By Ashley Watson, RN
"Weight loss drugs can be a double-edged sword, offering the promise of shedding unwanted pounds, but potentially posing serious health risks. It's important for individuals to educate themselves on the potential dangers of these drugs before deciding to take them." - Dr. David Katz, Director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University.
This blog is LONG and goes deep into the workings of the popular drug, Semaglutide (aka Ozempic).
Buckle up and be prepared!
Overall, Semaglutide is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. It belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists (Glucagon-Like Peptide 1), which mimic the action of the hormone GLP-1, an incretin hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Semaglutide works by increasing insulin secretion from the pancreas, reducing the production of glucose in the liver, and slowing down the emptying of the stomach, which can help to reduce appetite and promote weight loss.
What is an Incretin Hormone?
Incretins are hormones produced by the cells in the gastrointestinal tract in response to the presence of food in the stomach and intestines. The two main incretin hormones are glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP).
(As mentioned earlier, Semaglutide is a GLP-1 mimetic, meaning it mimics the actions of the GLP-1 incretin hormone).
Incretins play an important role in regulating blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin secretion from the pancreas and reducing the production of glucose in the liver. However, they also slow down the emptying of the stomach. While this does decrease appetite and promote a feeling of fullness after eating, it also causes some serious issues that we will discuss later in this blog.
So, why does this matter?
Lets discuss insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body's cells become less responsive to insulin.
In insulin resistance, the cells are unable to use insulin effectively, leading to increased production of insulin from the pancreas (to compensate), and eventually will result in high blood sugar levels (Type 2 Diabetes).
Let's watch this short video to understand Insulin Resistance a bit more easily!
Furthermore, let's look at a list of health problems that Insulin Resistance causes:
Type 2 diabetes: Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Over time, your pancreas gets worn out from producing compensatory levels of insulin. This leads to the pancreas eventually "giving out", leaving your body with high blood sugar levels. High glucose leads to damage of organs and tissues, including the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels.
Cardiovascular disease: Insulin resistance is significantly linked to cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease, stroke, and heart attack. High blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of blood clots as well.
Metabolic syndrome: Insulin resistance is a key component of metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol, and abdominal obesity.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): Insulin resistance is associated with the development of NAFLD, which is a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver and can lead to liver damage and cirrhosis.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): Insulin resistance is a front-runner in women with PCOS, a hormonal disorder that can cause infertility, irregular an painful periods.
Infertility: Insulin resistance wreaks havoc on your hormonal system, decreasing the production of progesterone, which is needed in optimal levels for fertility and staying pregnant!
Sleep apnea: Insulin resistance increases the prevalence of sleep apnea by changing airway structure in the neck and obesity. It also leads to excess fat deposits in the neck and throat, which further obstruct the airway during sleep.
Certain types of cancer: Insulin resistance has been linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer, including breast, colon, and pancreatic cancer.
So, now that we know what Insulin Resistance is, and what significant problems it causes, I pose the question to you:
What is the difference between the increased insulin production from insulin resistance, and the increased insulin production from Semaglutide?
There is no difference.
But, before we move on much further, let's discuss that other desirable effect of Semaglutide, decreased appetite.
Why does this drug produce this effect, and what's the harm in it?
As discussed earlier, Semaglutide is GLP-1 mimetic. The hormone GLP-1 has a job of regulating appetite and satiety, as does the hormone named Leptin.
GLP-1 and leptin work together to regulate appetite and energy balance. GLP-1 acts primarily on the digestive system and helps to decrease appetite by slowing down gastric emptying and increasing feelings of fullness. Leptin acts primarily on the brain and helps to decrease appetite by signaling to the hypothalamus to decrease food intake and increase energy expenditure.
Now, lets discuss Leptin Resistance.
Leptin resistance is a condition in which the body becomes less responsive to the hormone leptin. Leptin is produced by fat cells and plays an important role in regulating appetite and energy balance. Leptin signals to the brain to decrease appetite and increase energy expenditure.
When the body becomes resistant to leptin, the brain does not receive the proper signals to decrease appetite and increase energy expenditure. .
