Recently, many young girls came to the pharmacy clinic to consult: "Do we have semeglutide in our hospital?" I heard that I can lose weight, what kind of department can I open? "As a pharmacist, I have really heard of the weight loss needles of recent Internet celebrities, this drug that claims to be safe and has no side effects, is it suitable for anyone, no diet, no exercise, only needs to be injected once a week, and you can lose 10 kilograms a month? Can anyone use it?
It is not approved domestically for weight loss
Semeglutide is a novel long-acting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes and later shown to be significantly effective in weight loss, so it was approved by the US FDA in June 2021 for subcutaneous injection of 6.1 mg once a week for weight loss.
However, in China, semeglutide is only approved for use in patients with type 2 diabetes, is a hypoglycemic drug, and has the effect of reducing major cardiovascular adverse events in patients with type 2 diabetes, and is not approved for weight loss. That is to say, at present, there are no indications for weight loss in China.
If you are really obese, please consult a professional doctor, scientific management of weight is a healthy way to maintain a healthy figure.
Its weight loss efficacy was discovered by accident
The effect of semeglutide on weight loss was inadvertently discovered during the study of hypoglycemic effects. The mechanism is not yet fully clear, and three main approaches are currently considered.
(1) Suppress appetite, reduce energy intake, and inhibit the increase of hunger signals by increasing the level of satiety signals in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, thereby increasing satiety and reducing calorie intake.
(2) Acts on the gastrointestinal tract, delays gastric emptying and gastrointestinal movement, reduces gastric acid secretion, increases satiety, and reduces food intake.
(1) Change food preferences, act on central GLP-<> receptors, significantly reduce preferences and intake of high-fat or sweet foods. The main thing is to reduce appetite, eat less and play a role in weight loss.
Semeglutide also has side effects
Putting aside whether this Internet celebrity "slimming injection" has been approved in China. From the therapeutic level of weight loss alone, whether you can use it, you must first determine whether you are really "fat". Only obese or overweight patients can use semeglutide, which is a BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2. If you're not happy with your body shape, you can get in shape with exercise or fitness.
In addition, if you have a past or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, it is contraindicated. Use with caution in patients with a history of pancreatitis.
It is rumored that semeglutide is safe and has no side effects, but this is not the case. The most common adverse reactions of semeglutide are gastrointestinal discomfort, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, constipation, and decreased appetite. Other adverse reactions include constipation, nasopharyngitis, headache, indigestion, abdominal pain, upper respiratory tract infection, hepatobiliary disease, cholelithiasis, injection site reactions, etc., and severe conditions may even induce pancreatitis.
Text/Rao Jingjing (Beijing Jishuitan Hospital)