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Prescription weight-loss medications have skyrocketed in popularity, and it’s not hard to understand why. Unfortunately, over 40% of people living in the United States struggle with obesity. Carrying extra weight puts you at risk for serious health complications, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Thankfully, prescription medications can help you lose weight effectively when changing your diet and increasing your exercise isn’t enough to help you reach your weight-loss goals.
If you’ve been trying to lose weight and take control of your health, but you aren’t making the progress you’d like through diet and exercise alone, our team at the Center for Women’s Health in Sugar Land and Richmond, Texas, can help. We offer medical weight management services to give you the guidance and tools you need to successfully lose weight and keep it off.
One of those helpful tools is a prescription weight-loss medication known as tirzepatide. In this month’s blog, we review everything you need to know about this weight-loss powerhouse.
Understanding tirzepatide
Tirzepatide is a type of medication that belongs to a drug class known as dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. These mighty ingredients mimic two gut hormones by the same names, and they’re the hormones that regulate your blood sugar, appetite, and digestion.
Increasing the amounts of GIP and GLP-1 hormones in your body does several things that are beneficial for weight management, including:
- Slowing down digestion to help you feel full longer
- Lowering your appetite and strong cravings for unhealthy foods
- Reducing levels of hunger hormones
Feeling full for longer, having a smaller appetite, and fewer food cravings are vital for being able to stick to a healthy diet that’s lower in calories, which, in turn, helps you successfully lose weight.
Is tirzepatide right for you?
Currently, tirzepatide is approved for those who have obesity (body mass index over 30) or who are overweight and have at least one weight-related health condition, such as diabetes or obstructive sleep apnea.
If our team believes that you qualify for tirzepatide, we will create a medical weight management plan that includes weekly injections of the prescription weight-loss medication. We start you off with a low dose to see how your body tolerates the drug and make any necessary adjustments as you continue taking it.
Our other weight-loss treatments that we offer as part of our medical weight-loss plans include customized nutrition plans, exercise routines, and strategies for healthy sleep and other important lifestyle habits.
To get started with medical weight management at Center for Women’s Health, simply call your nearest office location or book an appointment online today.