You cannot fail to have heard about the so-called magical effects of semaglutide! Ozempic and Wegovy are two semaglutide brands regularly mentioned in the media. And both are effective in general. But does Ozempic help with weight loss after your menopause?
That’s the million-dollar question for all of us at “that time of life!” You want to look forward to health and longevity. Yet you’ve probably put on some undesirable weight and would love to lose it sustainably.
Post-menopause years are important and menopause weight loss medication can help you achieve your goals.
To decide if Ozempic helps with weight loss, we need to:
- Look at what happens in the menopause years. In other words, specifically what happens that causes you to accumulate the extra, unwanted layer of fat!
- See exactly how Ozempic might help you as part of a functional nutrition plan overseen by a healthcare professional.
Read on for all the facts, so you can make up your own mind about using Ozempic.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is an FDA-approved medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. It works by stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin, which in turn helps lower blood sugar levels. If you have type 2 diabetes, using Ozempic can help you lose weight and stabilize your blood sugar readings.
However, weekly injections of Ozempic – while not officially approved for weight loss – are also effective for bringing down your weight. Many people have proved its value.
So what does Ozempic do to help with weight loss?
Ozempic contains semaglutide. This is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist – to give it its proper name!
Semaglutide injections
- reduce your appetite,
- slow down the passage of food through your stomach, and
- help you feel full sooner.
This is a helpful medical intervention to consider when thinking about any post-menopausal weight you’ve gained. Semaglutide weight loss is a game-changer.
But it’s also good to understand why this has happened, so you don’t feel guilty about needing some help to lose those pounds and ounces again. So –
Why Does Menopause Bring Weight Gain?
Menopause significantly affects your hormonal levels, metabolic rate, sleep quality, and various physiological processes, resulting in a greater tendency to store fat, particularly in the belly region.
That’s why so many people search on the internet with the phrase “does Ozempic help with weight loss?” You’re not alone. And it isn’t your fault! It’s a fact of life and is more widespread than you may realize.
Here’s why:
1 Hormonal shifts
In the phase leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause, your ovaries gradually reduce and eventually cease the production of estrogen – a key hormone responsible for regulating numerous bodily functions, including how fat is distributed. So, if you notice that fat is accumulating more around your midsection rather than your hips and thighs, it’s likely due to diminished estrogen levels.
2 Reduced metabolic rate
As you get older, your metabolism naturally starts to slow down. This reduction means that your body utilizes fewer calories when at rest, which can contribute to weight gain and make it more difficult to shed those extra pounds.
3 Declining muscle mass
Aging comes with a gradual reduction in muscle mass. Since muscles consume more calories than fat, a decrease in muscle tissue can lower your body’s ability to burn calories, making weight loss more challenging.
4 Sleep issues and stress
You may well have noticed frequent sleep problems and insomnia during your perimenopause years, a period often marked by stress. Unfortunately, stress can lead not only to imbalances in your hormones but also to raised cortisol levels. And the cortisol hormone plays a role in weight gain, especially in your abdominal area.
If you can manage your stress and ensure a good night’s sleep, however, this will help balance your stress-related and appetite-regulating hormones – with or without the help of weight loss drugs like Ozempic.
5 Insulin sensitivity
The hormonal fluctuations that occur during your menopause can result in insulin resistance. This not only elevates your risk for various health issues – due to higher blood sugar than normal – but also encourages fat storage. This makes weight loss an even more daunting task!
Overall, you’re not to blame for having acquired a few extra pounds during menopause. And wondering “Does Ozempic help with weight loss” is a perfectly reasonable question to ask.
Ozempic for Menopause Weight Gain
Does Ozempic help with weight loss post menopause? The answer is a resounding yes!
But the answer comes with a caveat. At Nava Health, we believe that the best way to use Ozempic as a weight loss aid is to make it part of a functional nutrition program.
The reason is that research has shown that if you stop using Ozempic, you quickly regain some of the pounds you lost. That makes it a wonder drug for a short while – but then not much better than a yo-yo diet.
If you want to lose weight until you reach your target healthy weight, and maintain it, you need to adopt other long-term approaches at the same time.
So – does Ozempic help with weight loss post menopause? Yes, Ozempic will kick-start your weight loss. And it will feel easy after the first few days or weeks of getting used to any side effects.
But before you start on the injections, your functional nutritionist will want to analyze your body as a whole.
Why? Because you have a unique biochemistry, an individual history of health and illness, and daily lifestyle habits – all of which play a part in your current weight and how you can start to lose some of it.
This means you need a comprehensive health plan tailored to you and your post-menopausal self.
Ozempic and Menopause: a Way Forward
To make sure you get the best Ozempic help with weight loss, your healthcare provider will want to analyze and discuss with you:
1 Any underlying causes of your weight gain that may not be due to the menopause years.
2 Lifestyle adjustments you can make, such as lowering your stress where possible, getting enough exercise, and eating a healthy diet.
3 Optimizing your gut health – because your gut microbiome affects your hormone production, your immune system, your metabolism, and thus your weight.
4 Possible bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) to assist you in balancing your hormones – because imbalanced hormones not only contribute to disordered eating but work against your weight loss plans.
Functional medicine and functional nutrition are essential if you want Ozempic to help with weight loss post menopause.
Nava Health Can Help You with Ozempic and Weight Loss Via a Functional Medicine Approach
If you’re struggling with weight gain during menopause, Ozempic can help. This weight loss medication shows a pathway to regain health and improvements so you can live a better quality of life. You can start achieving your weight loss goals with Ozempic for menopause weight gain.
We want you to live a longer, healthier life with the right tools, knowledge, and support from Nava Health.
Call us today to discuss having some Ozempic help on your weight loss journey!
A Medical Director, and one of the first physicians to join the Nava Health & Vitality Center, Dr. Douglas Lord has made significant contributions to our Center and its founding principles. Dr. Lord has helped develop and implement the Nava Method™—Nava’s proprietary approach to total body wellness. He has also been instrumental in liaising with other expert practitioners to successfully implement Nava’s range of therapies, treatments, and products.