How Wegovy® Works for Weight Loss
Dive into the science of losing weight and keeping it off with Wegovy® and lifestyle changes.
Wegovy® works by reducing your appetite
Your brain gets signals from different places in your body. Some of these signals are called appetite hormones, like GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), which help regulate how much food you eat.
Wegovy® works similarly to GLP-1 by reducing your appetite, so you eat fewer calories and lose weight.
See what results could mean for you
Narrator 1: If you’re wondering what all the hype is about Wegovy®, you’re in the right place. We’ll discuss how Wegovy® works, what you can expect from treatment, and the potential benefits.
Before we get started, let's get into the details. Let's review some important information.
Narrator 2: Wegovy® is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity or overweight with weight-related medical problems lose excess body weight and keep the weight off.
Wegovy® is also used to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
Wegovy® should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products, other GLP-1 medicines, or in children under 12 years of age.
Do not take Wegovy® if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to Wegovy®.
Stop taking Wegovy® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck or an allergic reaction.
Serious side effects may happen, including pancreatitis. Stop taking Wegovy® and get medical help right away if you get severe stomach pain.
Gallbladder or severe stomach problems may occur. Call your provider if you have symptoms such as stomach pain, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes or clay-colored stools.
Narrator 1: Me again! While you’ve been listening, I was getting animated.
Let's talk about losing weight with Wegovy®.
So—how does Wegovy® work for weight loss? I’ll explain!
Your brain gets signals from different places in your body. Some of these signals are called appetite hormones, like GLP-1, which help regulate how much food you eat. Wegovy® works similarly to GLP-1, one of these natural appetite hormones. Wegovy® reduces appetite, so you eat fewer calories and lose weight.
If you’re considering Wegovy®, one of the first things you’ll want to know is if it's effective.
Let’s take a look at the data. Wegovy® was studied in a clinical trial with 1,961 adults living with obesity or overweight with a related medical problem. Adults in the trial were either treated with Wegovy® or given placebo, which is an inactive injection. Both groups followed instructions for a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
On average, adults taking Wegovy® lost roughly 15% of their body weight versus 2.5% taking placebo. That means, for an adult whose starting weight was 232 pounds, that's about a 35-pound weight loss for people taking Wegovy® and about 6 pounds for those taking placebo.
So, what could that mean for you? While you may not have the same results, you can see from the study that: 83% of adults taking Wegovy® lost at least 5% or more of their body weight, compared with 31% of adults taking placebo. 66% of adults taking Wegovy® lost 10% or more of their body weight, compared with 12% of adults taking placebo. And 48% of adults taking Wegovy® lost 15% or more of their body weight, compared with 5% of adults taking placebo. 30% of adults taking Wegovy® lost 20% or more of their body weight, compared with 2% of adults taking placebo. That’s 46 pounds for an adult with a starting weight of 232 pounds!
You can see from the study that adults respond differently, and you can’t always predict the exact amount of weight loss you’ll achieve. But the numbers don’t lie. Along with diet and exercise, adults taking Wegovy® saw significantly more weight loss.
In addition to helping with weight loss, Wegovy® is the first [and only] weight-management medication that is also FDA approved to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events in those with obesity or overweight and known heart disease, including death, heart attack or stroke.
Now, you may have some questions about the risks or side effects associated with Wegovy®. Some of the most common side effects may include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, headache, tiredness, upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, runny nose, or sore throat. Pay attention to how you’re feeling and talk with your health care professional about any side effect that does not go away or bothers you.
Get tips on managing common side effects at www.wegovy.com. While you're checking that out, I’m going to switch back!
Here I am!
So, in summary: These results show that when combined with a reduced calorie diet and exercise, Wegovy® has been shown to help adults with obesity or overweight lose weight, keep it off, and lower the risk of a major cardiovascular event for those with known heart disease.
For more information about what to expect, including tips when taking Wegovy®, visit the website at Wegovy.com. Remember, we’re here to help. Stay tuned for more videos like this one to support you or your loved one’s journey on Wegovy®.
Narrator 2: Tell your provider if you have type 2 diabetes and experience vision problems; if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding; if you have or have had depression, suicidal thoughts, or mental health issues; or if you feel your heart racing while at rest.
In those with diabetes, taking Wegovy® with insulin or a sulfonylurea can increase the risk of low blood sugar. This can be a serious side effect.
Talk to your provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before starting and while taking Wegovy®.
Wegovy® may increase the chance of food or liquid getting into your lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness. Tell your health care providers that you are taking Wegovy® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures.
Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, headache, tiredness, upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, and heartburn.
Talk to your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.
Some side effects may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. Drinking plenty of fluids may reduce your chances of dehydration.
How much weight could you lose?
Now that you know how Wegovy®, along with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity, helps people lose weight and keep it off—see what it could look like for you.
Trust the FDA-approved brand that's been prescribed to more than 1 million people‡
Semaglutide is the ingredient in Wegovy® that makes the medicine work. Novo Nordisk is the only maker of FDA-approved semaglutide. Be sure to talk with your health care professional if you have any questions.
‡This is based on information licensed from IQVIA LAAD AOM Rx for the period June 2021 through December 2023, reflecting estimates of real-world activity in the U.S. All rights reserved.
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