Fitness goals are often at the top-of-mind at the beginning of a New Year. As we welcome a new year, are you noticing the extra pounds from the holiday festivities and treats? It’s a great time to start fresh with new weight loss goals.
Even though you are feeling the motivation of a fresh start and a new year, do you have a nagging feeling in the back of your mind that you’re never going to be able to lose weight? It can be frustrating to try different diets and fitness plans only to achieve subpar results.
Rest assured knowing that new advances are becoming available, making it possible to achieve weight loss results faster and more effectively compared to a basic diet and exercise plan. Our clinic specializes in medically assisted weight loss, helping you achieve the results you desire.
How Medically-Assisted Weight Loss Works
Instead of navigating weight loss on your own, it’s time to enlist the support of a doctor. When your progress and habits are closely monitored by a healthcare expert, it allows you to not only achieve better results – but also ensure your safety every step of the way.
When you choose medically-assisted weight loss, it means that your doctor will provide a customized diet plan based on your unique needs. At the same time, this plan is paired with medications that help to balance blood sugar, reduce cravings, and suppress appetite.
Results vary from patient to patient, but many people experience consistent weight loss that leads to noticeable results within a few months. Over time, our expert weight loss team will fine-tune your plan and lifestyle to help you lose weight and keep it off in the future.
Overview of Weight Loss Medications
Medications in the GLP-1 family are not only helpful for immediate weight loss, but they can also offer long-term results. For example, the results can lower your set point, which is the weight that your body naturally settles at based on biology, environment, and genetics.
This means that you will lose weight quickly and be able to keep it off in the future.
These medications imitate hormones in the body to promote a feeling of fullness. The satiety centers in the brain are activated, and gastric emptying is delayed, which helps to reduce the amount of food consumed throughout the day.
Additionally, these incretin hormones suppress glucagon production and boost insulin production in the pancreas, helping to balance blood sugar levels.
Semaglutide vs. Tirzepatide: What You Need to Know
Choosing weight loss medication is a personal decision, and it’s necessary to consult with an expert medical advisor for assistance. There are many weight loss medications on the market, as well as other medications that aren’t necessarily approved for this purpose but are sometimes used to support weight loss.
Two of the most common options include Semaglutide and Tirzepatide.
Tirzepatide
Tirzepatide (known as Mounjaro) is a relatively new medication that was approved for diabetes treatments in May 2022. It’s important to note that this medication has not been approved by the FDA for weight loss; however, some weight loss clinics have found this medication to be helpful because of the way it manages hunger hormone receptors. The injections imitate two incretin hormones in the body.
Tirzepatide is similar to other medications because it has GLP-1 receptor agonists. Additionally, it includes a GIP hormone. This combination has been found to help with reduced food intake and increased energy expenditure.
Tirzepatide is administered by injection once per week. The dosages start relatively low in the beginning, with the option to increase dosages after a month. Doses are started low to allow the body to adjust to the medication and it is slowly increased to avoid any unnecessary side effects. Some patients will need to be at a higher dose but it is imperative that this increase is done slowly overtime to allow the body to adjust.
Semaglutide
Semaglutide (also known as Wegovy, Rybelsus, and Ozempic) is a medication that can assist with weight loss by suppressing the appetite and keeping food in the stomach longer to limit blood sugar spikes. This medication has been around for years, with FDA approval for diabetes coming through in 2015, and later for weight loss in 2021.
Many studies have been done over the years, and researchers have found that Semaglutide is both safe and effective.
This medication works in a similar way as Tirzepatide because it mimics the natural incretin hormones in the body, which can help to lower blood sugar levels and regulate appetite. However, Semaglutide only uses GLP-1 receptor agonist and not the dual hormones found in Tirzepatide.
Semaglutide vs Tirzepatide
Tirzepatide is a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, while Semaglutide is only a single GLP-1 receptor agonist; however, one isn’t necessarily more effective than the other for improving metabolic health. The effectiveness of any medication depends on how it works for your body, based on many individual factors.
- Genetic Profile
- Lifestyle and Preferences
- Physical Predispositions
- Health History
Look at the data and the results are astonishing: with Tirzepatide, the average weight loss in clinical trials was 22.5% of body weight after 72 weeks. Most patients start to see results within the first month, then continue with the medication until they reach their desired weight. After the patient reaches this desired weight, a maintenance phase is implemented.
Semaglutide also offers effective results, but it takes more time. For example, studies for Wegovy (Semaglutide) showed a 14.9% loss of body weight after 68 weeks, and Ozempic (Semaglutide) showed a 6.1% loss of body weight after 52 weeks.
Some people find that Semaglutide is easier for the body compared to stronger medications, which means that there are fewer side effects. Each person is unique, which is why it’s essential that you work with a weight loss doctor every step of the way. Some patients do better on one medication versus the other, which is why it is important to work with a medical provider.
Similarities Between Semaglutide and Tirzepatide
There are some notable similarities between these two weight loss medications. Each one requires a once-weekly injection, although the dosage range varies between 0.25mg – 2.4mg for Semaglutide and 2.5mg – 15.0mg for Tirzepatide.
Both medications lower the blood sugar and control appetite by slowing gastric emptying, and both Semaglutide and Tirzepatide can lower inflammation in the body and blood pressure.
Since there is such a large range of dosages, it could explain the different results between medications.
Are There Any Side Effects from Semaglutide and Tirzepatide?
As with any type of medication, there are potential side effects. These possible complications can be minimized by working with an experienced healthcare provider to ensure you are taking the right dosage and frequency.
Potential side effects might include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Vomiting
- Abdominal Pain
If you have any of these side effects, then it’s essential that you talk to your doctor right away. At PMC we can provide medications to offset the side effects in the beginning which usually go away week 2-4. Starting at the correct dose and gradually increasing with medical provider’s guidance is imperative to avoiding side effects. At PMC we even split dosing at times into twice weekly smaller doses to avoid side effects.
Multi-Faceted Approach for Optimal Results
At Padgett Medical Center, we recognize that weight loss medications are most effective when paired with other lifestyle changes. So, in addition to the medications, we also work with our patients to reset their metabolisms with dietary, sleep, and exercise adjustments as well.
If you have tried lots of diets and aren’t seeing the results you deserve, then it’s time to find a solution that will work.
At Padgett Medical Center, our weight loss experts are here to help. Learn more about medically assisted weight loss, including support for hormone replacement, testosterone replacement, aesthetics, ADHD, and more. We have 2 locations and also offer telemedicine appointments for clients anywhere in the state of Florida. Call our Tampa location at (813) 888-7710 or our Ocala location at (352) 369-0104.
