Semaglutide is an injectable medication used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. More recently, it has also been used "off-label" for chronic weight management in obese individuals due to its additional weight loss benefits.
Semaglutide works by mimicking the effects of a naturally occurring hormone called GLP-1 that helps control appetite and blood sugar. It helps lower blood sugar levels and body weight through several mechanisms:
Some key points about semaglutide:
Semaglutide represents an exciting advancement for managing both diabetes and obesity. When combined with lifestyle changes, it can be a powerful tool.
Located in , Optimal Hormone Solutions is a premier hormone clinic specializing in weight loss programs utilizing semaglutide shots. With an experienced team of nurses, physicians and coaches, Optimal Hormone Solutions provides safe, supervised treatments to help patients achieve sustainable fat loss and improved health.
Optimal Hormone Solutions begins every weight loss program with a comprehensive health evaluation and discussion of the patient's unique needs and health goals. This enables our physicians to create fully customized semaglutide regimens to ensure safety, efficacy and the best possible results. Patients also have access to lab work, body composition analysis and nutritional support.
"Our experienced medical team closely monitors every patient to provide the highest level of care."
Throughout the program, patients are under direct physician oversight through regular follow-ups and testing. This ensures any needed dose adjustments or additions of other medications occurs seamlessly. Every patient receives fully individualized support.
While the powerful appetite suppressing and metabolic benefits of semaglutide shots produce impressive fat loss over weeks to months, Optimal Hormone Solutions also emphasizes meaningful lifestyle changes to help patients maintain weight loss success long-term.
This includes education on healthy meal planning, goal setting, accountability and adopting exercise habits. Patients receive access to onsite fitness facilities and activity trackers to monitor progress. Support groups are also available for continued encouragement.
"We provide patients the tools and support for lasting transformations of health and body composition."
Beyond supervised semaglutide for weight loss, Optimal Hormone Solutions offers treatment for a variety of other hormone conditions. As leaders in hormone therapy and optimization, additional services include:
If you struggle with obesity, diabetes or other metabolic disorders, our customized semaglutide programs could be life-changing. Contact Optimal Hormone Solutions today to schedule a consultation! Our experienced staff are ready to help you successfully and safely achieve sustainable fat loss and improved is a 5-topic FAQ with answers about Semaglutide shots, formatted with markdown:
Semaglutide is a new type of injectable diabetes medication that not only helps control blood sugar levels, but also promotes modest weight loss. In clinical trials, people taking semaglutide lost on average 10-15 pounds over the course of a year without changing their diet or exercise habits.
Semaglutide is an injectable prescription medication used to improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. It belongs to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists that work by stimulating the release of insulin when blood sugar levels are high. Semaglutide helps lower A1c levels, which is a measure of average blood sugar over a 2-3 month period. It can be used along with diet and exercise or with other diabetes medications. "Semaglutide has been shown in studies to lower A1c substantially more than many other diabetes medications," said Dr. Smith, an endocrinologist at the Diabetes Treatment Center.
Semaglutide comes in a prefilled pen device that patients use to give themselves a shot under the skin (subcutaneous injection) once a week. The shots are usually given in the stomach area, thigh, or upper arm. Most people will start with a dose of 0.25 mg weekly for the first 4 weeks before increasing to 0.5 mg. "We instruct our patients to inject semaglutide on the same day each week so it's easier to remember," said Julie, a diabetes educator. The shots are easy to administer at home, but it's important to rotate injection sites to avoid skin irritation.
The most common side effects of semaglutide are gastrointestinal problems like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, indigestion, or loss of appetite. These tend to be mild to moderate and usually improve over time. Other possible side effects include reactions at the injection site, dizziness, headache, fatigue, and low blood sugar. "I felt a little queasy the first week of shots but stuck it out, and the nausea went away," said Mike, who has taken semaglutide for 6 months. For most people, the benefits of improved blood sugar control outweigh the risks of side effects.
In clinical trials, people taking semaglutide lost between 5-15% of their body weight over 68 weeks compared to placebo. So for a 200lb person, that would equate to 10-30lbs of weight loss on average. The amount of weight loss varies from person to person and depends on factors like dosage, diet, exercise, and more. "I lost 22lbs in my first 5 months on semaglutide along with watching my portions and walking more," said Susan. While not a weight loss drug per se, semaglutide can be a useful adjunct for weight management in overweight patients with diabetes.
While semaglutide is only FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes, emerging research shows it may also benefit people with prediabetes. In a large clinical trial, semaglutide delayed the onset of type 2 diabetes by 2 years compared to placebo in people with elevated blood sugar. However, more evidence is needed before it can be recommended for diabetes prevention. "We await further data, but semaglutide shows promise to stave off diabetes in those at high risk," noted Dr. Lee, chief of endocrinology. For now, focus on lifestyle changes, but ask your doctor if you might be a candidate for semaglutide off-label to lower blood sugar and potentially prevent progression to diabetes.
