One injection a week to reduce weight by 15%? Why do I still gain weight even after taking a slimming pill? Doctor reveals "weight loss devil"
Is the weight management tool out of stock? What is Slim Pen?
The “slimming pen” or “weight loss pen” that have become popular in recent years has been reported to be seriously out of stock, even squeezing out the medication needs of some diabetics. The slimming pen is now regarded as a powerful tool for weight management and body maintenance, and its invention is inseparable from the treatment of diabetes.
Dr. Ma Wenya, director of the Department of Metabolic Endocrinology of Xindian Cardinal Tien Hospital, pointed out in an interview that the ingredients of the slimming pen are “incretin” drugs. The so-called enterocrine is a hormone secreted by the intestine, mainly including Glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1). ) and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP). This type of drug that acts on the incretin receptor has been used in the diabetes community for nearly 15 years. Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and weight loss may occur when taking the drug. Subsequent clinical trials have found that The “once-a-week” slimming pen can achieve a 15% weight loss effect on non-diabetic people. It was published in the “New England Journal of Medicine” and became the dawn of a “hot” weight loss drug.
Dr. Ma Wenya said that in the past, for diabetic patients who were unable to control their appetite or were seriously ill, they could only achieve weight control through bariatric surgery. However, injection drugs such as “Slim Pen” can suppress appetite and reduce weight without surgery. The effect is indeed good news for such patients.
once a day? once a week? Differences in dosage forms of Slim Pen
Various injections on the market are called “slimming pens” or “weight loss pens”. What are the differences between the effects and the injection methods? Dr. Ma Wenya explained that the main ingredient of the once-a-day injection Slimming Pen is “Liraglutide”, which is divided into two dosage forms (Victoza/Saxenda) with a maximum of 1.8mg and 3.0mg. Only the 3.0mg Slimming Pen dosage form has achieved weight loss. Severe indications; once-a-week injection slimming pen, the main ingredient is “Semaglutide” (Ozempic/Wegovy), the dose for diabetes is 0.25mg to 1mg, clinical trials show that the highest dose of 2.4mg is used to reduce weight by about 15% %. The efficacy and side effects of enterocrine are positively related to the dose, and it is necessary to start with a low dose and slowly adjust it.
Dr. Ma Wenya said that of the two drugs “Semaglutide”, one is not on the market in Taiwan, and the other dosage form has been reported to be in shortage since the beginning of this year (2022). Some hospitals have carried out drug control in advance to reserve it for needs. Diabetics, this has resulted in another once-a-week injection drug “Dulaglutide” (Trulicity) being in hot demand and even being in short supply. Dulaglutide has a cardiovascular protective effect on diabetes. This wave of shortages caused by the “slim pen” weight loss craze has affected the medication needs of the diabetic community, which is indeed unexpected by all walks of life.
Who is best suited to use the slimming pen that delays gastric emptying and regulates signals?
As long as I use the slimming pen, can I eat as much as I want and lose weight? Dr. Ma Wenya reminded that the pharmacological effects of incretin drugs are to delay gastric emptying, stimulate insulin secretion and increase the brain’s sense of satiety, thereby suppressing appetite by regulating brain signals. The advantage is that insulin secretion is stimulated when the body is in high blood sugar, so there is no risk of hypoglycemia, but it does not allow people to “eat too much” and lose weight. In fact, the use of this type of drug may also cause side effects of nausea and vomiting, but the degree varies from person to person.
Dr. Ma Wenya pointed out that incretin drugs are suitable for diabetic people with “sugar obesity” or severe obesity who cannot control their appetite. In particular, although some diabetic patients have residual insulin function, they have difficulty controlling their diet and are easily cured by taking insulin. Injection will make you fatter, while enterocrine can reduce glycated hemoglobin by up to 1.8 while reducing appetite, and it only needs to be administered once a week, which can improve the patient’s medication compliance.
On the contrary, enterocrine drugs are less suitable for patients with insulin deficiency, and clinical trials have shown that there are very few side effects of acute pancreatitis. Dr. Ma Wenya reminded that when using enterocrine drugs, regular blood tests should be followed to check whether blood sugar and blood lipids are abnormal. In recent years, diabetes treatment guidelines have prioritized cardiovascular protection and renal protection. People with diabetes should discuss appropriate medication with a metabolic endocrinologist. Those who need weight control should consult a weight loss specialist before using drugs.
Will I still gain weight after the slimming pen? Living habits are the key
Taiwanese people pursue weight loss quickly, so Slimming Pen has become a popular drug. Dr. Ma Wenya reminds that any weight loss method will cause you to gain weight again if you stop using it. If you don’t adjust your lifestyle when using the slimming pen, your weight will naturally come back after you stop taking the medicine. The correct way to combat obesity is to develop healthy living habits and balance your body after reaching your ideal weight, so that you can maintain your weight loss results.
“No matter which weight loss method you adopt, ‘gaining weight’ is the most difficult demon to overcome! On the first day of using the slimming pen, you must imagine when to stop taking the medicine? How to maintain weight after stopping the medicine number?”
Dr. Ma Wenya pointed out that the research and development of incretin drugs continues to make new breakthroughs, but if you only rely on drugs for weight loss without improving your living habits, weight gain is still an expected consequence. In response to the recent phenomenon of “you can’t buy medicine even if you have money”, enterocrine drugs will be reserved for groups that meet the benefits and have more urgent needs. People should consult professional doctors if they have any medication needs, and do not buy drugs from unknown sources to avoid misuse and harm to the body.
Further reading:
