What Is Semaglutide?

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Semaglutide is a prescription drug recently approved by the FDA for weight loss in 2021. It has helped people lose 15-20% of their body weight. It is an injectable medication used in combination with diet and exercise to help with blood sugar control. It belongs to a class of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, which mimic the hormone GLP-1 in your body to lower blood sugar levels after eating. GLP-1, the critical hormone involved, slows down how fast your stomach empties food (called gastric emptying). And in addition to causing your pancreas to release insulin, it also blocks a hormone that causes your liver to release sugar.

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How Does Semaglutide work?

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As a GLP1 it binds to a receptor in the gut that normally would be set off by ingesting food. This creates a sensation of satiety or fullness in the brain. It also decreases gastric emptying speed- so that food stays in your stomach longer. This increases insulin sensitivity (Insulin controls the amount of sugar in the blood by moving it into the cells, where it can be used by the body for energy) and decreases glucose production (glucose is the main type of sugar in the blood and is the major source of energy for the body's cells).

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What is Tirzepatide?

Tirzepatide is a single molecule that combines glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and GLP-1 receptor agonism resulting in synergistic effects on appetite, food intake, and metabolic function. Tirzepatide is approved in many countries, including the US, EU, and Japan, as a once-weekly subcutaneous injectable for type 2 diabetes and for the treatment of obesity in the US and UK.  In a placebo-controlled trial of participants with obesity or overweight without diabetes, tirzepatide led to mean reductions in body weight up to 20.9% after 72 weeks of treatment.

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How does Tirzepatide work?

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Tirzepatide works by mimicking the GLP-1 and GIP hormones that are naturally secreted by the intestine after a meal, which prompts insulin secretion. It also reduces appetite by slowing down the time it takes the stomach to empty and interacting with areas in the brain harboring GLP-1 receptors to signal satiety.

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