GLP-1 Weight Management

What Are GLP-1 Medications?

GLP-1 weight loss medications are prescription treatments that mimic the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone your gut releases after you eat. Your natural GLP-1 performs a few critical functions:

• It tells your brain when you're full
• It slows how quickly food leaves your stomach
• It helps your body release insulin when your blood sugar rises

Together, these effects regulate how much you eat and how often you're hungry. They also influence your energy levels and how likely you are to feel cravings for sugar or high-carb foods.

Your body breaks down natural GLP-1 quickly. GLP-1 medications are designed to last longer, so you feel more satisfied when you eat and find it easier to make healthy choices.

GLP-1 medications were initially developed to treat type 2 diabetes. They have since been FDA-approved for weight management, and several different medications have entered the market. At LIVskin, we offer compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide. Both are administered as once-weekly injections.

What Is Semaglutide?

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It attaches to the same receptors your natural GLP-1 does and keeps them switched on for longer. You experience fewer hunger signals, a longer feeling of fullness after meals and reduced cravings.

Semaglutide was first approved by the FDA in 2017 for type 2 diabetes. It has been approved for weight management since 2021.

What Is Tirzepatide?

Tirzepatide activates two hormone receptors in your body (GLP-1 and GIP, or glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide). GIP helps your body release insulin after meals and plays a role in how you process and store energy. Because it acts on two receptors, it is called a "dual agonist" medication.

Tirzepatide is a newer option. It was FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes in 2022 and for weight management in 2023.

What Makes LIVskin's Medical Weight Loss Program Different?

If you've tried to lose weight on your own, you know what a roller coaster it can be. You start out feeling motivated and optimistic, and perhaps you see results for a while, but success often doesn't last. Eventually, your body pushes back on your efforts, or you reach a plateau you can't break through. Lost weight returns and the cycle begins again.

A medical weight loss program gives you better odds of achieving the weight loss you want and keeping the weight off long-term. You get prescription support that enhances the hard work you put into diet and exercise, plus the expertise of a medical provider who individualizes your program and guides you through any changes that need to be made.

At LIVskin, your weight management program is anchored by four principles:

Personalization

Your plan is not based on a template given to every patient. It's built around you.

The program begins with a consultation. Your provider will ask about your goals, your health, your lifestyle, and what has and hasn't worked for you before. This discussion will determine which medication your provider recommends and the starting dose.

You receive a higher level of personalization at LIVskin than is possible through many online providers, which often rely on a uniform intake questionnaire and a standard dosing schedule.

Medical Supervision

Your GLP-1 program at LIVskin is guided by a medical provider rather than an app, algorithm or DIY protocol. At each visit, your provider can personally check in on how you're doing instead of reading updates in a messaging portal.

If you're new to self-administering injections, your provider will show you how to give your dose and watch you do it for the first time. You will never have to figure things out on your own. A few minutes of hands-on teaching go a long way toward preventing issues and calming any nervousness you might feel about the process.

Ongoing Support

Your program evolves with you. Regular check-ins give you the opportunity to share your progress with your provider and mention any questions or concerns that come up along the way. If your weight loss stalls or you experience side effects, your provider adjusts your dose.

This ongoing relationship is one of the things our patients appreciate most about choosing a local Excelsior provider for GLP-1 therapy. At any time, you can call or visit an office where you see familiar faces who know your name and your treatment history. The sense of continuity and personal care is something large telehealth providers simply cannot match.

Wellness Focus

The number on the scale is one measure of progress, but it's far from the only one. We care about your energy levels, your long-term health outlook, your relationship with food and how you feel in your skin. Your provider helps you set goals that are realistic and ensures you learn strategies that make your weight loss sustainable.

As your program continues, our aesthetics team can help you address concerns a weight-loss-only provider cannot. Weight loss sometimes comes with changes such as facial volume loss or skin laxity. If these changes bother you, our Nurse Injection Specialists and Advanced Practice Aestheticians can provide treatment options.

What Is GLP-1 Microdosing?

Microdosing refers to using a lower dose of a GLP-1 medication than a typical weight-loss protocol. At LIVskin, we offer individualized low-dose GLP-1 therapy when it is appropriate for the patient.

Your provider may consider a microdosing approach if you:

• Are near your goal weight and have less to lose
• Are at your goal weight and want assistance maintaining it
• Are looking for a lower-intensity approach
• Want support for appetite or cravings
• Experience side effects at higher doses and need to work up gradually
• Have a strong foundation of healthy habits in place

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to GLP-1 therapy. Your protocol is determined based on your individual goals and how your body responds to the treatment.

Am I a Good Candidate for GLP-1 Weight Loss?

You may be a good candidate for a GLP-1 program if you have tried losing weight through diet and exercise but don't see the results you want or struggle to make the results last. Schedule a consultation if any of these sound familiar:

• You've consistently maintained a healthy lifestyle but the scale doesn't budge or the weight comes back
• Hunger signals and cravings are hard for you to ignore, and thoughts about food take up too much of your day
• Your weight is starting to affect your health (for example, your blood pressure is rising or you've developed joint pain that makes it hard to stay active)
• Hormonal changes (including perimenopause and menopause) are making it harder to manage your weight than it used to be

Certain health factors may mean a GLP-1 medication isn't the right choice for you. These include a personal or family history of certain medical conditions. GLP-1 medications are also not recommended during pregnancy or while trying to conceive. Your provider will discuss all of these factors during your consultation before recommending a treatment plan.

What Kind of Results Can GLP-1 Medication Achieve?

GLP-1 therapy can help you lose weight steadily by making hunger and cravings easier to manage. How much you lose depends on numerous variables, including which medication you take, your dose, your starting point, your health and the habits you maintain during your treatment. Your provider will help you establish realistic expectations for your body at the beginning of your program.

Expect your progress to happen in stages. In the first few weeks, while your dose is lowest, you may not see changes on the scale. Often, the first signs of success are changes in appetite or a reduction in cravings and food noise.

As your provider adjusts your dose up in the coming months, weight loss will become more visible. You may see the number drop on the scale or notice your clothes fit differently. Eventually, your body will reach its new baseline and you may move to a maintenance dose or transition off the medication.

What Aesthetic Treatments Pair Well With Weight Loss?

Losing weight can change your appearance in ways you weren't expecting. Perhaps you've heard of "Ozempic face," the slang term that has become popular for describing the combination of fat loss, reduced skin elasticity and deepening lines that can accompany weight loss.

If you're looking for ways to refresh your appearance while undergoing a weight loss program, our aesthetic team may recommend:

• Restoring lost volume and softening creases with hyaluronic acid fillers (Juvéderm® and Restylane®) or a collagen stimulator (Sculptra®)
• Relaxing dynamic lines that have become more prominent with neurotoxins (Botox® and Dysport®)
• Building firmer, smoother skin with SkinPen® microneedling
• Keeping your complexion healthy and radiant with Hydrafacial®, DiamondGlow® or chemical peels
• Tightening skin nonsurgically with SkinTyte® (available at LIVskin Minnetonka)