Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) is an injectable medication used for weight loss. It is a member of the GLP-1 agonist class of drugs, which are approved to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
However, there is some concern about the impact of semaglutide on fertility in women. Doctors have recommended that semaglutide be used with caution in women of childbearing age, especially if they have a history of MTC or an endocrine system condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2.
What is semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a medicine used to treat obesity and to lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (heart attack or stroke) in people with type 2 diabetes. It is a GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA).
Semaglutide works by increasing insulin release and reducing the amount of glucagon released, which slows gastric emptying and delays the rate of absorption of nutrients from your stomach into your small intestine. This decreases food intake, especially glucose, which helps you lose weight.
Your doctor may start you on a low dose of semaglutide and slowly increase it over a few weeks. This is called “titration.”
You can inject semaglutide in your upper arm, thigh or stomach area. However, you should change the injection site with each dose.
Semaglutide is a safe drug when used as directed by your doctor. It can cause side effects, but most people have no trouble with them.
How does semaglutide work?
Semaglutide is a medication that helps people lose weight by reducing the appetite. It works by mimicking the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) in the brain, which is released in response to eating food.
This helps you feel fuller faster, which makes it easier to eat less. It also slows down the speed at which your food passes through your digestive system.
In clinical trials, people using semaglutide lost an average of 14.9% of their body weight after 68 weeks of treatment. This was compared to 2.4% for those who used placebo and lifestyle interventions alone.
These results show that semaglutide is an effective weight loss drug for those with obesity. It may even be able to prevent or treat diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other complications.
What are the side effects of semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a medication that can help people who are overweight or obese lose weight. It works by interacting with parts of your brain that suppress your appetite and signal you to feel full. It also reduces blood sugar and can help to lower your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.
It may be used along with a low-calorie diet and exercise program to help patients lose weight. It is also used to treat type 2 diabetes.
GLP-1 receptor antagonists (GLP-1RAs) reduce glycated hemoglobin levels in people with type 2 diabetes, and they decrease the risk for diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a serious condition that develops when high blood sugar levels are not controlled.
Unlike many other GLP-1RAs, semaglutide does not cause a higher risk of pancreatitis or thyroid cancer. However, it does increase your risk of cholelithiasis, a stone buildup in your gallbladder.
You should call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms: stomach pain, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, and vomiting. These side effects usually go away with time.
Can semaglutide be used during pregnancy?
Although the FDA approved semaglutide for use in Type 2 diabetes and obesity, it hasn’t yet been studied in pregnant people. But it’s possible that the drug could help prepare women for pregnancy in the months and years before they have a baby.
“Ozempic is a good drug for women of childbearing age to take before trying to get pregnant, especially if they’re obese or have diabetes,” says Neel Shah, chief medical officer of Maven Clinic. It’s also useful for people who have been unsuccessful at weight loss with diet and exercise, he says.
But he warns that Ozempic has been linked to serious birth defects in animals, and studies have shown it can also cause miscarriages. In addition, babies born to mothers taking the drug are smaller and more likely to have abnormalities of the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver, cranial bones, and vertebra.
But the risk of fetal problems isn’t clearly labeled on the product labels, nor does it appear in any side-of-package warnings, he said. This makes it difficult for health care providers to be aware of the risks.