![]() They answered commonly asked questions about anti-obesity medications.ĭo anti-obesity medications actually work? The results of a clinical trial, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, showed that-in addition to the 12.5% mean weight reduction above the placebo group (which included lifestyle interventions only)-more than a third of the participants (many of whom weighed more than 200 pounds) lost 20% of their weight. “With semaglutide, people are receiving more GLP-1, albeit in a synthetic form," she says. "They're essentially getting back more of that hormone, which helps them feel full.”įor many people, the medication appears to work. Experts believe that’s also true for people with obesity, Dr. Individuals with type 2 diabetes secrete less GLP-1 in response to eating compared to those who do not have the condition. The drug-and class of medications-is not new, though this class of GLP-1 analogue medications has been used for over 15 years to treat type 2 diabetes (semaglutide specifically was FDA-approved in 2017 for diabetes). “The main way semaglutide helps treat obesity is through its action in the brain.” “But this effect wanes over time,” says Dr. Semaglutide also decreases “gastric emptying,” the process by which stomach contents are moved into the first part of the small intestine as part of the digestive process. When a person is eating, GLP-1 sends the brain the “I’m full” signal, Dr. Semaglutide mimics a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is secreted in the gut and targets receptors throughout the body, including the brain. But semaglutide is the first of a new generation of highly effective hormone-based obesity medications. “It means you will have little desire to reach for ‘seconds’ or a snack later.”Īnti-obesity medications have been around for decades, and there are several currently in use. “This medicine helps you feel full earlier,” says Dr. ![]() (If you weigh 200 pounds, for example, that would be 30 pounds.) Semaglutide doesn’t work for everyone, but when it’s successful, it can help someone shed 15% of their body weight. It was approved by the FDA for the treatment of overweight and obesity in June 2021 (with similar medications being developed as well). It was, however, approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The drug trial’s sponsor, Eli Lilly, is working with the FDA on a timeline for approval.Īnother weight-loss medication is called semaglutide (it’s available by prescription under the brand name Wegovy ™), and it is given once a week by self-injection under the skin. Tirzepatide has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as an anti-obesity medication. ![]() “These results are an important step forward in potentially expanding effective therapeutic options for individuals with obesity,” says Ania Jastreboff, MD, PhD, a Yale Medicine adult and pediatric endocrinologist, and a nationally recognized obesity medicine expert. According to a study published in June in The New England Journal of Medicine, use of the drug, a novel GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist, in the trial resulted in more than a 20% weight reduction in those with obesity-an average of 52 pounds per person. One such medication that has been making headlines is called tirzepatide. They are anti-obesity medications, and doctors say that part of what makes them unique is how they are prescribed: They are used to treat obesity as the chronic metabolic disease it is rather than perpetuating the misconception that obesity is a problem that can be overcome by willpower. But there are new types of medicines that are potential game-changers. There is no magic pill that will cure obesity, a condition that affects over 40% of adults in the United States.
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