Raena: Semaglutide Peptides
Alannah Connealy
Blood sugar control & weight loss treatment
Semaglutide is an antidiabetic medication used for improved blood glucose control and weight loss. Typically sold under brand names Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus, semaglutide peptides are an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes. Depending on a patient’s needs, Moment compounds semaglutide peptides as a catalyst for weight loss, ultimately to improve hormonal status.
Semaglutide peptides belong to a class of drugs known as glucagon-like peptides-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. GLP-1 is produced in the intestine following food intake. Semaglutide peptides are a synthetic version of naturally occurring hormone GLP-1 which plays a role in blood sugar regulation–specifically by stimulating insulin secretion and inhibiting glucagon secretion via the incretin effect (Collins, 2023). Insulin assists in the cellular uptake of glucose for energy production, decreasing blood sugar levels. Glucagon increases blood sugar levels by promoting glycogenolysis (the breakdown of stored glucose) and releasing it into the bloodstream. Semaglutide encourages an appropriate amount of insulin to be secreted following food intake, preventing spikes in blood sugar and insulin resistance, which are often implicated in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and excessive weight gain.
GLP-1 therapy has benefits outside of blood sugar control. Semaglutide peptides delay gastric emptying, which increases satiation over a longer period of time. This encourages less caloric intake and reduces appetite, therefore promoting weight loss. Typically, decreases in weight loss are seen following 12 weeks of using the medication. Additionally, administration of semaglutide has shown to reduce cardiovascular risk factors including risk of stroke, heart disease, and heart attack (Mahapatra, 2022).
Maintaining a healthy weight is a key component of hormonal balance. Various hormones such as leptin, ghrelin, insulin, and steroids estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone can become imbalanced with excess body fat. Leptin and ghrelin, key hormones in appetite regulation, become imbalanced in obesity. This can lead to leptin resistance and prevent appropriate satiation cues. Fat tissue can readily produce estrogen which increases cell proliferation and opposes progesterone, a pro-metabolic, protective hormone. Obesity can also increase testosterone levels in women promoting hyperandrogenism. As a result, weight management is a important component of hormonal health. For many patients, semaglutide peptides can serve as an effective catalyst towards rebalancing hormones.
Citations
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551568/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8736331/