Semaglutide: Advantages, Aspect Results, Earlier than and After Footage

What’s Semaglutide?

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist that has been permitted by the US Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) for the therapy of weight problems and sort 2 diabetes. The model names for semaglutide are:

What Are the Advantages of Semaglutide?

• Weight reduction
• Blood sugar management
• Anti-inflammatory
• Cardioprotective
• Nephroprotective

Weight Loss

Semaglutide induces lipolysis by decreasing blood sugar ranges and thus enhancing fatty acid oxidation. This shifts the physique from burning glucose as a principal power supply to adipose tissue, in any other case often called fats shops.

Semaglutide will increase satiety and thus acts as an urge for food suppressant. This impact happens resulting from semaglutide delaying the method of gastric emptying, slowing the discharge of meals into the gut. In consequence, semaglutide customers could also be extra inclined to stick to a calorie-deficit food regimen.

Can Semaglutide Trigger Muscle Loss?

• Analysis has proven that those that undertake a big calorie deficit are extra inclined to muscle atrophy along with fats loss (1, 2).
• In distinction, people who eat in a smaller calorie deficit sometimes expertise much less muscle loss. This dynamic could clarify why a examine discovered that as much as 40% of whole weight reduction from semaglutide was attributed to lean mass (3), whereas different customers didn’t expertise any notable muscle tissue loss.
• Thus, it seems that semaglutide doesn’t immediately trigger muscle losing, however it stays a possible aspect impact not directly attributable to semaglutide’s potent appetite-suppressant attributes.

We now have had bodybuilders at our clinic make the most of semaglutide successfully to cut back their physique fats proportion whereas retaining muscle hypertrophy. Nonetheless, such sufferers reported being vigilant in avoiding their energy dropping excessively low to keep away from muscle loss.

How A lot Weight Loss Can Customers Expertise From Semaglutide?

The quantity of weight reduction attributable to semaglutide in a examine on people who skilled post-bariatric therapy failure may be seen under (4). On this examine, previous to taking semaglutide, overweight women and men underwent bariatric surgical procedure and both did not lose sufficient weight or gained it again after the process, often called weight recidivism.

That is how a lot weight they misplaced following 12 months of semaglutide therapy:

• >5% in 90% of sufferers
• >10% in 62% of sufferers
• >15% in 35% of sufferers
• >20% in 24% of sufferers
• >25% in 17% of sufferers

In our expertise, the overall weight reduction vary of semaglutide, based mostly on our sufferers outcomes, may be seen under:

Are Weight Loss Outcomes From Semaglutide Sustainable?

A protracted-term information examine discovered that semaglutide customers on common misplaced 10% of their whole weight and maintained these outcomes for 4 years (5).

In our expertise, nearly all of our sufferers preserve their weight reduction outcomes a number of months or years following semaglutide discontinuation. Nonetheless, a couple of of our sufferers have regained the load they initially misplaced.

We now have discovered that really fizzling out semaglutide by step by step reducing the dosage may be efficacious in decreasing giant spikes in urge for food following cycle cessation, rising the probability of long-term outcomes.

Blood Sugar Management

• Medical trials have proven that semaglutide works as an antihyperglycemic and may considerably cut back blood sugar ranges, because it stimulates the pancreas to secrete extra insulin.
• A examine discovered that glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ranges decreased by 2.8% following a semaglutide dosage of 1 mg/week (6).

We not too long ago handled a bodybuilder with diabetes mellitus, efficiently decreasing his HbA1c ranges with semaglutide to a clinically regular vary, reducing from 6.5% to five.3%.

Analysis has proven that the danger of semaglutide inflicting hypoglycemia could also be low resulting from its insulinogenic results being glucose-dependent. Subsequently, this reductive impact is much less prone to happen when blood sugar ranges are secure, often called normoglycemia (7).

