New Weight-Loss Tools
A new wave of medications developed to treat Type 2 diabetes has become the talk of the weight-loss world, but is the hype justified?
The old generation of medications generally resulted in weight loss of up to 10%. That’s not bad as losing just 3- 5% of your body weight will lower your risk of diabetes and a 10% weight loss can significantly lower the cardiovascular conditions, such as blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels.
Mahtab Ahmed, M.D.
Genesis Center for Weight Management
Mahtab Ahmed, M.D., of the Genesis Center for Weight Management, which provides surgical and non-surgical weight loss options for patients, says this new generation of drugs is even more effective.
“Ozempic (Semaglutide) can give you 15% weight loss. Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) can give you 22% weight loss,” says Dr. Ahmed, who specializes in non-surgical obesity medicine. “We are in an exciting time for weight management. These two medicines actually change the course of medication treatment for weight management.”
Intended to help diabetes patients control their blood sugar levels, this family of drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, reduces weight by imitating a hormone that our intestines produce when we eat. The hormones tell our pancreas to release insulin. These drugs decrease appetite and they slow down the emptying of the stomach, so we feel full and eat less. They work best when combined with diet and exercise.
The drugs, almost all administered via self-injection, aren’t without some side effects.
“Usually you'll have nausea in the first four weeks of taking it,” says Dr. Ahmed. “If you continue to take it, it’ll probably go away. There may be some abdominal discomfort, constipation and diarrhea in some cases.”
As with many chronic conditions, most people who use the drugs for diabetes or weight loss need to keep taking them for their benefits to continue.
As effective as the drugs are for weight loss, most, including Ozempic and Mounjaro, are U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for people with Type 2 diabetes. Recently Wegovy (higher dose of Ozempic) and Zepbound (Mounjaro) were approved by FDA for weight management. Most insurances do not cover weight loss medications. That means insurance can be an issue. Patients need to check with their insurance for weight loss medications coverage. Depending on the medication, prices range from $900 to more than $1,300 per month.
The Obesity Medicine Association and Genesis Center for Weight Management do not support using the generic compounded form of Semaglutide due to quality control issues.
“Yes, they're wonderful medicines, but many who don't have Type 2 diabetes can't really afford them for weight loss. So for them, we use other Anti-Obesity Medicine (AOM) and work on nutrition, behavior modification and physical activity,” says Dr. Ahmed.
He advises patients seeking weight-loss solutions to talk with their doctor or call the Genesis Center for Weight Management at (563) 421-8361.
“There are many other weight-loss drugs in development,” says Dr. Ahmed. “The future looks very promising.”
