What is Semaglutide?
Semaglutide is an injectable medication used for weight loss. It works by mimicking the effects of the hormone GLP-1, which helps to control appetite and increase feelings of fullness.
By increasing the levels of GLP-1 in the body, semaglutide helps to reduce the amount of food consumed and promote weight loss. It is typically used in people who have Type 2 Diabetes or have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, and should be used in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and regular physical activity. The medication is given as a subcutaneous injection once weekly.
How does semaglutide compare to other weight loss medications?
One of the reasons there’s a lot of buzz around semaglutide is the amount of weight people lost during clinical trials and it is FDA approved. Typically, we tend to see an average of 5% to 10% weight loss with other medications, but this may be better option for many.
The largest clinical trial studying semaglutide in adults showed an average weight loss of about 15% of initial body weight over 68 weeks (almost 16 months). Over the same length of time in another study, adolescents lost 16% of their initial body weight on average.
Oral weight loss medications tend to be less expensive than the injectable options, but you may not lose as much weight. Let’s review a few of the more popular weight loss medications and how they compare to semaglutide.