

Semaglutide mimics a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is secreted in the gut and targets receptors throughout the body, including the brain. But semaglutide is the first of a new generation of highly effective hormone-based obesity medications. “It means you will have little desire to reach for ‘seconds’ or a snack later.”Īnti-obesity medications have been around for decades, and there are several currently in use.
#Semaglutide success stories full#
“This medicine helps you feel full earlier,” says Dr. (If you weigh 200 pounds, for example, that would be 30 pounds.) Semaglutide doesn’t work for everyone, but when it’s successful, it can help someone shed 15% of their body weight. It was approved by the FDA for the treatment of overweight and obesity in June 2021 (with similar medications being developed as well). The drug trial’s sponsor, Eli Lilly, is working with the FDA on a timeline for approval.Īnother weight-loss medication is called semaglutide (it’s available by prescription under the brand name Wegovy® ), and it is given once a week by self-injection under the skin.

It was, however, approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as an anti-obesity medication. “These results are an important step forward in potentially expanding effective therapeutic options for individuals with obesity,” says Ania Jastreboff, MD, PhD, a Yale Medicine adult and pediatric endocrinologist and a nationally recognized obesity medicine expert.
#Semaglutide success stories trial#
According to a study published in June in The New England Journal of Medicine, use of the drug, a novel GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist, in the trial resulted in more than a 20% weight reduction in those with obesity-an average of 52 pounds per person. One such medication that has been making headlines is called tirzepatide. They are anti-obesity medications, and doctors say that part of what makes them unique is how they are prescribed: They are used to treat obesity as the chronic metabolic disease it is rather than perpetuating the misconception that obesity is a problem that can be overcome by willpower. But there are new types of medicines that are potential game-changers. There is no magic pill that will cure obesity, a condition that affects over 40% of adults in the United States.
