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Social media is buzzing about the innovative weight loss medication semaglutide, which has helped many people achieve good results in losing weight. What is it and how can it help you lose weight?
Originally developed as a diabetes treatment, it was discovered to have an effect on weight loss, too.
Semaglutide was originally developed as a treatment for diabetes. However, during pharmaceutical studies, it was discovered that it has a significant weight loss effect. Namely, it increases the secretion of insulin and, as a result, lowers blood sugar levels. Gastric motility slows down and the feeling of hunger decreases. This helps you consume smaller portions and thus lose weight.
When should you consider semaglutide?
Semaglutide is generally recommended if your body mass index is over 27 and you have diseases associated with being overweight, such as diabetes, hypertension, joint problems, depression, anxiety. But it is also suitable for people with a body mass index over 30 if there are no concomitant diseases.
If the body mass index is over 40, bariatric surgery should be considered. However, semaglutide can also be combined with surgery, for example, it can be used before or after weight loss surgery to achieve additional weight loss. It is also helpful if the doctor asks you to take it before surgery so that surgery can be performed.
What does the treatment look like?
Semaglutide is available both as an injection solution and as a tablet. However, it is mainly used as an injection solution that the patient injects once a week.
In most cases, a course of treatment lasts between six months and a year, with an average weight loss of 5-15% of body weight.
However, the treatment itself is not enough; it is also necessary to change your habits. For this, it is important to consult a nutritionist, with whom you can create lasting healthy lifestyle changes during the course of treatment. Physical activity is also important, which is of course easier with less hunger and a lower body weight.
However, it is worth keeping in mind that, as with any medication, semaglutide has side effects. These include nausea, feeling full, and digestive problems, such as constipation or diarrhoea.
Leen, who has undergone semaglutide treatment, said: “For me it was a very good solution to my problem. It was very easy and convenient to use. Definitely a good option for those who do not want to have surgery.”
