At this point, pretty much everyone has heard about “Semaglutide weight loss shots.” But what are they, and how do they work? There is plenty of scientific jargon flying around the internet using terms like “glucagon-like peptide agonist” and “insulin sensitivity.” But to the average person on the street, what exactly does that mean?
I may make some scientists upset, but I am going to break GLP-1 therapy down into terms the average person can understand!!
In a nutshell, our body is a system of different working parts – brain, stomach, intestines, etc. and all these different body parts, doing different jobs, need to communicate with each other if they are going to accomplish their prime directive – mainly to keep the body alive and functioning.
So how do they communicate?
With hormones and peptides – little chemical signals that come from different areas of the body in response to different activities in the body. In this case, we are going to focus on a peptide called “glucagon-like peptide 1.” Whew! That is a mouthful, so we will simply say “GLP-1.”
In simple terms, GLP-1 is the peptide released when there is food in the stomach. This signal goes up to the brain and tells the brain the stomach has been fed, so we need to go into “rest and digest” mode. The brain goes “Yes! We are not going to starve today! We can now digest!” Increased levels of GLP-1 = insulin sensitivity goes up, appetite goes down, cravings go down, stress / cortisol levels lower and leptin levels (a hormone released as body fat breaks down) balance out. In a nutshell, the body is literally fat and happy.
So what happens when you go on a diet?
Well, GLP-1 levels drop. Now remember, the primal brain’s main purpose in life is to make sure you don’t die! And historically, humans die from starvation. So when the brain feels there is not enough food in the stomach to survive comfortably (and GLP-1 levels drop), it panics! Appetite goes up! Hunger goes up! Cravings go up! Blood sugar levels drop! And over time, the body goes into “survival mode” – holding on to fat stores and conserving energy. This is why dieting is so stressful, and sometimes even painful and why you cant wait to get off it and get back to normal life again.
But then science had a breakthrough!
What if we replicate that GLP-1 signal and simply add more GLP-1 to the body? The brain is then tricked into thinking it is full of yummy, nutritious food, even when none is there in the stomach.
The result? Those small diet meals actually become filling. Saying “no” to that office doughnut doesn’t feel like a loss. That hamburger stand on the way home is not as tempting. Why would it be?? The brain (full of GLP-1) thinks you just had a big meal!
Now you can eat less, work out, and stay on track without the brain sending a lot of food signals that there are opportunities to eat. And the body is in “rest and digest” mode, so it won’t fight so hard to hold onto fat stores for survival. It doesn’t need to! It has plenty of GLP-1 circulating!
Now does taking Semaglutide (GLP-1) solve all the problems? Unfortunately, no. At the end of the day, what makes the body lose weight IS the eating less and exercising (aka- lifestyle modifications). The Semaglutide just makes the process less stressful.
Simply taking GLP-1 shots will not work if the goal is to lose weight and keep it off.
This is why you need to be working with an educated provider who is trained in healthy weight loss and GLP-1 therapies if your goal is to have long-term weight loss success.
Starting GLP-1 products (or really ANY drug) off the internet or from an untrained provider is never a safe or good idea!
Over time – as you lose weight – there will need to be dosing changes. It is normal for a body to adapt and build tolerance to higher levels of GLP-1, so it is expected to have doses that were previously therapeutic to lose their impact. A good provider will know how to safely manage this to avoid under or overdosing.
If you decide Semaglutide (GLP-1) therapy is an option for you, be sure to reach out and schedule a consultation!