Anti-Inflammatory

• Semaglutide has been discovered to cut back irritation in animal analysis by decreasing the degrees of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) cytokines (8).
• This impact is attributable to semaglutide reprogramming immune cells and macrophages through the GLP-1R/PPARG/ACSL1 pathway, additionally inflicting anticancerous results in rodents (9).

We now have noticed vital reductions in C-reactive protein (CRP) ranges of sufferers administering semaglutide, probably benefiting people with autoimmune illness.

Cardioprotective

A examine discovered that semaglutide diminished the danger of cardiovascular-related dying by 29% (10).

Japanese analysis additionally discovered semaglutide to considerably lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels of cholesterol, decreasing the danger of dyslipidemia in kind 2 diabetes sufferers (11).

A number of of our sufferers have utilized semaglutide along with SARMs or anabolic steroids and consequently have improved their diastolic and systolic blood stress readings, decreasing the danger of hypertension.

There are a number of mechanisms by which semaglutide can cut back blood stress, together with:

• Lowered physique fats
• Improved insulin sensitivity
• The excretion of sodium in urine, often called natriuresis
• Vasodilation

Nephroprotective

• Medical research point out that semaglutide could have renal protecting results, with persistent kidney illness sufferers experiencing considerably improved outcomes following a dosage of 1 mg/week.
• After a 3-year follow-up, their urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratios and estimated glomerular filtration charges remained improved, contributing to a 20% decrease danger of dying (12).

Is Semaglutide Secure?

A PubMed examine involving 3,962 obese people receiving 2.4 mg/week concluded that semaglutide seemed to be “protected” and “well-tolerated.” (13). Nonetheless, gastrointestinal-related unwanted effects have been reported in a number of customers. The researchers acknowledged that these hostile reactions have been “transient” and “gentle to reasonable in nature.”

Regardless of semaglutide being FDA permitted, the federal company has warned the general public of non-prescription purchases of this drug resulting from potential counterfeiting.

Dr. James Stirrett, a specialist in regenerative medication, warns that how semaglutide is run can dictate its security. Dr. Stirrett states that if a supplier administers giant dosages of semaglutide and solely supplies annual well being checkups, this might result in points.

Dr. Stirrett provides that when semaglutide is utilized diligently, it may be an efficacious instrument for rising a affected person’s motivation.

Semaglutide Contraindications

Dr. Stirrett says {that a} questionnaire is essential to grasp a affected person’s medical historical past and present well being, as semaglutide could also be a high-risk remedy for these with medullary thyroid carcinoma and a number of endocrine neoplasia syndrome.

What Are the Aspect Results of Semaglutide?

The Nationwide Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Ailments states that semaglutide is mostly “properly tolerated”; nonetheless, hostile results may be extra prevalent at larger doses.

The next unwanted effects are potential from semaglutide, based mostly on information from ten randomized managed trials involving 14,550 individuals, along with a number of further research (14):

• Nausea or vomiting
• Fetus problems
• Belly cramping or ache
• Hyposalivation
• Diarrhea
• Hair loss
• Complications
• Constipation

Thus, nearly all of semaglutide unwanted effects seem like gastrointestinal-related. Gastrointestinal disturbances could also be attributed to semaglutide delaying gastric emptying, along with affecting gastric inhibitory polypeptide ranges.

Vomiting

In a single PubMed report, a feminine was identified with hyperemesis gravidarum, experiencing a number of days of extreme vomiting and belly cramping (15). The consumer administered 2 mg of semaglutide on the day of her signs transpiring. Such unwanted effects resolved after 6 days of semaglutide discontinuation. The chance of gastrointestinal unwanted effects could enhance in pregnant females. Consequently, the FDA warns towards such use throughout being pregnant.

Fetus Problems

Animal research have additionally proven that GLP-1 agonists can negatively affect fetal weight (16); nonetheless, present human analysis concerning semaglutide’s full results on fetuses is proscribed.

