Menopausal Women May Benefit From Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic, Wegovy.
Could GLP-1 drugs, like Wegovy and Ozempic (both with the active ingredient semaglutide), benefit menopausal women?
Ozempic is commonly prescribed for people with type 2 diabetes, but, under the name Wegovy, it may also be used to help people lose weight.
A 2022 study found that in overweight and obese patients, the semaglutide treatment resulted in 5.9% of body weight lost after three months and 10.9% after 6 months.
One of the most popular demographics for semaglutide is menopausal women.
Women going through menopause tend to gain weight due to hormonal changes that occur during this stage of life. On average, women gain about one pound per year during menopause, and about 20% of women gain 10 or more pounds over this timeframe.
So, could GLP-1s provide some benefit to women entering this life stage of change?
Here’s how drugs like Wegovy may impact women going through menopause, how long this demographic should stay on semaglutide treatment, and how to decide whether or not going on Wegovy is right for you.
Wegovy May Help Curb Hormonally-Driven Insulin Resistance
Many women put on weight during menopause due to hormonal changes.
“Menopause is a unique time in women’s lives when there is a time of fat migration (adipose) to the midsection,” Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, associate professor of medicine and pediatrics, and obesity medicine physician-scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital told Health.
“This can be very frustrating as one goes through these hormonal changes associated with a decline in estrogen,” she said.
As circulating estrogen levels drop during menopause, insulin resistance can develop, explained Caroline Messer, MD, an endocrinologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital.
And with possible insulin resistance, more dramatic hormonal shifts may make losing weight abnormally challenging for peri and post-menopausal, Lakshmi Priyanka Mahali, MD, an endocrinologist at Yale New Haven Health’s Northeast Medical Group, told Health.
But, weight gain may not be the only change women experience during this time.
“Menopausal women are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases,” Priyanka Mahali said. “Some studies show that excess weight in menopausal women is associated with low self-esteem and increased hot flashes.”
GLP-1 drugs may provide some relief for a variety of aspects of menopause.
Ozempic, for example, could help menopausal women lose weight and reduce the risk of developing diabetes, and cardiac disease. Weight loss can be one of the effective treatments for vasomotor symptoms, including symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, which are common for women going through menopause.
“Medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro help restore insulin sensitivity, allowing for weight loss and reduction in cardiovascular risk factors,” Messer explained.
It’s also important to note that every woman going through menopause does not need to take Ozempic.
“There appears to be a genetic link to weight gain and insulin resistance during menopause,” Messer said. “Many women can maintain healthy body weights and blood sugars despite the onset of menopause.”
Wegovy Is Rarely a Short-Term Treatment
Something to consider when starting Wegovy is whether or not you’ll need to remain on the drug to maintain its positive side effects.
The same question applies to women in menopause who are using a GLP-1—can they stop taking the drug once they’re done with menopause?
“For patients with type 2 diabetes who use Ozempic or patients with overweight and obesity who use Wegovy that benefit from weight loss and metabolic health improvement, they will likely need to continue the medications long term to retain the benefit,” Stanford said.
She explained that these medications act on the brain pathways to regulate weight, so once you stop taking them, the benefit also stops.
“Ozempic is a long-term medication and not a fad ‘weight loss injection.’ The same applies to menopausal women,” Priyanka Mahali said. “There is a risk of weight regain after stopping Ozempic.”
But, not every woman who starts taking a GLP-1 drug during menopause will need to continue it after they’ve exited menopause.
“[Some] women will be able to maintain the weight loss off treatment once their hot flashes, insomnia, and mood changes resolve,” Messer said.
Deciding If Wegovy Is Right For You
While there are a variety of health benefits associated with GLP-1 drugs, certain things should be discussed with a healthcare provider before beginning the medication.
Medical history, including pregnancy-related history (like gestational diabetes) and challenges or obstacles faced during weight loss, should be discussed, Priyanka Mahali explained.
