Semaglutide has BOTH Weight Loss & Cardiovascular Health benefits

Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist found in medications such as Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy, has been shown to provide significant benefits for long-term weight loss and cardiovascular health.

Weight Loss Benefits:

1. Significant Weight Reduction:
   • A study published in Nature Medicine involving 17,000 overweight or obese adults without diabetes found that semaglutide treatment led to an average weight loss of 10% of body weight over four years.
   • Participants also saw an average reduction of 7 centimeters (2.7 inches) in waistline measurements.
2. BMI Improvement:
   • More than half of the participants moved down at least one BMI category after two years of semaglutide use, compared to 16% in the placebo group.
   • 12% of participants reached a healthy BMI, compared to 1% in the placebo group.

Heart Health Benefits:

1. Improved Cardiovascular Health:
   • GLP-1 drugs, including semaglutide, have been found to benefit the cardiovascular system regardless of the amount of weight lost or initial weight.
   • A University College London study reported that these drugs positively impact blood sugar, blood pressure, and inflammation, all of which contribute to heart health.
2. Long-term Cardiovascular Outcomes:
   • Data from the ongoing Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes (SELECT) research trial showed that taking semaglutide for more than three years reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from cardiovascular disease by 20%.
   • These findings suggest that semaglutide’s benefits extend beyond weight loss, potentially reducing the public health burden of obesity-related illnesses.

Expert Opinions:

• Luke Twelves, Medical Director at Lindus Health, highlighted the transformative impact of GLP-1 drugs on weight-loss strategies.
• Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian, emphasized the study’s findings on sustained weight loss and its rare magnitude in clinical trials.
• John Deanfield, Professor of Cardiology, noted that semaglutide’s cardiovascular benefits might include direct effects on heart muscle and blood vessels, in addition to lowering unhealthy body fat.

Side Effects and Considerations:

• Common side effects of Semaglutide include gastrointestinal issues such as nausea and diarrhea and a higher risk of gallbladder stones.
• However, the negative symptoms were lower among semaglutide recipients compared to the placebo group.

Semaglutide drugs like Ozempic offer substantial benefits for long-term weight loss and heart health, potentially transforming the management of obesity and related cardiovascular conditions. You can read more here.