A weight loss drug that works

Losing weight is hard. Really hard.  And keeping it off can be just as hard. You have to be committed to making changes to eating (and drinking) habits and getting more physically active. And you must be committed to doing this for life. In short, you must eat less and move more. And do it forever.

​All very simple in theory (the physics) but doing it (the reality) is hard.  Emotions, mindset and the realities of daily life make it challenging to stick to healthier habits.

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​Is there an easier way to lose weight?
 
What if there were an easier way of losing weight? A way that involved taking a hormone proven to reduce appetite.  A hormone that takes the 'hard' out of what, for most people, is a difficult journey to lose weight. A hormone that sets you off on an easier journey where you could lose 15% or more of your weight in 16 months.

​This may sound too good to be true, but it is true. There is, however, another ‘but’ – there always is!  We’ll get back to that.  First, though, let’s take a closer look at this drug (semaglutide) which is administered as a once-weekly injection – some refer to it as the “fat jab”.

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​A drug that promotes weight loss 
 
Semalglutide, sold under trade names of Ozempic, Wegovy and  Rybelsus, is a medication prescribed for people who have type 2 diabetes. It is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which means it activates GLP-1 receptors in the brain. 

​Those receptors are usually activated by the gut hormone, known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), that our body naturally produces. ​​The effect of GLP-1 receptors in the brain being activated is increased production of insulin, which why it is prescribed in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Another effect of semaglutide is appetite suppression, which is why it has been repurposed as a weight loss drug.

Semaglutide works ... but
 
Trials of semaglutide in weight loss studies have been very impressive. A large study published in 2021 found that body weight was reduced by an average of 14.9% over 16 months – a weight loss of 15.3kg (about 2½ stone). The authors of that study did a follow-up of participants one year after they had stopped taking semaglutide and found that two-thirds of weight lost had been re-gained.

​Net weight loss over two years and four months in participants who had used semaglutide was 5.6%. This is clinically meaningful, but likely to have been very disappointing for those ‘bouncing’ up from having lost 15% of their starting weight.

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Change your mindset …

Semaglutide works for as long as it is being taken. It can be prescribed for a maximum of two years. Appetite returns when treatment is stopped. Hunger signals return and you will again be faced with the daily challenge of controlling how much you eat. Sound familiar?

​There is another way. You can lose 5% of your body weight in 12-24weeks by learning how to reduce your food intake and do it without depriving yourself. Yes, it takes effort. But it is possible to do it without assisted suppression of your appetite.
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​Your journey is forever, not just for two years, so start as you mean to go on, aiming to lose that 5% in 12-24 weeks (or longer - and that's okay) and sustain it.

And on your way down in weight you could meet someone going up in weight, following cessation of semaglutide.  Yes, losing weight, and keeping it off, can be hard to do, but it's not impossible. ​ Aplos Health & Wellbeing Programme gives you support around making small and sustainable change to what you eat, drink and do.​

Change your mindset, change your habits and your weight will change.

Tony Hirving
Dietitian