There’s also not just one drug option—semaglutide may be the most commonly known medication for diabetes and weight loss, but others exist and may provide better options depending on the circumstance.
For instance, Mounjaro (tizeptide) has been shown to cause a higher percentage of weight loss compared to semaglutide, Priyanka Mahali explained.
Details like which drug is best can, and should, be discussed with a trusted healthcare provider.
But overall, GLP-1 drugs may be an appropriate choice for women experiencing menopause.
“Given all of the secondary benefits of these medications (including decreased clotting and inflammation, lower cardiovascular risk, and improvement in blood pressure, cholesterol, liver enzymes, and sleep apnea),” Messer said, “we should have a low threshold to consider these medications during menopause.”
Conclusion:
Semaglutide's potential role in weight management for menopausal and perimenopausal women adds a new dimension to its already impressive list of applications. As research in this area continues to progress, it holds the promise of improving the quality of life for women experiencing the challenges of hormonal changes during these life stages.
However, as with any medication, the demand for semaglutide may lead to supply challenges. Compounding pharmacies serve as a valuable resource in addressing these challenges and ensuring that women have access to personalized, effective, and safe semaglutide formulations tailored to their unique needs.
Semaglutide's journey from a diabetes management medication to a potential solution for weight management during menopause showcases the versatility of modern pharmaceutical research and the importance of personalized medicine in addressing the diverse health needs of individuals at different stages of life.
New Areas of Research with Semaglutide
Semaglutide's versatile nature extends its influence far beyond its initial purpose in diabetes management. Researchers are continuously exploring novel applications of this medication in various health domains. Some of the exciting frontiers of semaglutide research include its potential role in alcoholism and cardiovascular health.
Alcoholism: Emerging studies are investigating whether semaglutide's impact on appetite regulation and reward pathways in the brain could extend to mitigating alcohol cravings and dependence. While this research is in its infancy, the notion that semaglutide may help address the complex issue of alcoholism is intriguing and underscores the medication's multifaceted potential.
Cardiovascular Health: Semaglutide has already demonstrated significant cardiovascular benefits in diabetes management. Ongoing research is delving deeper into its mechanisms of action and exploring whether it can be used as a standalone therapy or in combination with other medications to improve heart health in individuals with or without diabetes. This research is particularly relevant given the rising global prevalence of cardiovascular diseases
Weight Maintenance and Obesity: Beyond initial weight loss, researchers are keen to understand how semaglutide can help individuals maintain a healthy weight over the long term. This includes studying the medication's role in curbing weight regain and its effects on body composition, metabolism, and obesity-related co-morbidities.
Neurodegenerative Diseases: Some early-stage research suggests that semaglutide may have neuroprotective properties. Investigations are underway to determine whether it could be a potential treatment or preventive measure for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Gastrointestinal Disorders: Semaglutide's effects on gastric emptying and gut motility have sparked interest in its application for gastrointestinal disorders. Researchers are exploring its potential in conditions such as gastroparesis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Cancer: Preclinical studies have hinted at semaglutide's potential in inhibiting the growth of certain cancer cells. Ongoing research aims to elucidate its role in cancer prevention and treatment.
As semaglutide continues to demonstrate its versatility and therapeutic potential, it exemplifies the dynamic nature of pharmaceutical research and the promise of personalized medicine. The exploration of these new frontiers underscores the importance of vigilance, ethics, and rigorous clinical trials in harnessing the full spectrum of benefits that semaglutide may offer to individuals across a wide range of health conditions.
If you are a perimenopausal or menopausal woman in South Carolina, you can schedule an appointment today at Menopause Solutions to learn whether semaglutide would be as effective aid for you in your health journey.
Who Should Not Take Wegovy?
Stanford and Messer agree that certain groups of people should steer clear of GLP-1 drugs, including:
People with thyroid cancer
People who are pregnant
People with a history of pancreatitis
People with symptoms of gallstones
People with active eating disorders
Commentaires