GLP-1 Drugs usage for weight loss, is relatively the new trend in the weight loss space of the global health & fitness industry. Though these drugs and their weight loss benefits have been around for some time, the FDA approval (~2021) has strengthened their marketing & usage, among consumers desirous of achieving their weight loss goals.
What are GLP-1 Drugs & How Does It Work For Weight Loss?
“The understanding so far has been that GLP-1 analogues work by mimicking the action of a similarly shaped molecule called glucagon-like peptide, which is naturally released by the intestines soon after eating food.
This peptide binds to a specific receptor on the surface of beta cells in the pancreas, causing them to release insulin, and for a long time researchers assumed that GLP-1 analogues only affected insulin release, hence why they were prescribed for type 2 diabetes.
The effect these drugs had on weight did not long go unnoticed, however, as losing fat can help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugars better, and even make the condition go into remission.
Studies conducted in recent years have discovered that GLP-1 analogues work in a variety of ways that contribute to weight loss, including by slowing gastric emptying, and by increasing a person’s sense of fullness after eating.” Medical News Today | Retrieved August 15, 2024
Exercise: How Does It Result In Weight Loss?
“Among the nearly 3,700 men and women who are part of the National Weight Control Registry, a group that includes only people who lost more than 30 pounds and kept them off for at least a year, the average participant burns an average of about 400 calories per day in physical activity. That’s the equivalent of about 60 to 75 minutes of brisk walking each day, or 35 to 40 minutes of daily jogging.” Harvard School of Public Health | Physical Activity |. Retrieved August 15, 2024
“…It is now well established that participation in regular PA (Physical Activity) improves blood glucose control and can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes, along with positively affecting lipids, blood pressure, cardiovascular events, mortality, and quality of life. Structured interventions combining PA and modest weight loss have been shown to lower type 2 diabetes risk by up to 58% in high-risk populations. Most benefits of PA on diabetes management are realized through acute and chronic improvements in insulin action, accomplished with both aerobic and resistance training.” Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes | Retrieved August 15, 2024
Fiber-Rich Food & Protein-Rich Food: How Do They Contribute To Weight Loss
“Eating foods containing fiber in their natural form provides fullness or satiety and leads to lower consumption of calories. Another benefit of fiber-rich foods for weight loss is slowing down the speed at which food moves down the stomach and gut – which is another mechanism that keeps us full and less hungry between meals. Fiber also holds on to more water and adds to bulking and volume, so it’s popularly used to manage constipation. The net calories absorbed from fiber-rich foods (nutrient-dense foods) are much lower than foods that do not contain fiber.” Obesity Medicine Association | Retrieved August 15, 2024
“Several clinical trials have found that consuming more protein than the recommended dietary allowance not only reduces body weight (BW), but also enhances body composition by decreasing fat mass while preserving fat-free mass (FFM) in both low-calorie and standard-calorie diets. Among gut-derived hormones, glucagon-like peptide-1, cholecystokinin, and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine reduce appetite, while ghrelin enhances appetite. HPD (high protein diets) increases these anorexigenic hormone levels while decreasing orexigenic hormone levels, resulting in increased satiety signaling and, eventually, reduced food intake. Additionally, elevated diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT), increased blood amino acid concentration, increased hepatic gluconeogenesis, and increased ketogenesis caused by higher dietary protein contribute to increased satiety.
The mechanism by which HPD increases energy expenditure involves two aspects: first, proteins have a markedly higher DIT than carbohydrates and fats. Second, protein intake prevents a decrease in FFM, which helps maintain resting energy expenditure despite weight loss.” National Library of Medicine | Retrieved August 15, 2024
Summary
How GLP-1 drugs contribute to weight loss is closely similar to fiber-rich diets, protein-rich diets & exercise. GLP-1 drugs delay gastric emptying, and can result in you feeling ful for longer (relative to you not taking the drug). On this basis, weight loss can occur through your consumption of less calories. Fiber-rich diets due to their effect of slowing down gastric emptying (feeling fuller for longer) directly reduces our urge to eat more (less calories in, and hence weight loss. Protein-rich diets through delayed gastric emptying & GLP-1 hormone secretion stimulation (eating less), thermic effect of food (burning more calories to breakdown protein into amino acids), and fat free mass preservation (elevated calorie burn at rest), contribute to weight loss.
The Takeaway?
GLP-1 Drugs weight loss effects, increase substantially with the ideal (relative prescription) exercise & diet support.
About The Author
Oshane Bryant: BSc Geology, Geography Minor; ACE CPT since 2012; Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) Accelerator Graduate-2018 cohort; Licensed KUKIBO Martial Arts & Self Defense, Senior Instructor; OB Fitness Founder & Managing Director.
