Do GLP-1 Medications Really Work? Real Expectations
GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptid-1) is a hormone that your body naturally produces in your gut. The job of glucagon-like peptid-1 is to tell the brain that you have eaten and to manage how your body will process the fuel you have just eaten. However, for some people this signal is not as loud as other signals in the body, leading to overeating.
GLP-1 medications are considered “receptor agonists”, which means they mimic that natural hormone that our body makes, but stays in your system longer. They help reset your metabolism by working on these 3 areas:
The Brain: It targets the brain centers that regulate appetite and reward. They help quiet the “food noise”- those constant thoughts about your next meal or snack.
The Stomach: It slows down digestion “gastric emptying”. This means that food stays in the stomach longer, which helps you feel fuller longer and for a longer period.
The Pancreas: It helps your body regulate the release of the correct amount of insulin at the right time, which helps stabilize blood sugars. It helps prevent the “crash” that some people have that leads to the sugar cravings.
These medications are injections that you, the patient give yourself. You will be taught at our clinic how to give them and will be supplied with the tools needed to perform these. You also will be asked to keep a food journal and will have monthly weighins to help us support you in the way that you need. We are here to help you be successful in your journey. We will provide a comprehensive lab review to check other hormones in the body that can cause you issues in reaching your goals. We also only prescribe these medications to patients who have a BMI of 30 or more and who have other health conditions such as high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Frequently asked questions
How is the medication administered?
Most GLP-1 medications are once a week, some every other day, subcutaneous injection. The needles are very tiny and virtually painless. We provide full training to ensure you are comfortable administrating these at home.
What are the side effects/complications?
Because these medications slow down digestion and keeps food in the stomach longer, some patients may feel nausea, bloating, and indigestion. Other side effects, depending on the food one eats, can cause diarrhea and in some cases constipation. Most side effects are mild and occur in the first few weeks or with titrating the dose.
We try to prevent these side effects by going slow with the titration process and keeping you at the lowest dose possible, where you are losing weight and have minimal side effects. Complications of these medications include inflammation of the gall bladder and pancreas. It is important to stress that these are complications we can not treat at our clinic and would need to refer you to the proper physician that can treat these complications.
How much weight can I expect to lose?
Clinical trials have shown that these medications, combined with lifestyle changes, patients can lose between 15% and 20% of their body weight over the course of a year. However, results vary based on your starting point, adherence to the program, and lifestyle changes.
Will I have to stay on it forever?
We highly recommend not, but it could be for a longer time than one believes. Some use this as a Jump start, while others use it a longer term use.