Medical Injections for Weight Loss
Introduction
Conventional medical thinking about obesity and weight loss has evolved thanks to a better scientific understanding of digestion, metabolism, and genetics. New insights developed through ongoing research have changed how doctors assess and treat obesity.
Medical providers understand obesity is a chronic health condition that requires holistic treatment. Managing obesity reduces one’s risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health problems that compromise health and wellness.
Research has proven that weight loss is not simply a matter of self-control. Doctors now prescribe effective weight loss medications delivered by self-injection to help their patients lose and keep off weight. Learning about how these medications work, their potential benefits, and their possible side effects is vital to making the best decision for your health.
What Injections are Used for Weight Loss?
Weight loss injections are self-administered medications that patients usually place in their thighs, upper arms, or abdomens. The dose, frequency, and efficacy of the injections can depend on the prescription being used. Licensed doctors only order safe, well-regulated medications whose weight-loss effects are supported by research.
Ozempic
Ozempic, known generically as semaglutide, is an FDA-approved type 2 diabetes medication. Doctors have noted dramatic weight loss in patients who’ve used the drug, leading researchers to study semaglutide's viability as an obesity treatment. The injection causes similar effects as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a digestive hormone released in the small intestine. It's available in a 2.0 mg weekly dose.
The medication works by slowing digestion, leaving the stomach fuller for longer and signaling to the brain that the body is sated. These effects suppress appetite to reduce caloric intake. Doctors order Ozempic for weight loss off-label, which is a common medical practice because it’s not FDA-approved to treat obesity.
Wegovy
Wegovy is another form of semaglutide available in a 2.4 mg weekly dose. The FDA approved the medication as an obesity treatment in 2021.
Wegovy also mimics the effects of GLP-1 to suppress appetite and slow digestion, thereby keeping the stomach full. The medication typically decreases portion and meal size to reduce how many calories a person consumes.
Others
Liraglutide injections, sold under the brand name Saxenda, mimic the effects of incretin, a hormone released into the gut. The injection slows gastric emptying to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Mounjaro, known generically as tirzepatide, simulates the effects of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and GLP-1 to suppress appetite.
Who Should and Should Not Use Injections for Weight Loss?
Most adults with a body mass index (BMI) over 30 are eligible for weight loss injections. Those with a BMI over 27 and a weight-related health condition, like high cholesterol or sleep apnea, are also good candidates. The aforementioned drugs can only be obtained from licensed doctors.
Being forthright with your doctor during the weight loss consultation is essential to your safety. Certain digestive conditions, kidney disease, and other chronic health conditions may contraindicate weight loss treatment or hinder its effectiveness.
Those with retinopathy or type 1 diabetes are not viable candidates for weight loss medications. These treatments are also considered inappropriate for those with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, preexisting gallbladder disease, a history of pancreatitis, or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2).
Do Weight Loss Injections Really Work?
Yes, weight loss injections are effective when used consistently with a doctor's recommendations. Supplementing one such injection with diet modifications and exercise can help you optimize your results. Lifestyle changes can also improve your body composition and fortify your overall health.
These injections help patients lose weight by decreasing their caloric intake. The core principle of weight loss is burning more calories than you consume. By engaging brain receptors that control appetite and slowing digestion to leave the stomach full, injections help patients create the caloric deficit needed to lose weight.
The total weight loss facilitated by these injections varies by patient, as each will have a different starting weight and body composition. A study published in 2022 of 175 patients treated with semaglutide reported an average weight loss of 10.9% after six months of using the drug. Researchers have seen up to a 15% weight loss in patients who participated in studies with longer timelines.
Obesity is a chronic health condition. Fortunately, weight loss injections are designed for long-term use to help patients keep off the weight they lose. Research links sustained weight loss with a lower risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health problems that cause events like stroke and heart attack.
Side Effects and Risks of Weight Loss Injections
All treatments can cause side effects and carry certain risks. Their likelihood and severity vary from patient to patient based on those patients’ biochemistry and medical history. Talking with your doctor about your medical conditions and concerns is the best way to mitigate such risks and address side effects if they do occur.
Doctors start patients on low doses of these injections and build them up to an optimal level over a period of weeks. This incremental approach allows the body to adjust to the new medication, lessening the duration and intensity of side effects.
The most common side effects of medical weight loss injections include:
Abdominal pain
Burping
Diarrhea
Constipation
Heartburn
Injection site redness or tenderness
Nausea
Vomiting
Less common but serious side effects include:
Elevated heart rate
Fatigue, dizziness, or fainting due to hypoglycemia
Severe abdominal pain
Vision changes
What is the Best Injection for Weight Loss?
Consulting with an experienced weight-loss physician is the best way to determine which injection is best for you because they can assess your medical history and factor in your weight loss goals. That said, for most patients Ozempic is the top option. This injection induces the effects of naturally produced digestive hormones to control patients’ appetites.
Side effects with Ozempic are often less intense because the drug is available in a lower maximum dose than the alternatives. These levels allow doctors to work patients up to an effective dosage while minimizing their odds of experiencing discomforting gastric symptoms.
Ozempic has been on the market since 2017. Weight-loss specialists have the most experience with this injection. The insights they’ve gleaned have enabled them to provide patients with the best possible guidance as they navigate their weight loss journeys.
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September 18, 2023
Written By
Jake Peter
Fact-checked By
Dr. Avidon Appel
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