While we may toss around the term game-changing, few things really warrant that description. Yet GLP-1 weight-loss medications are proving to be the exception, and we can say with a high degree of confidence that this approach to weight loss is indeed game-changing.
Currently, nearly 12% of Americans are taking GLP-1 medications, which makes sense given that slightly more than 40% of adults in the United States have obesity. And those taking these weight-loss drugs are reporting some major successes.
To explain why GLP-1 medications are true game-changers in the often frustrating world of weight loss, we turn to our team of board-certified primary care providers at CareOne Internal Medicine and Primary Care.
As part of our overall health care provisions, we offer comprehensive weight-loss services, including GLP-1 medications, and we explain how they work here.
There are several reasons GLP-1 medications work so well to help people lose weight — on average, those who take these drugs lose 15%-25% of their overall body weight within a year, which is significant.
The active ingredient in these medications is an agonist that mimics the hormone GLP-1, which your body produces in your small intestine. This agonist helps people lose weight by:
Insulin is a hormone produced in your pancreas. Its primary role is to help move glucose from your blood to your cells, where it’s used as energy.
If you have insulin resistance or poor insulin production, which are characteristics of diabetes, you can have abnormally high levels of blood sugar.
With GLP-1 agonists, we can prompt your pancreas to produce more insulin to regulate blood glucose levels more efficiently and aid in weight loss.
Your body produces a hormone called glucagon that elevates blood sugar levels. With GLP-1 agonists, we suppress the production of this hormone.
GLP-1 agonists slow your digestion, or stomach emptying, which helps you feel full faster and for longer.
GLP-1 agonists affect areas of your brain that control hunger and satiety (how satisfied and full you feel). As a result, you don't feel hungry, greatly reducing how much you eat.
GLP-1 agonist medications, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, work extremely well and very quickly in helping people lose significant weight. As we continue to learn more about these medications, we’re finding that people can quickly regain the weight when they stop taking these medications.
To avoid this, we emphasize building healthy habits while you’re taking GLP-1 medications, including improving your nutrition and establishing a consistent exercise routine. These lifestyle changes help protect your progress and reduce the likelihood of needing GLP‑1 therapy indefinitely.
If you’d like to explore whether you’re a good candidate for GLP-1 weight-loss medications, we invite you to contact us at one of our CareOne Internal Medicine and Primary Care locations in Houston or Katy, Texas.