Belly Cramping or Ache

Semaglutide use has been related to belly ache and dyspepsia in analysis, with a report of a 61-year-old male being identified with gastric pneumatosis following a dosage of 4 mg/week (17).

• A 53-year-old feminine was additionally identified with gastroparesis following semaglutide use, with signs considerably bettering one month after complement cessation (18). She obtained a dosage of 0.5 mg/week of semaglutide for 4 months, leading to weight lack of 40 kilos.
• Chaudhry et al. famous that though gastrointestinal points have been associated to GLP-1 antagonist use, they take into account a analysis of gastroparesis to be “uncommon.”

Hyposalivation

Analysis has discovered that semaglutide may cause secondary xerostomia, in any other case often called dry mouth (19). Thus, it seems that the peptide can have an effect on the salivary glands. There have additionally been situations of semaglutide inflicting momentary dysgeusia in a 2025 examine, and thus it has the potential to have an effect on style (20).

Diarrhea

One examine discovered 29.7% of semaglutide customers expertise diarrhea following dosages of two.4 mg/week (21). This information relies on 803 individuals using semaglutide for 68 weeks. In our expertise, diarrhea is a much less frequent aspect impact when administering decrease dosages and shorter cycles.

Hair Loss

Semaglutide has been related to alopecia in medical analysis, following information collected by the FDA’s hostile occasion reporting system (22). Vital weight reduction may cause hormonal fluctuations, inducing telogen effluvium; therefore, that is probably the mechanism inflicting some customers to expertise hair loss on semaglutide.

Complications

Akhil Shenoy, M.D., states that 15% of Ozempic customers expertise complications based mostly on present research (23). Dr. Shenoy provides that sulfonylureas stimulating insulin secretion is prone to be the mechanism inflicting this aspect impact in some people.

Further analysis has additionally proven that GLP-1 agonists may cause hemiplegic migraines (24).

• William P. Shutze, M.D., a specialised vascular surgeon, states that ibuprofen can relieve headache signs from semaglutide. Nonetheless, he advises that people inform their doctor previous to taking the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug to keep away from any potential contraindications.
• Dr. Patricia Weiser, a licensed pharmacist, says that staying hydrated could resolve headache signs. She additionally states that complications occurring in over 15% of customers in New England Journal of Medication analysis have been solely somewhat extra frequent in comparison with the placebo group (12%).

Constipation

In a randomized managed trial, individuals have been over two occasions extra prone to expertise constipation in comparison with the placebo group. Constipation affected 24% of customers from a 2.4 mg/week dosage (21).

Semaglutide Earlier than and After Footage

• This male Reddit consumer misplaced roughly 100 kilos after taking semaglutide for 9 months.
• The consumer acknowledged that shedding the primary 60 kilos was “straightforward,” whereas the final 40 kilos have been notably tougher.
• The consumer began at a dosage of 0.5 mg/week, rising it step by step till reaching a most dose of two.5 mg, which they sustained for the final 6 months of their cycle.

In our expertise, these outcomes may be thought of above common, which can be attributed to the consumer’s diligent weight-reduction plan to lose the final 40 kilos, the place they report eliminating sugar and cheese from their food regimen.

When it comes to unwanted effects, the consumer skilled gentle nausea following a number of injections, which was exacerbated if consuming a big meal close to the injection time.

Semaglutide Outcomes After 10 Months

This feminine Reddit consumer misplaced 63 kilos following 10 months of semaglutide use. They report combining semaglutide injections with a constant calorie deficit and common train to maximise fats loss. Thus, related outcomes are unlikely to be attained with a sedentary way of life and extra calorie consumption.

One Month Earlier than and After Images

This feminine Reddit consumer misplaced 10 kilos after 1 month of semaglutide injections. The consumer’s dosage throughout this transformation was 0.25 mg/week, which they plan on rising for added outcomes.