This can lead to overeating and weight gain.
As fat cells increase in size, they produce more leptin. Over time, the brain may become desensitized to the high levels of leptin, which can lead to leptin resistance.
Other factors that can contribute to leptin resistance include chronic inflammation and high levels of Cortisol (the stress hormone).
Additionally, lifestyle factors such as a diet high in processed foods, a lack of physical activity, and chronic stress can also contribute to leptin resistance.
Okay great, now let's put all of this together with this helpful visual aid from YouTube:
So, Leptin is the hormone that acts on your brain to decrease appetite, right? But Semaglutide is a GLP-1 mimetic, not a Leptin mimetic.... So, how does Semaglutide decrease appetite as well?
GLP-1 decreases appetite by slowing down the emptying of the stomach and decreases intestinal motility. Essentially, keeping you full of food for longer.
Seems all fine and well, right? Wrong.
Let's take a minute to look deeper into the danger that is associated slowed gastric emptying and decreased gastric motility.
Delayed gastric emptying, also known as gastroparesis, can have several negative effects on a person's health, including:
Nausea and vomiting: The delayed movement of food from the stomach can cause a feeling of fullness, bloating, and nausea, which can sometimes result in vomiting.
Malnutrition: Gastroparesis can cause a lack of proper absorption of essential nutrients, such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, which can lead to malnutrition.
Dehydration: If gastroparesis leads to vomiting or a lack of fluid intake, it can cause dehydration, which can be serious.
Fluctuating blood sugar levels: Gastroparesis can affect the rate at which food is absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to unpredictable fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): The delayed emptying of the stomach can cause the stomach contents to back up into the esophagus, leading to heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD.
Bacterial overgrowth: The slow movement of food through the digestive system can lead to an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, leading to diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.
Decreased intestinal motility, also known as gastrointestinal hypomotility or slow transit constipation, can have several side effects, including:
Constipation: Decreased intestinal motility can result in infrequent bowel movements and difficulty passing stool.
Abdominal discomfort: This can include cramping, bloating, and discomfort due to the accumulation of gas and fecal matter.
Nausea and vomiting: In some cases, decreased intestinal motility can lead to the backup of stomach contents, resulting in nausea and vomiting.
Malnutrition: Decreased intestinal motility can impair nutrient absorption and lead to malnutrition.
Intestinal obstruction: In rare cases, decreased intestinal motility can cause a blockage in the intestine, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
Dehydration: If bowel movements are infrequent, there is a risk of dehydration due to the loss of fluids through stool.
Hemorrhoids: Straining during bowel movements can cause hemorrhoids or worsen existing ones.
What's crazy, these side effects are casually displayed on the Ozempic (Semaglutide brand name) website, as if they're just no big deal!
Now, you might say, "wait a minute.... how can it cause constipation or diarrhea??"
Well, let's take a deeper look. (p.s., it's pretty gross)
Semaglutide slows down the movement of food through the stomach, which can result in delayed gastric emptying. This delay can cause food to remain in the stomach for longer periods, leading to bacterial overgrowth and fermentation, which can result in diarrhea. So there you go!
ew.
One more look at an awesome YouTube video that was put together with some incredible speakers, including Dr. Mark Hyman, Layne Norton, and Andrew Huberman, discussing Semaglutide, aka Ozempic.
So, why is this drug such a wonderful thing for Type 2 diabetics?
First you must understand that Type 2 diabetics are those persons that have overeaten so heavily, that they have destroyed their pancreas' ability to regulate and produce insulin and are no longer able to control their blood sugar levels. This leads to hyperglycemia, vascular inflammation, obesity, and even cancer.
The ability to have a medication that will stimulate your pancreas into producing more insulin, when your pancreas is shot, is not a horrible thing for these people, and may be the bridge that they need in order to get their Diabetes diagnosis reversed.
But if you don't have the absolute forceful need for this drug, then it is a very poor decision to get it!
You are forcing your body to create a world of hyperinsulinemia with dysregulation of blood sugar levels, leptin levels, and hormone disruption.
To wrap this all up.....
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