Tirzepatide & Semaglutide: Frequently Asked Questions

How does it work?

Tirzepatide is a GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Tirzepatide works by slowing how quickly food passes through your digestive tract, making you feel full for a longer period of time. Feeling more full can help you reduce your food intake and adhere to diet changes, which can lead to weight loss. This effect may lessen over time.
It also works by lowering lower blood sugar by helping the pancreas make more insulin and lowering the amount of sugar produced by your liver. This is beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes.
In the body, tirzepatide selectively binds to and activates two receptors, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which are natural incretin hormones that help regulate blood sugar levels.

Are there side effects?

The most common tirzepatide side effects include abdominal pain, burping, constipation, diarrhea, dyspepsia, fatigue, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hair loss, hypersensitivity reactions, injection site reactions, nausea, and vomiting, which affect 5% or more patients.

Why am I not losing weight?

Studies have shown that it can take 6 to 8 weeks to see up to an 8% weight loss with tirzepatide. While most people will see at least a 5% weight loss with tirzepatide, not everyone will reach this goal.
The research found that 89% of people using the 10 mg dose lost 5% or more of their weight at 72 weeks.
Tirzepatide works best for weight loss when used with an appropriate diet and exercise routine. You may need to consume fewer calories, eat foods that are lower in fat and increase the amount of time you exercise each day.

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How does it work?

GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone that is released when we eat, to help us regulate our food intake. Semaglutide works by activating GLP-1 receptors, this lowers appetite, slows how quickly the stomach empties, and increases insulin production, so you feel fuller for longer and eat less, which leads to weight loss, control of blood sugar levels, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Are there side effects?

Common semaglutide side effects may include low blood sugar (in people with type 2 diabetes), upset stomach, heartburn, burping, gas, bloating, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, stomach flu symptoms, headache, dizziness, tiredness.
Stomach or gastrointestinal side effects are common, but they tend to be mild and clear up in a few weeks and usually will not interfere with long-term treatment. Stomach side effects can be more common with higher doses.

Why am I not losing weight?

Perhaps you are not following a strict enough diet and exercise regimen – such as avoiding fatty or fried food and foods high in sugar, eating smaller meals, drinking plenty of water, and exercising daily. Lifestyle changes are necessary to lose weight with any weight loss medication
The dose is not high enough yet. To reduce the risk of side effects, Semaglutide is usually started at a dose of 0.25mg for the first 4 weeks, then gradually increased to 0.5mg, for 4 weeks, then 1mg for 4 weeks, then 2mg. This means that it may take over 3 months for the dose to reach one that is adequate for not only blood sugar control but also weight loss. Trials that investigated semaglutide for weight loss used dosages of 2.4mg once weekly subcutaneously.

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