Semaglutide: More than just a weight loss drug?

What is Semaglutide?

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that was originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes. It mimics the natural gut hormone GLP-1 after, which regulates blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin release and delaying gastric emptying. As a result, the medicine not only leads to better blood sugar control, but also to decreased appetite and weight loss. Semaglutide is marketed under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, where Ozempic is primarily prescribed for diabetes and Wegovy is approved for weight loss.

More information? Refer to the official leaflet of Wegovy of Ozempic.
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Controversy and Accessibility of Semaglutide

Semaglutide has caused controversy for a long time because it was originally developed as a medicine for type 2 diabetes. Due to its strong weight-reducing effects, there was an enormous demand for the drug as a weight loss medication, causing shortages worldwide. This led to diabetic patients sometimes having difficulty obtaining their prescription medication.

In addition, it was feared that the ease with which people could lose weight with semaglutide would lead to a more passive attitude towards lifestyle improvement. Critical voices warned that this could promote a culture of complacency, where people would be less likely to structurally adjust their diet and exercise.

In the meantime, the shortages have largely been solved by scaling up production, which has improved accessibility. This makes it more ethically defensible to use semaglutide more widely, provided that it remains part of a healthy lifestyle approach and is not only seen as an “easy solution” for weight loss.

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From Diabetes Medicine to Broad Health Applications

Recent studies suggest that semaglutide is not only effective for diabetes and obesity, but also potentially other health benefits offers. Scientists are investigating the effects of semaglutide in disorders such as:

• Eating and Addiction Disorders: Reduces cravings for food, alcohol, and other addictions.
• Cardiovascular diseases: Lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
• High blood pressure: Contributes to blood pressure reduction, similar to conventional blood pressure medications.
• Neurodegenerative diseases: Initial studies indicate a reduced risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
• Asthma: Reduces the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.
• Kidney damage: Helps reduce inflammation and improve kidney function.

Although more research is still needed, the initial results far exceed expectations.

Does Semaglutide Help Against Addictions?

Early studies show that semaglutide users less cravings to food, alcohol, and other addictive substances. It seems that the drug plays a role in the dopamine system, which is responsible for reward and motivation. This could explain why users are less likely to engage in compulsive behavior, such as:

• Overeating (binge eating)
• Alcohol consumption
• Opiate use
• Compulsive shopping or nail biting

The precise mechanism is not yet fully understood, but the long-term satiety reaction seems to play a key role.

Is Semaglutide a miracle cure?

Semaglutide has impressive effects, but it's not a magic solution. The benefits go beyond weight loss, but it's important to have realistic expectations and consider possible side effects.

Possible side effects:

• Nausea, diarrhea, or constipation
• Decreased appetite, which in some cases can lead to malnutrition
• Fatigue
• (Rare) inflammation of the pancreas

Long-term safety:
‍Although semaglutide seems safe in the short term, the effect of long-term use (e.g. 30 years) is still unknown.

Future Perspective: Will Everyone Use Semaglutide?

Some researchers speculate that semaglutide or a similar drug could be widely used preventively in the future, just like people are now taking vitamin D or magnesium supplements. However, this raises ethical questions:

• Should healthy people use it to prevent weight gain?
• What are the implications for society if medication becomes a substitute for a healthy lifestyle?
• Will this tool remain accessible only to those who can afford it?
• Is it ethical to charge money to prescribe a prescription or medication?
• Should prescribing this medication become a profit model for clinics, or should they focus on medical guidance and lifestyle coaching?

Bee Doctor Frodo Clinic we believe that prescribing semaglutide should not be a commercial business model.
It is an effective tool for supporting people to live healthier lives, but the focus should remain on a integrated approach, where lifestyle change, healthy food and exercise are key.

Good lifestyle guidance and coaching are the key to sustainable health improvement
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Sources and references

For this information, the following sources were consulted:

• Verywell Health: Impact of Ozempic on kidney function (link)
• People: Ozempic and its potential effects on Alzheimer's and addictions (link)
• New York Post: Study on Ozempic and reduction of teenage suicidal thoughts (link)
• The Guardian: Study on Ozempic and possibly delaying aging (link)

Want to know more?
Refer to the official leaflet of Wegovy of Ozempic.

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