In a recent study at the University of Liverpool, researchers found that an anti-obesity drug, semaglutide, showed a strong degree of weight loss.
They say that the drug could be a “game-changer” in the treatment of obesity.
The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine. One author is John P.H. Wilding, D.M.
Semaglutide is a molecule that works by controlling appetite. This has been shown in numerous studies. The drug is normally used to control blood sugar in the treatment of diabetes.
In the study, the team tested 1,961 adults who were overweight or obese. Approximately 75% of participants were female.
Participants were given a weekly injection of semaglutide. They were also advised on how to manage their weight through dieting and exercise.
After 68 weeks of treatment, the team found the participants lost an average of 15.3kg (around 15% of their body weight) with semaglutide compared to just 2.6kg in those who received the placebo injection, alongside diet and exercise advice.
This is the largest effect ever observed with an anti-obesity medication.
The weekly dose was administered via subcutaneous injection – which is unusual, as most anti-obesity drugs are given as a tablet taken by mouth.
But while the degree of weight loss is certainly promising, there are still a lot of researchers who don’t know about semaglutide.
The team says future work needs to test whether the drug was effective on its own, or whether it was the combination of the drug, how it was administered, and whether it would produce the same magnitude of weight loss without the lifestyle changes.
If you care about obesity, please read studies about this cancer-fighting compound could fight obesity and diabetes, too and findings of the cause of eating behaviors that lead to obesity.
For more information about obesity and weight loss, please see recent studies about obesity, diabetes, and heart disease may spread from person to person and results showing that extract from this tree seed may help treat obesity and diabetes.
Copyright © 2021 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
