Wegovy, which is also known as “weight loss drug wegovy” have become a revolutionary option for people which are affected by obesity or overweight conditions. It is a revolutionary option for people affected by obesity or overweight conditions.
Wegovy was originally designed to treat Type II Diabetes. This medication was developed by Novo Nordisk. As the obesity rates rise in the world, the need of effective weight management strategies increased. According to the WHO( World Health Organization), more than 1.9 million adults became overweight in 2023, with 650 million detected with obesity. For this type of people, only lifestyle change may prove non effective. Making a weight loss drug like “Wegovy” has become an important tool for long-term health improvement.
Source: WHO
What is Wegovy?
Now let us talk about, what is “Wegovy”? Wegovy’s marketed as a semaglutide, It is a prescription injectable drug which is used for chronic weight management. It is used for reducing calorie diet and increase physical activity for weight loss. Wegovy mimics the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone, which regulates appetite and and reduce hunger signal.
Key Features of Wegovy
- Dosage – Normally, it starts from 0.25 mg per week and increase to 2.4 mg after 16-20 weeks to reduce the gastrointestinal side effects.
- Administration – It is consumed majorly once in a week which make it easier for the consumer as compared to the daily medication.
- Mechanism of the action
a. It reduce the hunger by affecting the brain’s appetite center, which is responsible for giving you the signal that your appetite is becoming empty.
b. Slow gastric emptying, prolonging fullness after meal.
c. Improves insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
By targeting this multiple pathway, Wegovy help patients to lose more weight as compared the weight which can be lose by to adopting a good lifestyle.
Source: Wegovy Official Website
How Wegovy Works: Mechanism of Action
Let us understand that how did Wegovy work, what is its mechanism of action? The mechanism of weight loss drug Wegovy, is useful for patients that consider this therapy. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor is the key that mimic the glucagon-like peptide-1 hormone in the body.
Let us talk about its primary effect.
- Appetite Suppression. It signals the brain to reduce the food intake even after you have not consumed the amount of food that you regularly consume.
- Delayed Gastric Emptying. It keeps food in the stomach for longer time and reduces the process of digestion.
- Hormonal Regulation. It enhances the insulin secretion and lowers the glucagon levels, which helps with blood sugar control.
It is proved by the clinical trials that Wagovy has significantly reduced calorie intake and improved dietary habits in the patients, which lead to the weight loss.
Source: WebMD
Indications and Uses of Wegovy
Weight loss drug Wagovy is approved for several specific populations.
- Adults with Obesity: Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥30.
- Overweight Adults with Comorbidities: BMI ≥27 with conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or dyslipidemia.
- Adolescents (12+ years): For those struggling with obesity where lifestyle changes alone are insufficient.
The approval of Wegovy for weight loss has been given on the basis of strong evidence from multiple clinic trials, which includes the STEP trials, which showcase that substantial and sustained weight loss in 68 weeks.
Source: FDA Approval History
Clinical Efficacy and Weight Loss Results
Now let’s move on to the real-time results. Clinical studies are constantly showing that weight-loss drug Wegovy is effective for long-term weight management. The consumers of the weight-loss drug Wegovy have lost on an average of 14.9% of their initial body weight in 68 weeks. They also saw improvement in their wrist circumference, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Over 60% of the consumers lost at least 10% of their body weight. This is the amazing result of the weight-loss drug Wegovy. These results highlight that Wegovy’s potential in not only in weight loss but also improve overall metabolic health.
Source: BMJ
Benefits of Using Wegovy
Now let’s talk about the benefit of the using Wegovy.
- Benefit is effective appetite control – One of the major benefit of Wegovy is that, it suppress the appetite. Other weight loss medications that rely solely on calorie restriction but Wegovy address the neurological and hormonal signal control which control hunger.
- Cardiovascular risk reduction – As we noticed Wegovy reduce the blood pressure it reduce the cardiovascular risk, cholesterol level and improve insulin sensitivity. The patient which has obesity, this effect can reduce the likelihood of heart disease and stroke in them. We all know that Wegovy is used for weight loss and for the people who have issues regarding their weight and feel insecurity.
- Obesity can enhance mobility, reduce joint pain, and improve mental well-being, which is often impacted by obesity.
Side Effects of Wegovy
As we know that everything has it’s effect as well as its side effect. Wegovy also had it’s side effect. We all know that Wegovy is effective. It can have side effects. Understanding these side effects is crucial for safe uses. First, we discuss the common side effects, which is
Common Side Effects
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Bloating and indigestion
- Fatigue and headache
Serious Risks
Potential eye problems in diabetic patients
Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
Thyroid C-cell tumors (rare but serious)
Consumers of Wegovy are advised to start with a lower dose and then gradually increase it, to minimize the gastrointestinal issues.
Source: FDA Label
Who Should Consider Wegovy
Now let’s talk about the most important part that why should we consider the Wegovy, there are many other medications available in the market. Wegovy for weight loss is ideal for the patient who are struggling with obesity, despite lifestyle intervention. Have at least one weight related health condition, are willing to commit dietary change and regular exercise. Only the person which is affected by this type of problem have to consider Wegovy to get the right result. The healthcare which provide the Wegovy medications typically have to access individual medical history for ensuring the safety and effectiveness.
Source: Drugs.com
Comparing Wegovy with Other Weight Loss Drugs
Now let us compare the Wegovy with other weight loss drugs.
- Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) – It is another GLP receptor, against which dual effect on appetite as well as on insulin.
- Sexenda(Liraglutide) – It lowers GLP-1 receptor agonist requiring daily injections.
- Orlistat – Works by blocking fat absorption in the intestine.
When it is compared to its alternatives, Wegovy weight loss drug has shown the best efficiency in the clinical trials, which makes it a preferred choice for eligible patients.
Source: WebMD
Cost and Accessibility of Wegovy
Pricing in Different Markets
Wegovy is considered as the premium weight loss medication and it’s price varies on geography or on the country wise or in the insurance coverage. In the US particular, the average price of Wegovy is around $1,300 per month without any insurance. However, it becomes less when patients have common insurance or governmental health plans. Now let’s talk in the UK, in UK and some parts of Europe, weight loss drug Wegovy are sometimes under the specific health program which make it more available to the patient who meets strict criteria. In today’s or in the emerging economies, availability of the weight loss drug wegovy remains limited due to it’s cost barrier and regulatory delays.
Summary
There are also some medication exist in the market which has similar name (Wegovy) but different companies, you have to make choice very precisely. Let me give you the name of the company, Novo Nordisk is the company which has developed the Wegovy. It is Danish multinational pharmaceutical company. This company is specialized in treatments of diabetes, obesity, and rare endocrine disorders. It is approved in United States, European Union (all member countries), Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Australia, China, France, India.