There are many drugs on the market that are designed to reduce obesity. They include OTC brands that have varying effects, and doctor prescribed medications that may be more reliable but cause unwanted side effects. But now a breakthrough drug has been created that has researchers stunned.
Announced at the ObesityWeek conference in San Diego, Nov. 22, by Denmark pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, semaglutide comes in the form of an injection. When used over a 16-month period, it has been shown to reduce body weight by at least 20% in more than a third of study participants. It was shown to be effective in teenagers, who are normally resistant to such drugs, as well as adults.
How Does it Work?
The drug works by mimicking incretins, hormones in the body that lower blood sugar and curb appetite. It has been approved to treat type 2 diabetes and is currently under review for the treatment of weight loss. Unlike other anti-obesity drugs, it does not cause unwanted side effects.
The fact that the drug changes the biology of the body to promote weight loss backs the fact that obesity may be a disease rather than the result of someone being unwilling to eat well and exercise. There is growing evidence that people have a certain body size that can be hard to change. “The body will defend its weight,” states Richard DiMarchi, an Indiana University Bloomington chemist.
Semaglutide is a modified version of liraglutide, a drug that has long been used to effectively work on receptors in the brain to reduce appetite and slow digestion. However, semaglutide remains intact longer so it has more significant effects. It may also have better access to regions in the brain that control appetite.
Questions Regarding the Drug
Although the drug shows promise, scientists still have questions regarding its practical use. For one, will people have to take the drug for a lifetime to maintain results? Participants in some studies have been shown to regain two-thirds of their weight back within one year after the trial stopped.
It’s also uncertain who will respond to these drugs and who won’t. So far, people with type 2 diabetes seemed to be more resistant to the drug than those who don’t have the disease. There are also questions as to whether fatty liver disease and other diseases where there is fat around the organs may negatively affect responsiveness.
There are also concerns about cost. The drug set you back as much as $1300 a month, an expense most insurance companies are unwilling to cover.
And will the drug stigmatize overweightness which isn’t always at the root of people’s health problems? And will it make people think that taking the drug is a quick fix that can replace a healthy diet and exercise?
All that needs to be worked out. But in the meantime, we can take a step back and marvel at the potential of this new wonder drug. It is hopeful that it makes changes for the better in the world of weight loss.
