Can Wegovy Help You Lose Weight?

Wegovy is a well-liked once-weekly injectable drug that has been accredited for people who find themselves chubby or overweight. 

For those who’ve been prescribed Wegovy, chances are you’ll surprise how Wegovy helps folks to drop extra pounds and what different results the treatment has on the physique. 

This text will let you know what it’s worthwhile to find out about Wegovy and weight reduction.

What’s Wegovy?

The Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) accredited Wegovy in June 2021 for people who find themselves overweight or who’re chubby and have a minimum of one weight-related situation.

Wegovy’s is the model identify for Novo Nordisk’s model of the drug semaglutide—however Wegovy has the identical lively ingredient as different medication like Ozempic.

Wegovy, and different semaglutide medication, are glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. 

GLP-1 medicines are basically artificial variations of a naturally occurring hormone that works within the physique in a lot of methods without delay.

This hormone helps folks scale back the quantity of meals they eat by lowering their urge for food and by slowing down the digestive course of. 

By delaying the emptying of meals out of your abdomen into your small gut, it lets you maintain feeling full for longer after every meal.

Wegovy additionally stimulates the pancreas to launch insulin and likewise slows down your liver’s manufacturing of glucagon. 

These adjustments are inclined to lower insulin resistance and decrease total blood sugar ranges.

General, the adjustments assist individuals who battle with their weight or who’ve blood sugar ranges which might be often too excessive. 

Wegovy is available in 5 completely different sizes of auto-injector pens with pre-measured doses starting from 0.25 milligrams (mg) as much as 2.4 mg. 

Folks new to the drugs are prescribed a low dose which their physician regularly will increase over time.

It often takes 17 weeks or extra to construct from the beginning dose to the utmost “upkeep” dose.

Injections of Wegovy are taken one time per week on a constant day and aren’t depending on meal schedules. 

Will my physician prescribe Wegovy for weight reduction?

The FDA accredited Wegovy particularly to assist folks drop extra pounds. 

Its approval is for folks to make use of the drug if they’re both overweight or if they’re chubby with a minimum of one weight-related situation.

Typically talking, an individual must have a physique mass index (BMI) of 30 or extra in an effort to be prescribed Wegovy. 

If an individual has a weight-related situation like hypertension, sleep apnea, or sure coronary heart situations, then a BMI of 27 or increased will typically be eligible too.

Some docs do prescribe the treatment to people who find themselves chubby however shouldn’t have a weight-related situation. 

Nevertheless, that is thought of to be an off-label function—which means a prescription for somebody who wouldn’t usually have the ability to get the drug or for a function past the scope of the FDA’s approval.

Anecdotally, most docs is not going to prescribe Wegovy until you’ve struggled to drop extra pounds by way of weight-reduction plan and train alone. 

It’s additionally necessary to notice that Wegovy is meant to be prescribed along with suggestions round consuming a reduced-calorie weight loss program and directions for growing bodily exercise.

How a lot weight do folks lose on Wegovy?

Whereas everybody’s expertise is completely different, Wegovy has been demonstrated to assist folks to lose a substantial quantity of weight. 

Wegovy suppresses the urge for food and slows down the digestive course of so folks taking it are inclined to eat much less with out feeling disadvantaged. 

Reducing the quantity of glucose launched by the liver additionally helps to enhance metabolic well being. 

Taken collectively, these adjustments assist folks to drop extra pounds. 

Medical trials demonstrated 85% of individuals taking the drug misplaced 5% or extra of their physique weight in comparison with those that weren’t taking it.

In comparison with different medication that have been obtainable traditionally, this can be a excessive degree of effectiveness. 

Within the scientific trial often known as STEP 4, about 40% of the members taking the lively ingredient in Wegovy misplaced 20% or extra of their physique weight whereas taking the treatment. 

The commonest quantity of weight to lose was 10.6% of their pre-trial weight.

How a lot weight you’d anticipate to lose additionally relies upon partially on how lengthy you’ve been taking the treatment. 

How shortly do you see weight reduction with Wegovy?

Weight reduction takes time—and a lot of the research of Wegovy are comparatively long-term. 

The three major scientific trials the FDA relied upon when reviewing Wegovy for approval examined weight reduction by way of 68 weeks.

For many scientific trial members, weight reduction plateaued round 52 weeks (one 12 months) on the treatment. 

Whereas a 12 months was about common to see most weight reduction, some folks reached this level earlier, and a few continued shedding pounds by way of the 68-week trial endpoint.

Nevertheless, some quantity of weight reduction can occur shortly.

A scientific trial confirmed that most individuals misplaced 6% of their beginning physique weight inside 12 weeks of beginning Wegovy when following weight loss program and train suggestions. 

