Semaglutides, GLPs, GIPs, glucagon and various combinations (GLPs) of them are thought to primarily suppress appetite potentially along 4 different dimensions. It is also suspected that they might create some increased fat burning (fat mobilization and fat oxidation). To this point in time, it is unclear if any increased fat mobilization or oxidation is happening at all or if it is attributable to the GLPs . In any case, that potential fat mobilization and oxidation is so minimal it can be disregarded.
- In a nutshell, the GLPs appear to be effective at helping to maintain the behavioral modifications required to maintain a caloric deficit. That is, your appetite is suppressed so you are not as motivated to eat as you normally would be.
- Any additional benefits from GLP use look most likely to be knock-on effects from reduced body weight that can happen through various other means with or without the GLP compounds.
The reported side effects might include nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea. The outlier side effects are severe and include blindness, gastroparesis (food stops moving through the gut) and suicidal ideation. Those severe outliers are barely statistically relevant and it is difficult to say what is truly going on there and how attributable it is to the GLP use. Maybe that is a risk some people are willing to take.
It is critical to know that even with or especially with a GLP program, you still need sufficient calories and nutrients to avoid muscle atrophy (muscle loss) and to maintain healthy body functions. Depending upon the diet you are on as a result of your appetite suppression, you may be starving yourself of the vital nutrients to be healthy. (Do you want to become “skinny fat” or worse?) If you go down the GLP path, combine it with a diet and supplement program to feed the body correctly to maintain good health.
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