of its therapeutic effects, pharmaceutical companies have developed drugs that mimic GLP-1’s effects to treat obesity, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. This is also an FDA approved treatment for Weight Loss, and Type 2 Diabetes.
Examples of GLP-1 agonists on the market include Semaglutide (Ryebelsus, Wegovy® and Ozempic®), Exenetide (Byetta), Dulaglutide (Trulicity), Liraglutide (Victoza), Abiglutide (Tanzeum), and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro™).
How does GLP-1 work?
GLP-1 triggers the release of insulin which in turn allows your body to utilize the glucose derived from food as a source of energy.
GLP-1 inhibits the secretion of glucagon which is responsible for the release of glucose into the blood stream from various body storage sites. It slows down the forward movement of the gut, reduces gastric acid secretion in the stomach thereby slowing down the rate of digestion and stomach emptying.
GLP-1 acts on the satiety-hunger center in the brain located in the hypothalamus to lessen the urge to eat more food. By cutting down on portion sizes, most patients can accomplish remarkable goals in their weight loss program.
Semaglutide
Semaglutide belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. It is FDA-approved for weight loss management and the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. It is sold under different brands names such as Ozempic, Weygovy and Rybelsus.
Semaglutide has been found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes. It is administered as a once weekly subcutaneous injection, or as a daily oral prescription.
Side effects include but are not limited to thyroid tumors, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, shortness of breath, pancreatitis, acid reflux, nausea, and allergic reactions to the medication.
The most common side effects of Semaglutide are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, acid reflux, indigestion, and constipation. Other potential side effects include pancreatitis, gall bladder dysfunction, vision changes, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), acute kidney injury, and allergic reactions.
Do not use Semaglutide if:
- you are allergic to the medication, or you have:
- multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2; or
- a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma.
Before taking Semaglutide, tell your doctor if you have:
- a stomach or intestinal disorder.
- gallbladder disease.
- pancreatitis
- eye problems caused by diabetes (retinopathy)
- kidney disease.
Semaglutide is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
Stop using Semaglutide at least 2 months before you plan to get pregnant. Controlling diabetes is very important during pregnancy, as is gaining the right amount of weight. Losing weight during pregnancy could harm the unborn baby. Avoid the use of Semaglutide while breastfeeding.
For more information about Semaglutide and whether it is the right choice for your weight loss management, contact us at (720) 818 0533 for your appointment.
