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Semaglutide (GLP-1) and Low-Dose Naltrexone for Weight Loss

Weight Loss

Semaglutide

From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, obesity is apparent as a risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness. Recently, a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demonstrated just how nonlinear this relationship is. The vast majority (over 75%) of U.S. patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were overweight or had obesity. The numbers for intensive care, invasive mechanical ventilation, and death were nearly the same. Semaglutide (GLP-1) and Low-Dose Naltrexone are two options for weight loss that help patients avoid serious COVID illness, aid in long hauler recovery, and reduce cardiovascular risk.

Fat Burn

Semaglutide Mechanism of Action

Semaglutide, sold under the brand name Ozempic and Wegovy among others, is an anti-diabetic medication used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management. Semaglutide acts like human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), in that it increases insulin secretion which thereby increases sugar metabolism. This means that when you eat your body is able to respond faster to blood sugar spikes.

GLP-1 is a physiological hormone that promotes glycemic control via several different mechanisms, including insulin secretion, slowing gastric emptying, and reducing postprandial glucagon secretion. The overall balance of glucose in the body is dependent on insulin and amylin, which are secreted by the pancreas. Semaglutide is an incretin mimetic, simply put, a drug that mimics GLP-1. Analogs of this hormone (such as Semaglutide) stimulate the synthesis of insulin by stimulating pancreatic islet cells and reducing glucagon secretion. This occurs when you start to eat and before your blood sugar spikes.  This makes it easier for the body to break down excess sugar and fat.

Dosing & Side Effects

Semaglitude for weight loss is a weekly subcutaneous injection. The dose is dependent on how well you tolerate the medication. It is a good idea to start on a lower dose and gradually increase over several weeks. This allows your body time to get used to the medication and reduces the side effects. Our semaglutide is compounded with B6 and L-Carnitine, this provides a reduction of nausea and enhanced fat burn respectively.

Side effects for Semagutide:

  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Decreased appetite

The best way to mitigate these side effects is to work with a provider that has experience in using GLP-1 for weight loss. The first day you take this medication, you will need to be fasting for 12-14 hours prior to the injection. Having an empty stomach decreases nausea and chances of vomiting, something you definitely want to avoid! We also encourage people to avoid dairy products as these are difficult for your body to digest, they require more enzymatic energy.

Hormone Balancing

What to Expect

Weight management with GLP-1 agonist is different for every patient, so we start by listening to your weight loss journey. Semaglutide may not be the right medication and you may have better results with, LDN, Amlexanox and or another medication. You will have a virtual meeting with a provider and if Semaglutide is right we ship directly to you including all the supplies. Next , we teach you how to complete a subcutaneous injection. The night before your first injection you will need fast for 12 hours. After your first dose, you may feel some nausea and bloating. We will work with you to adjust your diet and avoid food that increases bloating and nausea. From here the pounds fall off, we check in with you every week to help adjust your dose.

People taking Semaglutide can expect greater improvements in cardiovascular risk factors like BMI (body-mass index), waist circumference, and blood pressure in addition to improved sugar metabolism. When combined with a recommended diet and exercise plan patient will lower their risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years!

Low-Dose Naltrexone

Naltrexone is a medication that blocks opioid receptor sites, in other words reverses narcotics. Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) (1/100th) the normal dose for opioid reversal increases endorphins while you sleep. LDN is used for multiple diseases, however we will focus on weight loss.

Are you a snacker?

Do you always have snacks nearby? Are your grocery bills 50% snacks? Do you head for a snack right after you are finished eating something or rummage through cabinets late at night forging for a snack? These are all signs of being a “snacker” or compulsive eating. Eating food despite the fact you do not need to eat anymore. LDN works wonders for snackers through various mechanisms: Improved sleep, reduced insulin resistance, decreased appetite, improved thyroid function, and anti-inflammatory properties. LDN is taken at night and blocks opioid receptors and endorphin receptors, this causes your body to increase the production of endorphins. Your body believes a shortage of endorphins exists. This over-production of endorphins improves your quality of sleep and is the basis of the other benefits listed below.

Snapsin RG3 and AOD-9604

Reducing resistance to insulin is a mainstay of therapy for diabetics and in weight loss. LDN reduces this resistance while improving growth hormones. An increase in growth hormones adds more lean muscle mass to your body. Lean muscle in turn makes your body more efficient at burning fat.

LDN reduces the cravings you have for food and for snacking. This “teaches” your body not to snack as much or eat something, just after you have finished eating something! Over a few weeks, you will start to notice the difference in your food habits, even after you stop the medication.