Semaglutide Dosage

In our expertise, healthcare suppliers generally begin sufferers on a dosage of 0.25 mg/week, rising as vital based mostly on how the consumer responds to the peptide.

The utmost dosage of semaglutide is 2.4 mg/week; nonetheless, analysis signifies that gastrointestinal points could also be extra frequent at larger dosages (25).

Based mostly on the earlier than and after photos beforehand illustrated on this article, vital weight reduction could also be skilled even on decrease semaglutide dosages if utilized along with a caloric-deficit food regimen.

In a single examine, customers misplaced 29.45% extra weight following a 1 mg/week dosage in comparison with 0.5 mg/week (26). Thus, there may be proof that larger dosages could also be extra efficacious for inducing lipolysis.

Semaglutide Critiques

This journey has helped me a lot. I began Wegovy in November, and I’ve misplaced over 40 lbs. At the moment, I’m lastly beneath 300 lbs. I haven’t seen these numbers in additional than 10 years. Sure, I’ve a number of the unwanted effects, however I’m managing. I’ve realized what a correct portion measurement is. I’ve realized the worth of protein. I’m lastly comfy sufficient to go to the fitness center, and I’m really having fun with it!

Excellent news: my A1C outcomes are actually beneath management for pre-diabetes!

I took my first 0.25 mg shot 7 weeks in the past, and I’ve misplaced 18 kilos since. I’m fairly pleased with the outcomes; it may go sooner, however it’s okay. I’ve had no main unwanted effects, however generally unhealthy breath. I rely energy on daily basis; I keep between 1200 and 1400, and I train each different day on the treadmill for quarter-hour. Then I carry 3 lb weights for 10 minutes to tone my arms, and I’m making an attempt to drink 100 oz of water a day. I simply thought I might share. Good luck to you all.

1 mg/week felt unhealthy to start with. I by no means had any unwanted effects till then. I imply it subsided after a couple of weeks, however I had excessive heartburn, nausea, and complications. I’d randomly really feel like I used to be going to be sick. I solely was as soon as, although. Nevertheless it’s additionally the primary dose that labored for me. I might assume it will be worse if I didn’t initially begin on decrease dosages. Personally, I wouldn’t begin on something over 0.50 mg/week as a newbie. It’s simply my opinion; everyone seems to be totally different.

I simply elevated my dose to 1 mg/week after taking 0.5 mg for 3 months. The sick feeling is so much worse. I took my second shot this week, and it wasn’t as unhealthy as final week. Hoping subsequent week is even higher. However sure, you most likely shouldn’t begin proper off the bat on 1 mg.

Semaglutide Critiques on Social Media

How one can Take Semaglutide

Semaglutide is injected subcutaneously, with the most typical websites being the:

• Stomach
• Thigh
• Again of the higher arm

We advise customers to:

1. Clear the injection web site with an alcohol swab to cut back the probability of an infection.
2. Pinch a fatty space within the chosen area.
3. Inject slowly at a 90-degree angle.
4. Guarantee the total dose is delivered and gently withdraw the needle.

In our expertise, nearly all of our sufferers choose injecting within the stomach, resulting from higher ranges of subcutaneous fats being positioned inside 2 inches of the umbilicus, in any other case often called the stomach button.

In distinction, we now have discovered that thigh injections could also be inclined to bruising in some people resulting from this being a thicker muscle area with a higher density of blood vessels. Consequently, capillaries usually tend to be broken at this injection web site.

Injection websites additionally could also be rotated to cut back the danger of irritation or lipodystrophy.

Semaglutide vs. Tirzepatide

Tirzepatide is a twin agonist that targets each the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and the GLP-1 receptor. Thus, as with semaglutide, tirzepatide causes weight reduction by decreasing blood sugar ranges and rising satiety. Tirzepatide is FDA-approved for the therapy of:

• Weight administration
• Sort 2 diabetes
• Obstructive sleep apnea

The model names for tirzepatide are:

In a medical examine, tirzepatide demonstrated a weight reduction benefit of two.4% after three months in comparison with the semaglutide group (27). Moreover, after six and twelve months of therapy, tirzepatide resulted in weight reduction variations of 4.3% and 6.9%, respectively.

