Did you know that in the U.S., 41.9% of adults are considered obese, according to the CDC? In other words, America is out of shape. Obesity affects every aspect of your life, but with innovative treatments through the HonorHealth Research Institute, new ways to approach drastic weight loss are emerging.
As the latest — and most effective — appetite suppressant takes the nation by storm, medical professionals in Arizona agree the new drug, semaglutide GLP-1, is approaching some weight loss procedures better than surgery. The medication is injected once a week, and when combined with diet and exercise, will help you lose weight and may improve blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. James Swain, MD, a bariatric surgeon at the HonorHealth Bariatric Center, knows the struggles of losing unwanted weight. “Semaglutide GLP-1 makes you think you are full which is why you eat less,” he says. “This is the first time in modern medicine we have a drug that is comparable to what we do with surgery.”
The advancement with these new drugs and similar appetite suppressors are a turning point in treating obesity. They have also shed light on the co-dependency people have with food and how hormones can spur and suppress your appetite. “In general, the drug affects your physical hunger response,” Dr. Swain states. “I think these new medications are going to help people make better decisions about food.”
A common problem with semaglutide GLP-1 drugs is they can make you feel kind of blah and tend to have side effects similar to antidepressants. “Some patients don’t like that the medications can affect other parts of your brain which is why we are working on new drugs that only suppress your appetite,” Dr. Swain says.
Any significant weight loss you experience causes a slowdown in your metabolism, meaning you’ll stop losing weight despite eating less. This leads to frustration, quitting your diet and eventually, gaining the weight back. One way to help combat this is by practicing good nutrition and healthy habits. “Our goal is to have a menu of options to help create an effective weight loss program based off your individual needs,” says Dr. Swain. “At the HonorHealth Bariatric Center, besides surgery, we have a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, exercise physiologists, dietitians, obesity medicine specialists, as well as devices and research programs to help you with your weight loss and wellness needs.”