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dateMarch 18, 2024

How Much Weight Can You Lose with Wegovy?

Weighing loss can be a difficult and demoralising process. A great number of people find it difficult to cope with fad diets, staunch exercise programs, and their continuous cycle of losing and regaining weight. Yet, a new drug called Wegovy could offer a solution for those who want to lose weight effectively and permanently. Unlike […]

Weighing loss can be a difficult and demoralising process. A great number of people find it difficult to cope with fad diets, staunch exercise programs, and their continuous cycle of losing and regaining weight. Yet, a new drug called Wegovy could offer a solution for those who want to lose weight effectively and permanently.

Unlike many previous weight loss drugs, Wegovy has shown remarkable results in clinical trials, helping participants lose substantial weight and keep it off long-term.

Our blog will shed light on clinical data surrounding Wegovy and explore how much weight loss is realistically achievable with this groundbreaking medication. We’ll also discuss the important role of lifestyle changes and what expectations you should have when beginning treatment.

weight lose with Wegovy

What is Wegovy?

Wegovy is one of the latest weight loss medications that have produced great results in research studies. Approved by the FDA in 2021, Wegovy contains semaglutide, an agonist of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1).

How Does Wegovy Work?

The active component of Wegovy is semaglutide, a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist, that mimics the same effects as the GLP-1 hormone. Through its GLP-1 receptor binding, semaglutide turns on various body mechanisms involved in weight loss.  It reduces gastric emptying, creating the feeling of being full and less hungry. This also leads to decreased appetite by acting on centres that regulate appetite in the brain.

 In addition, semaglutide plays a role in nutrient absorption in the intestine and causes an increase in energy expenditure. This holistic approach of Wegovy results in a great decrease in calorie intake and leads to long-term weight reduction.

Clinical Trial Results

Studies have proven that Wegovy is amazing at reducing and maintaining weight. The pivotal STEP trials, which involved thousands of participants with obesity or overweight, yielded impressive results:

  • In the STEP 1 trial, participants taking Wegovy lost an average of 15% of their total body weight over 68 weeks, compared to just 2.4% for the placebo group. Over one-third of those on Wegovy lost at least 20% of their body weight.

  • The STEP 3 trial included over 16,000 participants with higher BMIs. After 68 weeks of treatment with Wegovy, nearly 50% of participants lost at least 15% of their total body weight.

On average, patients can expect to lose approximately 10-15% of their body weight when taking Wegovy with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Some individuals may experience even greater weight loss, particularly those with higher starting weights.

What Factors Can Affect Weight Loss?

Although the clinical trials show laudable average weight loss with Wegovy, it is imperative to remember that each person may experience a varying degree of weight loss. Several key factors influence just how much weight you may lose on this medication:

  • Starting Weight: Those with higher baseline weights (BMI ≥ 35) tend to lose more total pounds but a lower percentage of their body weight than those with lower BMIs. For example, someone starting at 300 lbs may lose 50 lbs on Wegovy, while someone starting at 200 lbs may lose 30 lbs.
  • Adherence to Diet and Exercise: The clinical trials combined Wegovy with a calorie-deficit diet and increased physical activity. Those who adhere more closely to these lifestyle recommendations tend to lose more weight.
  • Genetics: Individuals’ genes can influence how they metabolise the medication and their body’s set point for weight regulation. Some may be more or less sensitive to Wegovy’s effects.
  • Age: Some evidence suggests younger adults may lose slightly more weight than older adults on the same treatment.

While Wegovy has shown impressive results overall, don’t expect it to be a magic pill. Personal factors like commitment to diet/exercise, metabolism, and genetics mean some may lose more or less than the average.

Also read: Wegovy For Weight Loss: Everything You Need To Know

Long-Term Effects and Sustainability

A key question on many people’s minds is whether the weight loss achieved with Wegovy is sustainable over the long run. The impressive results from clinical trials were measured at around one year of treatment, but what happens after that?

The good news is that data indicates weight loss can be sustained if patients continue taking Wegovy. In the STEP 4 trial, which looked at a second year of treatment, participants were able to maintain their weight loss from the first year. On average, they had lost nearly 15% of their initial body weight after two years.

However, once the medication was stopped, weight regain became an issue for many. This underscores the importance of developing sustainable lifestyle habits around diet and exercise during Wegovy treatment. The medication appears to ‘reset’ the body’s weight set point, but behavioural changes are still crucial.

For those who achieve their target weight loss, the plan is typically to either discontinue Wegovy or continue on a lower maintenance dose. Making positive diet/exercise changes a permanent lifestyle is vital for keeping the weight off long-term after stopping the medication.

Final Remarks

It can be said that Wegovy is a groundbreaking weapon in the battle against obesity or overweight. The clinical data indicates that patients can lose 10-15% of total body weight in 6-12 months of treatment. Although individual results may vary based on factors like starting weight and adherence, Wegovy has proved its ability to amplify the effects of diet and exercise for meaningful, sustained weight loss.

If it is used with medication and commitment to lifestyle changes, Wegovy is a potent new tool to improve health outcomes for those suffering from excess weight.