By one 12 months on this trial, the common weight reduction was almost 16% of beginning physique weight.

It’s all the time a good suggestion to plan for the lengthy recreation when attempting to drop extra pounds. 

Nevertheless, Wegovy has proven good outcomes throughout quick, medium, and lengthy phrases. 

Discuss along with your physician earlier than beginning the treatment. They’ll let you know what to anticipate and the way lengthy it may be earlier than it’s best to anticipate outcomes.

How a lot Wegovy do it’s worthwhile to take for weight reduction?

Medical trials of people who find themselves chubby or overweight and start taking semaglutide—the lively ingredient in Wegovy—skilled appreciable weight reduction at increased doses of the treatment. 

Individuals who took the utmost 2.4 mg dose per week noticed their common physique weight drop by almost 15%, in comparison with simply 2.4% with a placebo. 

This was regardless of each teams being given the identical steering to eat a restricted weight loss program and get train.

For that reason, the beneficial goal dose of Wegovy is 2.4 mg per week. It often takes 17 weeks or so to work as much as this dose. 

Different scientific trials of semaglutide present that even decrease doses can result in weight reduction and produce other advantages. 

Nevertheless, the accredited therapy modality of Wegovy is one among “constructing” in the direction of the utmost weekly dose of two.4 mg after which sustaining it over time.

The FDA advises medical suppliers to discontinue therapy with Wegovy if a affected person can’t tolerate the total 2.4 mg dose after constructing it over time. 

Some folks will expertise nausea or digestive points on the most dose. 

Docs could lower their dose quickly earlier than trying to return as much as the two.4 mg dose, which has the strongest proof base for important weight reduction.

Will I achieve the load again if I cease taking Wegovy?

Some weight reduction throughout Wegovy does seem like long-lasting, even in case you cease taking the treatment. 

Nevertheless, most individuals do regain a big quantity of weight after stopping Wegovy. 

Analysis has proven that one 12 months after stopping therapy with the drug, most individuals will regain about two-thirds of the load that they misplaced whereas taking it.

So whereas Wegovy will be an necessary weight reduction instrument, the drug must be paired with dietary adjustments and elevated train to be maximally efficient. 

For those who cease taking the treatment, it’s best to anticipate to see some weight achieve.

Your physician, nutritionist, and different medical suppliers may give you extra details about how beginning or stopping Wegovy may affect your weight and total well being. 

What’s the largest dose of Wegovy for weight reduction?

The biggest weekly dose of Wegovy comes within the 2.4-milligram dose pen. This pen often has a darkish grey label.

Whereas a physician may prescribe extra “off-label” in some restricted circumstances, the most important dose that’s at present obtainable is 2.4 milligrams per week. 

Above this weekly dose, many individuals expertise extra noticeable unintended effects.

All of the scientific trials that led to Wegovy’s approval pointed to this 2.4 mg per week dose as being the best for weight reduction. 

At this weekly dose, the common individual loses greater than 10% of their beginning weight.

What’s the greatest time to take Wegovy?

There isn’t a clinically demonstrated greatest time of day to take Wegovy. 

Reasonably, crucial factor is to pick out a day of the week and constantly take it on that very same day every week.

For those who resolve to take Wegovy on a Monday, you’ll be able to take it any time of day—however it’s best to plan to take your weekly dose of Wegovy every Monday for so long as you utilize the treatment.

Many individuals resolve to write down the day of the week they take the drug on a calendar or on the field that their Wegovy pen is available in. 

Cellphone reminders are additionally useful to be sure to don’t miss a dose. 

What are the unintended effects of Wegovy?

Many individuals who take Wegovy will expertise some unintended effects. 

The commonest unintended effects are:

• Nausea
• Vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Abdomen ache
• Constipation 
• Heartburn
• Fuel or bloat
• Tiredness 

Some folks may also expertise hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), particularly in the event that they take insulin on the similar time. 

It’s necessary to concentrate on the signs of low blood sugar and know how you can act to appropriate it.

Low blood sugar will be harmful if untreated, so be looking out for:

• Dizziness or light-headedness 
• Confusion 
• Sudden adjustments in your temper or notion 
• Shakiness 
• A quick heartbeat 
• Any of the opposite signs of hypoglycemia

There are additionally uncommon—however extra severe—unintended effects and issues that you ought to be conscious of:

• Thyroid tumors, together with most cancers  
• Pancreatitis 
• Adjustments in imaginative and prescient 
• Kidney issues 
• Psychological adjustments or melancholy
• Severe allergic reactions

Discuss along with your physician about potential unintended effects. 

They’ll reply the questions you’ve gotten about Wegovy and its potential dangers and advantages.