Diabetes is a health condition that affects how your body handles sugar in your blood. It’s a problem that’s becoming more common, and it gets worse over time for many people.
One of the ways that doctors help patients with diabetes is with a kind of medicine called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
One such drug is called semaglutide. It can give people with diabetes a better handle on their blood sugar levels.
New Research on Semaglutide: A High-Dose Wonder
Recently, a group of scientists, including Dr. John Buse, conducted a study to learn more about different doses of semaglutide. They published their findings in a medical journal called The Lancet.
They found that when patients took higher doses of semaglutide, they had even better control of their blood sugar levels. Plus, they lost more weight compared to those who took a smaller dose.
Why High Dose? Better Control and More Weight Loss
“Low doses of GLP-1 receptor agonists are really good at reducing A1C, or the average sugar in the blood,” explained Dr. Buse. He also pointed out that the higher doses helped patients lose weight.
On average, patients lost about 17.5 lbs when they took 50 milligrams, which is nearly twice as much weight loss as with the smallest dose. This is big news because many people with diabetes also struggle with their weight.
Study Details: Participants and Results
The study involved over 1,600 participants, mainly men around 58 years old. They were split into three groups and took different doses of semaglutide every day for a year. Each group took either a 14 mg, 25 mg, or 50 mg dose.
Doctors often use a measure called A1C to see how well a person’s blood sugar is controlled. A healthy A1C for someone with diabetes is usually less than 7%.
All of the people in the study started with an A1C between 8.0% and 10.5%. The researchers found that the people who took the higher doses of semaglutide were more likely to get their A1C below 7%.
Extra Benefits: Weight Loss
Semaglutide doesn’t just help control blood sugar. It can also help people lose weight by making them feel less hungry.
After the year was up, the people who took the 50 mg dose had lost an average of 17.5 lbs. Those who took 25 mg and 14 mg lost about 14.8 lbs and 10 lbs, respectively.
Side Effects: What To Expect
Like all medicines, semaglutide can have side effects. The most common one in this study was feeling sick to your stomach. This happens because semaglutide makes your stomach feel full.
Some people, especially those who took the higher doses, also experienced throwing up, diarrhea, or constipation.
Wrapping Up: A Promising Future
The research on semaglutide is exciting and aligns with other studies that suggest GLP-1 receptor agonists could be used to treat obesity.
Despite the possible side effects, the potential benefits of better blood sugar control and weight loss offer a promising future for diabetes treatment. The journey to a healthier life for people with diabetes just got a little bit brighter.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about a cure for type 2 diabetes, and why insulin is more expensive for people with diabetes.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about bone drugs that could lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, and results showing eating more eggs is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
The study was published in The Lancet.
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