Where to buy Wegovy
Semaglutide, a weight loss medication from Novo Nordisk, will be available in UK pharmacies this spring; it will be sold under the brand name Wegovy. You’ll also be able to buy Wegovy from approved online retailers.
The NHS has also recently announced that Wegovy has been approved for prescription via your GP if you meet specific criteria such as a BMI of over 35.
Research has shown that semaglutide – alongside a lifestyle intervention – can lead to a significant weight loss of between 15-20% after 68 weeks.
In comparison, lifestyle interventions without semaglutide typically lead to a weight loss of around 5-10%.
Semaglutide is already available in the UK as Ozempic, which is approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Although, Ozempic also leads to weight loss; it’s available online or from your pharmacy.
What is semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. GLP-1s are a type of medication that’s used to help with weight loss. They work by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1 that the body naturally produces after eating.
GLP-1 helps to regulate blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin production and slowing down the rate at which food leaves the stomach.
GLP-1 receptor agonists mimic GLP-1 and can be injected under the skin once or twice a day or once a week, depending on the specific medication.
They may cause side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, or constipation, but these usually subside after a few weeks when your body adjusts.
Not a magic pill
Research on GLP-1s has shown that weight regain is very common once the medication has been stopped if the person hasn’t implemented sustainable lifestyle changes.
One trial showed that individuals taking semaglutide lost an average of 17.3% of their body weight after 68 weeks. However, one year after the medication had stopped, they regained 11.6% of their lost weight.
Essentially, your body becomes reliant on the medication to manage your appetite.
If you haven’t made the right changes to your lifestyle before you come off the medication, your appetite and old eating habits will return, and you’ll likely regain much of the lost weight.
Second Nature to launch a GLP-1 weight loss programme
We’re excited to announce that we’ll launch a new GLP-1 assisted weight-loss programme in the spring of 2023 in the UK when Wegovy will be available.
This will be in combination with our award-winning weight-loss programme, which has over five years of clinical data proving its effectiveness.
Whilst the evidence supporting the use of semaglutide for weight loss is robust, a sustainable lifestyle change is crucial in maintaining that weight loss in the long term.
If you’d like to register your interest and join our waiting list for our new programme, click here.