• In analysis, tirzepatide and semaglutide are each related to an elevated danger of gastrointestinal unwanted effects, with tirzepatide inflicting extra frequent disturbances (28).
• Semaglutide has been proven to provide extra frequent incidences of gallbladder points in comparison with tirzepatide, with it being 2.6 occasions extra prone to trigger cholelithiasis, demonstrating an elevated biliary danger.

Christopher McGowan, M.D., an weight problems medication specialist, states that tirzepatide could also be more practical for weight reduction resulting from it having synergistic results, focusing on GLP-1 and GIP receptors.

He provides that throughout the Surmount-1 trial, 50% of sufferers misplaced over 20% of their whole weight, in comparison with 32% of sufferers shedding the identical quantity of weight from semaglutide within the Step 1 trial.

Nonetheless, Dr. McGowan warns that evaluating the lipolytic results of every remedy based mostly on the outcomes of various research may cause validity points resulting from differing affected person populations. Dr. McGowan says he has noticed tons of of profitable affected person transformations from every remedy.

• Each medicines price roughly $1,000 per 30 days in america through prescription.
• For people buying on-line for analysis functions, we discover that semaglutide seems to be extra extensively accessible, making it a probably extra accessible peptide.

Semaglutide Options

Berberine

Berberine is a pure isoquinoline alkaloid complement that may be taken over-the-counter.

Berberine is extracted from crops reminiscent of:

• Berberis
• Turmeric
• Golden seal
• Oregon grape

Berberine works through mitochondrial biogenesis regulation and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMP) activation. Consequently, berberine improves insulin sensitivity and enhances fatty acid oxidation just like semaglutide. Consequently, it has been nicknamed by some as “nature’s Ozempic.”

Analysis has proven berberine may cause “vital” weight reduction in people (29). Nonetheless, different research recommend the outcomes of berberine could also be notably lower than semaglutide, with individuals shedding 3.6% of physique fats following 12 weeks of berberine supplementation (30). Compared, semaglutide customers misplaced roughly 6% of physique weight for a similar period in a double-blind trial (31).

Diarrhea and constipation have been documented as berberine unwanted effects in a examine (32). Nonetheless, these hostile results have been described as gentle, with PubMed researchers concluding berberine to be a “protected medicinal plant.” Moreover, “no severe unwanted effects” have been reported from berberine use in a examine involving 2,569 sufferers (33).

Excessive-Protein Food regimen

• One various to taking semaglutide may very well be to undertake a high-protein food regimen.
• A examine carried out in 2005 discovered that when protein constitutes 30% of whole caloric consumption, it may well result in a discount in total calorie consumption by 441 energy (34).

This enhance in satiety mimics the urge for food suppressant results of semaglutide, whereas a lower in carbohydrate consumption can even decrease blood sugar ranges.

Incessantly Requested Questions

Is Semaglutide Authorized?

Semaglutide is authorized in america, Canada, Australia, the UK, and varied different international locations when accompanied by a doctor’s prescription for the therapy of kind 2 diabetes or weight administration.

Semaglutide additionally could also be bought or offered for analysis functions. Nonetheless, beauty use by most people and not using a prescription is prohibited.

What’s the Worth of Semaglutide?

• Within the UK, semaglutide is accessible through prescription with the Nationwide Well being Service (NHS), which might price roughly £120 per 30 days. Nonetheless, in our expertise, most customers self-fund their semaglutide use privately resulting from strict prescription standards and prolonged ready lists. Semaglutide may be bought on-line for analysis functions, costing roughly £100 for a month’s provide.
• Within the US, the worth of semaglutide can differ based mostly on insurance coverage. Nonetheless, with out such protection, people will pay $800–$1,200 per 30 days by a well being clinic. Alternatively, semaglutide may be bought privately from on-line US corporations for analysis functions, with a 5 mg bottle costing roughly $175.

