Doctor explains everything you need to know about weight-loss injections on the NHS

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Appetite suppressing medication have gotten a sizzling subject of dialog, and now they’ve landed in the UK.

Weight-loss injections, like Wegovy and Saxenda, can be found on the NHS, and if they’re prescribed alongside a reduced-calorie weight loss plan, elevated bodily exercise, and behavioural assist, after a yr individuals taking them can lose greater than 10% of their physique weight, in accordance to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).

The Ozempic drug, nonetheless, can solely be prescribed for sufferers with kind 2 diabetes, and isn’t licensed as a weight-loss drug in the UK or the US, though the UK authorities acknowledges: “It is not authorised for weight-loss, but it is used off-label for that purpose.”

Dr Alexis Missick from the on-line pharmacy UK Meds says there are ongoing discussions about the appropriateness and security of utilizing a drug meant for kind 2 diabetes for an off-label function, and warns: “Medical experts caution against the casual use of such medications without a proper understanding of their effects and potential risks. While Ozempic has shown effectiveness in weight-loss, primarily due to its appetite-suppressing properties, it also carries risks including, but not limited to, potential gastrointestinal side-effects.

“It’s crucial to approach Ozempic with a comprehensive understanding of its potential side-effects and to use it under strict medical supervision and guidance.”

But what about the weight-loss injections which are licensed in the UK, like Wegovy and Saxenda, and the extra not too long ago accredited Mounjaro?

How do the injections work?

Dr Babak Ashrafi from Superdrug Online Doctor explains {that a} hormone known as GLP-1 is launched by the guts once we eat, and weight-loss injections are what’s known as ‘GLP-1 analogues’ which mimic the hormone.

“GLP-1 is a hormone produced in the small and large intestines, and it plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels by stimulating  the release of insulin from the pancreas,” he says. “Additionally, GLP-1 slows down gastric emptying and signals satiety to the brain, which contributes to a feeling of fullness and satisfaction after eating.

“Synthetic analogues of GLP-1 replicate the effects of the natural hormone telling your brain you are full and satisfied.”

 Who can profit from weight-loss injections?

Nice has issued steering for semaglutide injections like Wegovy recommending them for adults with at the least one weight-related situation and a physique mass index (BMI) of at the least 35. In some instances, these with a BMI of 30 might give you the chance to entry the injections.

“They are typically recommended for people who have not achieved sufficient weight-loss through diet and exercise alone, with the aim of improving their overall health and quality of life” says Ashrafi.

How lengthy do you take the injections for?

This varies from individual to individual, however the Nice pointers say semaglutide needs to be used for a most of two years.

“It is typical to start seeing significant changes in your weight within the first six months,” says Ashrafi.”If you haven’t achieved a weight-loss of 5 to 10% by that point – a aim that the majority sufferers in the research have reached – then this treatment may not be appropriate for you. It’s advisable to discontinue it and discover different remedy choices.”

According to Nice, individuals on the weekly injections noticed their weight drop by 12% on common after 68 weeks.

What are the side-effects?

Because the drug acts on the intestine, side-effects can embrace nausea, heartburn and constipation, though Ashrafi says these do have a tendency to get higher with time and hydration.

“It is common for people to unintentionally reduce their daily fluid intake as a result of having a reduced appetite. This can result in feeling bloating, irregular bowel movements and stomach irritation,” he explains.

In addition, there could also be brain-related unintended effects like complications and fatigue, and Ashrafi warns: “This is due to their impact on central nervous system receptors. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels resulting from changes to insulin and glucagon levels may also contribute to these symptoms.

“Eating small nutritious meals regularly instead of larger meals three times a day is a great way to combat this.”

Anything else you need to know?

At the starting of March, it was introduced that semaglutide, also referred to as Wegovy, was to be made out there on prescription via the NHS.

The drug is an urge for food suppressant which is delivered by way of a weekly injection.

This information prompted response from teachers and charities, with Dr Stephen Lawrence, affiliate scientific professor at the University of Warwick, warning beforehand that the treatment is “not a quick fix or a replacement for following a healthy lifestyle, which includes regular physical activity and healthy eating”.

Eating dysfunction charity Beat additionally raised issues about Wegovy.

However, Alex Miras, professor of endocrinology at Ulster University, hailed the choice by Nice as “a pivotal moment for the treatment of people living with obesity”.