Frequently Asked Questions

The purpose of Glucagon-Like Peptide (GLP-1) in the body is to act as a hormone that signals the brain when the body has reached a state of fullness or satiety.

It is naturally produced in the small intestine and serves as a mechanism to regulate appetite and food intake. GLP-1 helps to control blood sugar levels, promotes insulin release, and inhibits glucagon secretion, all of which contribute to maintaining glucose homeostasis in the body. GLP-1 also plays a role in slowing down gastric emptying, which further aids in the regulation of food intake and digestion.

GLP-1 serves the purpose of inducing a sensation of fullness. The production of GLP-1 by the body is a natural mechanism to communicate to the brain that satiety has been reached.

GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide (Ozempic), functions as a reproduction of this hormone. It effectively conveys the message of fullness to the brain, preventing the perception of starvation and facilitating weight loss.

GLP-1 weight loss medications are designed to aid in weight management and provide several expected outcomes:

1. Significant Weight Loss: Clinical studies have shown that GLP-1’s can lead to substantial weight loss. On average, patients can expect to lose a significant percentage of their body weight over a period of months, with some achieving reductions of 10-15% or more.

2. Improved Glycemic Control: For patients with type 2 diabetes, GLP-1’s not only aids in weight loss but also helps improve blood sugar control by increasing insulin secretion and reducing glucagon levels.

3. Reduced Appetite: Medications work by mimicking the hormone GLP-1, which helps regulate appetite and food intake. Patients often experience a reduced appetite and decreased caloric intake, contributing to weight loss.

4. Better Cardiovascular Health: Weight loss and improved glycemic control can lead to better overall cardiovascular health, including reductions in blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

5. Enhanced Quality of Life: With weight loss and improved health metrics, patients often report increased energy levels, better mobility, and a higher quality of life.

6. Sustainable Long-Term Outcomes: When combined with lifestyle changes and hormone optimisation, GLP-1’s can contribute to sustainable long-term weight management.

It is important to note that the effectiveness of medical weight loss medications can vary among individuals, and they should be used under the supervision of your healthcare provider.

The target dose of prescription weight loss medications such as semaglutide typically involves a gradual titration to minimise side effects.

We generally start with an initial dose that is relatively low. If there are no side effects after 4 weeks, this dose is then increased for another 4 weeks. If there are no adverse side effects after these total 8 weeks, the dose is further increased towards the target dose. Your target dose is prescribed by our physician.

Our healthcare team follows you closely to support you through this process and get you to your target dose.

We schedule with you frequent body composition analysis scans, especially when you start taking your prescription weight loss medication.

We have a Body Composition Analysis Scanner that can provide us with a detailed report of what weight you are losing where as well as how much of this is fat loss vs lean muscle loss.

We do not want you to lose lean muscle so we prioritise your weigh in appointments in order to keep an eye on this. If you are losing muscle, we can then modify your plan and recommend further lifestyle changes to maintain lean muscle mass.

There are several things to take into consideration here.

First we monitor you closely. Here we schedule regular body composition analysis scans to check what weight you are losing and where and we create a personal relationship between you and our experienced team. By closely tracking your progress we are able to make sure your dosage is correct and your side effects are minimised.

In order to lose fat and not muscle, we focus on the addition of two things to your plan.

The first is hormone optimisation. By optimising your testosterone (yes, women too!) we help you build and maintain lean muscle mass. In addition, we also make sure your thyroid is functioning optimally. We take into account more than just this in hormone optimisation, however these two generally are important with regard to maintaining lean muscle mass.

Secondly we focus on lifestyle. Here we make sure you are consuming adequate protein (1.4-2g per kg of ideal body weight per day) as well as doing adequate strength training exercise.

We know starting a new program is daunting and challenging. We are here to guide and support you every step of the way.

The duration of your medical weight loss program varies depending on your goals and progress. We work closely with you to develop a personalised plan that fits your needs and meets your health outcomes.

The cornerstone of long term success lies in holistically approaching medical weight loss, which means you need to make changes to your lifestyle as well in order to have lasting success after you have stopped taking medical weight loss medication.

Its is important to remember that the battle is not won overnight. It takes commitment and partnerships to get the ideal outcome of renewed health and wellness.

Many patients begin to see some weight loss within the first few weeks, but significant weight loss usually occurs over a period of several months.

GLP-1 is a gut hormone, and as your body is receiving significant amounts of this hormone, many side effects are GI related.

Some common side effects include:

Nausea

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Acid reflux

Abdominal bloating

Constipation

These usually subside as your body adjusts to the medication.

If side effects are severe or persistent, contact us.

It is important to discuss your full medical history with us during your New Patient Consultation. We can then assess if the benefits of the medication outweighs the risk or if any conditions are contraindicated.

Weight loss medication such as semaglutide may not be suitable for patients with certain conditions such as -

Personal or family history of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC)

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndrome Type 2 (MEN 2)

Hypersensitivity to semaglutide or any of its components

History of pancreatitis

Severe gastrointestinal disease

Pregnancy and breastfeeding