Can Semaglutide Trigger Pancreatitis ?

A meta-analysis of over 55,000 sufferers discovered that GLP-1 agonist medicines, reminiscent of semaglutide, didn’t considerably enhance the danger of acute pancreatitis (35).

Can Semaglutide Trigger Most cancers?

Ozempic comprises a boxed warning stating that the remedy could trigger thyroid most cancers after rodents developed tumors in medical analysis.

Nonetheless, a PubMed systematic literature evaluation discovered an incidence of thyroid most cancers related to semaglutide use to be lower than 1% (36). The examine was based mostly on 7,830 individuals. In conclusion, the researchers discovered no vital danger for thyroid carcinogenesis in people.

A scientific evaluation involving information on over 45,000 sufferers was not related to an elevated danger of any most cancers from semaglutide when in comparison with a placebo group (37).

Animal research have proven semaglutide to own cytotoxic results particularly in relation to CD8⁺ T cells, decelerating tumor development in varied cancers, together with hepatocellular and breast carcinoma (38).

Further analysis has additionally proven that GLP-1 remedy can enhance pure killer (NK) cells. This can be a direct impact unbiased of weight reduction and happens resulting from enhancements within the CD98-mTOR-glycolysis metabolic axis, a essential signaling pathway for cell survival (39).

What’s the Half-Lifetime of Semaglutide?

The half-life of semaglutide is roughly 7 days.

Can Semaglutide Trigger Tiredness?

A PubMed examine reported a 74-year-old male with progressive fatigue and sarcopenia following semaglutide use (40). Consequently, people could expertise muscle atrophy, tiredness, and/or fatigue if caloric consumption decreases excessively whereas taking semaglutide.

What Occurs if Customers Miss a Dose?

Concentrations of the peptide will roughly halve after lacking every week of administration. We now have not discovered this to be problematic for the target of weight administration, though outcomes could cut back as semaglutide ranges lower.

If customers have kind 2 diabetes, they’re suggested to contact their doctor in the event that they miss a dose.

A number of of our sufferers using semaglutide for weight reduction functions have benefited from lacking a dose strategically to extend their urge for food for particular events, reminiscent of a vacation or birthday meal.

Why Do Some Individuals Not Lose Weight From Semaglutide?

In our expertise, semaglutide’s urge for food suppressant results could not trigger weight reduction in customers who’re vulnerable to emotional consuming and tend to binge-eat when they aren’t bodily hungry.

How Can People Qualify for a Semaglutide Prescription?

• Clinically overweight adults with a physique mass index (BMI) of 30 or larger
• Obese adults with a BMI of 27 or larger who even have been identified with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or kind 2 diabetes.
• For youngsters, they should be not less than 12 years outdated with a BMI at or above the ninety fifth percentile for his or her age and intercourse.

Semaglutide Professionals and Cons

Professionals:

• Can produce vital long-term weight reduction outcomes
• Stabilizes blood sugar ranges
• May be bought on-line and not using a prescription for analysis functions
• Usually properly tolerated in analysis

Cons:

• Gastrointestinal unwanted effects are generally reported.
• Has been described as “not economically engaging” by the Canadian Journal of Cardiology (41)
• Solely permitted for kind 2 diabetic and overweight sufferers

Inside Bodybuilding is a staff of medical professionals and physicians with specialised information and expertise concerning bodybuilding and PEDs.

Co Authors :

For TRT inquiries, please contact Dr. O’Connor through the Anabolic Doc app.

Dr. O’Connor has over 20 years of expertise treating women and men with a historical past of anabolic steroid, SARM, and PED use. He has been a board-certified MD since 2005 and supplies steerage on hurt discount methodologies.

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