If you are like most people, you have been working on your resolutions for the new year, and more than likely one of them involves shedding some unwanted pounds. Obesity has become a crisis around the world, and here in the United States, around 75% of the adult population is classified as overweight or obese according to the universally recognized BMI scale.
Many individuals require medical intervention to help them achieve sustainable weight loss because their bodies do not respond to traditional methods. We are fortunate to have non-surgical alternatives to bariatric surgery available to us today that are safe and effective. One of these alternatives is prescription weight loss medication like Wegovy.
Today we are going to answer two of the most frequently asked questions we hear about this medication. How long does it take to see results from Wegovy? And how long do you take Wegovy for weight loss?
How Does Wegovy Work And What Is The Weight Loss Potential?
Wegovy is the prescription medication semaglutide that was previously approved by the FDA to help individuals with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar. It is now, also approved to help people with obesity lose weight to treat weight-related health conditions.
It works by mimicking a hormone that is released during the digestion process that is responsible for maximizing the efficiency of your metabolism and also targets the areas of your brain that help to regulate your appetite, so you feel full sooner and consume fewer calories.
The exact weight loss potential for each person using Wegovy can be very different depending on their age, genetics, underlying conditions, starting weight, and dedication to making significant lifestyle changes. The results of a trial that lasted a little over 15 months are published in the chart below.
| % Of Participants | Percentage of Body Weight Lost |
|---|---|
| 83% | At least 5% |
| 66% | At least 10% |
| 48% | At least 15% |
| 33% | 20% or more |
Wegovy Milestones
The results of a Wegovy trial containing 175 patients were published by JAMA in September 2021. As an example, using the average weight loss percentages from the chart below, an individual who began their Wegovy treatment weighing 275 pounds will have lost almost 17 pounds after three months, after six months they will have lost about 30 pounds, and by the one-year mark they will have lost about 42 pounds.
| Duration Of Wegovy Use | Results |
|---|---|
| 3 Months (12 weeks) | Approximately 6% of total body weight. |
| 6 Months (24 weeks) | Approximately 11% of total body weight. |
| 12 Months | Approximately 15% of total body weight. |
How Long Does It Take To See Results From Wegovy?
Everyone’s body responds differently to the medication, so it is hard to predict how long it will take before you begin to see results or if you will see any at all. You can find examples of Wegovy before and after results on social media, and among them will be those who lost weight the very first week and those who did not see any results for several months. In some cases, the semaglutide was not effective for the individual, and they had to try another medication.
Wegovy has a gradual dosing schedule that starts each person out with a low-level dose of the medication and over a course of several months, increases the dose until they reach the one that is effective for them. Once they begin losing weight, they remain on that dose as long as it continues to promote weight loss. Some individuals can lose weight and reach their goals using the lowest dose, and others require a stronger dose before they begin losing weight.
The Wegovy 3-month results, as well as long-term results, will look different for each person and will depend on a combination of how their body responds to the medicine and how consistently they are making healthy lifestyle choices. The medication will help alleviate some of the toughest parts of your weight loss journey by suppressing your feelings of hunger and significantly reducing food cravings, but it will not do all the work. You will have to eat a low-calorie, portion-controlled diet and get an adequate amount of exercise to maximize the medication’s potential.
How Long Do You Take Wegovy for Weight Loss?
The length of time you need to stay on Wegovy (semaglutide) will vary for each individual and will depend on how your body responds to the medication. Semaglutide has been used for almost seven years to help diabetic patients manage their blood sugar levels, but it has only been approved for weight loss for about three years, so experts are still studying and gathering data about how effective it is for long-term weight management.
The dosage used for weight loss is higher than that prescribed for type-2 diabetic patients, and each person’s response to the medication will be quite different. Some people may successfully lose weight and maintain it through diet and exercise after they stop using Wegovy, but others may regain all their lost weight if they stop the medication. This is especially likely if the medication was helping to manage an underlying issue that contributed to their obesity. These individuals would benefit from continuing the medication long-term or at least while they undergo professional treatment (counseling, etc.) to eliminate the source of their weight gain issues.
Should You Use Wegovy Long-term?
As is the case with long-term use of any medication, individuals can experience side effects. Because the use of Wegovy for weight loss does not have a long history, the side effects of using it for longer than three or four years are still unknown. The benefits might outweigh the risks for some people, especially when you consider the serious metabolic conditions and other health problems associated with excess weight.
A four-year trial involving participants who were not diabetic but suffered from obesity or heart disease showed that those on semaglutide lost more weight and inches from their waist compared to those on a placebo. Improvements in each individual’s weight and the condition of their hearts were consistent across different demographics, but the question remains whether four years is a sufficient length of time to fully understand the long-term effects of using Wegovy for weight loss.
Where Can I Out If I Can Benefit From Wegovy?
If you have been trying to lose weight and have been unsuccessful with traditional diet and exercise alone, you may benefit from the prescription weight loss medication Wegovy.
The team of experts at Reveal Weight Loss is dedicated to helping you find the most effective treatments and custom tailoring them to meet your personal needs and circumstances. We understand that sustainable weight loss is not just about enhancing your appearance but also about losing dangerous excess weight to improve your health and quality of life.
Our compassionate specialists will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan that combines the latest available medical treatments, nutritional guidance, and lifestyle modifications to help you reach your goals. Set up a personal consultation today to learn more about how Wegovy or another non-surgical weight loss procedure can help improve your health.
