Weight Loss Management

Appetite suppressants help to minimize cravings for unhealthy foods while simultaneously teaching your body to remain satisfied and nourished throughout the day without overeating. These medications do not cause weight loss. They are prescribed to help you in reducing your caloric intake by reducing your hunger. Weight loss occurs when your caloric expenditure exceeds your caloric intake.
 
Incretin hormones, such as tose found in Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Saxenda, are peptides released in the intestine in response to the presence of nutrients in its lumen. The main incretins are glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). GLP-1 stimulates insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon secretion at pancreatic α cells and has also extrapancreatic influences as slowing of gastric emptying which increases the feeling of satiety (fullness). GIP is the main incretin hormone in healthy people, causative of most the incretin effects.
 
The result of these actions causes you to feel full — lowering your appetite and causing you to lose weight. Medications like GLP-1 agonists and GIPs are referred to as incretin mimetics since they “mimic” these effects.
 
As mentioned above, GLP-1 agonists were originally used to treat type 2 diabetes due to their blood sugar-lowering effects. However, the weight loss side effect has been shown to benefit people without type 2 diabetes as well.
 
While taking prescription weight loss medications, it is important to begin making behavioral and lifestyle changes, such as increasing your amount of daily physical activity, in addition to developing healthy eating choices and reducing your caloric intake. It is also important to ensure your hormones are optimized in order to maintain metabolic processes.