Finally, LDN improves total T3 and improves T4 to T3 conversion in addition to reducing inflammation and autoimmunity. This means if you have hypothyroidism LDN can improve your thyroid function. We often lower the dose of thyroid replacement when patients start LDN.

Side Effects

  • Stomach Cramps/Diarrhea (Rare)
  • Headache (Initial phase if at all)
  • Increased Thyroid Sensitivity, if observed, reduce oral dose of thyroid medication.
  • Flu-like symptoms (if longer then 24hrs – take ½ dose till symptoms resolve)
  • The most common being very VIVID dreams (usually, only lasting a few days) when taken pm. If the patient cannot tolerate we suggest AM dosing schedule.

Protocol

We start you off with 1.5mg nightly, after 2 weeks you can increase to 3mg nightly. After 4 weeks on LDN, we can increase it to 4.5mg if required. Approximately 20% of patients will not respond to LDN. If this is you after 2 months we would discontinue treatment and discuss another medication, such as TTA, Amlexanox or Semaglitude.

If you are looking for a sustainable approach to handling weight loss, managing blood sugar, or boosting your metabolism, look no further than Semaglitude or low-dose Naltrexone. Talk to your healthcare provider today to find out more about this breakthrough weight management option and if you are a good candidate for treatment.

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Clayton Evans

Clayton Evans is an IFA Certified Personal Trainer and IFA Certified Sports Nutritionist with over 5 years of experience in the health and fitness Industry. After years of struggling with his own health and fitness, Clayton lost over 30 lbs and started a career helping others achieve the best version of themselves. Clayton spent several years working with large corporate gyms developing fitness programs and working with Nutrition and Wellness Companies to improve a client’s overall health. His approach with clients is simple – small changes in fitness and diet that will have the largest impact and will fit into a client’s busy lifestyle.

Chad Antonson

Chad is a native of Colorado, growing up on the western slope. He moved to the Denver area in 2019 after working as a wild land firefighter through Job Corps. In his free time he enjoys hiking, skiing and traveling.

Brooke Young

Brooke is a skilled and compassionate Adult Nurse Practitioner with over 10 years of experience in healthcare and a passion for helping patients achieve optimal health and wellness. Brooke holds a Master of Science in Nursing with a specialization in adult health and gerontology from Maryville University of St. Louis. She completed post-graduate training in functional medicine through the Institute for Functional Medicine and obtained her NP board certification through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Credentialing Board in 2019. As a Nurse Practitioner, Brooke seeks to address the root causes of disease and treat the whole person, rather than just the symptoms. She believes in taking a personalized and holistic approach to each patient. She has special interests in helping patients heal from metabolic syndrome, achieve their weight loss goals, optimize fertility, and recover from complex chronic illness. In her free time, Brooke enjoys hiking, reading, rollerblading, cooking healthy meals, and spending time with her fun-loving husband and spirited toddlers. She is excited to partner with you on your health journey and support you in achieving your goals.

Kyle Christensen

Kyle is a career Firefighter/Paramedic with extensive experience in the Denver metro area. He holds a bachelors of Health and Exercise Science from CSU. Kyle enjoys weightlifting, skiing, boating, and all the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer.

Jacqueline Carbone

Jacqueline Carbone is a highly experienced nurse practitioner that specializes in providing her clients with holistic, evidenced based, compassionate care. She specializes in Mental health, ketamine assisted therapy and Migraines. She is board certified from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Jacque has her post Masters certificate from University of Colorado in Psychiatric Mental Health and two master’s degrees—one in acute care/geriatric nursing and one as a clinical specialist in geriatrics—from Georgetown University. She has also completed a fellowship with Dr Arnaldo DeSilva a headache specialist. She is passionate about providing a holistic treatment plan for her clients.

Steve Ohl

Steve is a native of Colorado with bachelors in culinary nutrition. He worked as a classically trained chef, for over a decade. After chef life he shifted careers to join Mobile Care Health as our Operations Manager. Steve enjoys Crossfit, boating, road trips and camping.

Dr. Michael McGurren

Dr Michael McGurren was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He graduated from Creighton University Medical School, and was the Chief Resident followed at Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis. He is board certified in Emergency Medicine and provides medical direction, as well as urgent care services for Mobile Care Health. In his free time he can be found sailing around the world, with a captains license and over 2500 nautical miles sailed. On shore he enjoys traveling with wife and pup Kylo in custom campervan.