As glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists develop into extra common for weight reduction, you could acknowledge names like Trulicity.
Learn on to study Trulicity’s advantages, dangers, and whether or not it is likely to be the proper weight-loss technique for you.
What’s Trulicity?
Trulicity (dulaglutide) is a brand-name treatment used to deal with sort 2 diabetes. Accredited by the FDA in 2014, it helps handle blood sugar ranges, usually alongside insulin remedy.
This medication, a once-weekly injection belonging to the GLP-1 agonist class, helps handle blood glucose (sugar) in sort 2 diabetes and reduces the chance of coronary heart issues in folks with sort 2 and coronary heart illness or danger components for coronary heart illness.
More and more, it’s also being prescribed for weight reduction, although it isn’t FDA-approved for this objective.
It really works by:
- Serving to the pancreas make extra insulin
- Stopping after-meal blood sugar spikes by inhibiting glucagon manufacturing from the liver
- Slowing digestion, which may result in feeling fuller for longer
Related medication embrace Ozempic (semaglutide), Mounjaro (tirzepatide), and Victoza (liraglutide), that are additionally famous for his or her weight reduction advantages.
Learn extra in: Every little thing You Must Know About Trulicity and Trulicity vs. Ozempic: Which Treatment Is Proper for You?
Can Trulicity enable you shed pounds?
Technically, sure. GLP-1 agonists like Wegovy (semaglutide) are authorised particularly for weight reduction. Whereas Trulicity is just not FDA-approved for this objective, many individuals taking it for diabetes administration do expertise weight reduction.
In randomized managed trials (RCTs), the treatment helped the common individual lose round 6.6 kilos over 6 months.
One other research confirmed that dulaglutide, the energetic ingredient in Trulicity, led to decrease blood sugar ranges, decrease A1c ranges, and weight reduction in comparison with a placebo (inactive therapy).
It’s handiest when mixed with a nutritious diet, elevated bodily exercise, and as a complement to prescribed diabetes medicines.
Since it isn’t FDA-approved for weight reduction, there isn’t a beneficial dose for this objective. Nonetheless, research point out that weight reduction is dose-dependent — that’s, the upper the dose, the extra weight reduction folks skilled sustainably.
Learn extra in: Trulicity Dosing: How A lot Ought to You Take?
How rapidly can I shed pounds on Trulicity?
Trulicity is just not beneficial for fast weight reduction.
Sustainable weight reduction happens step by step over a number of months. The treatment works by suppressing urge for food and bettering insulin sensitivity, resulting in gradual weight reduction.
For the perfect outcomes, mix Trulicity with a nutritious diet and elevated train.
How a lot weight are you able to lose with Trulicity?
Analysis reveals that it helps folks lose a mean of 6.6 kilos, with this weight reduction sustained for over 6 months.
The treatment’s results are dose-dependent: at 1 mg, customers usually lose about 6.6 kilos; at 3.0 mg, they lose round 8.4 kilos; and on the most dose of 4.5 mg, they lose roughly 10.1 kilos.
Nonetheless, most weight reduction is normally regained after stopping the treatment.
What are the unwanted side effects of Trulicity?
Trulicity could trigger adversarial unwanted side effects, particularly once you first begin taking the treatment. These could embrace:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Decreased urge for food
- Abdomen ache and bloating
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Redness and swelling on the injection web site
- Low blood sugar (particularly if on insulin)
Uncommon however severe unwanted side effects embrace:
- Acute pancreatitis
- Extreme allergic response
- Impaired kidney operate
- Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)
Keep away from this medication if in case you have a private or household historical past of MTC or a number of endocrine neoplasia. The FDA has issued a black field warning about its elevated danger of thyroid most cancers.
Learn extra in: Trulicity Aspect Results: What You Must Know.
Who shouldn’t take Trulicity?
Don’t take this treatment and not using a prescription.
Keep away from it if you’re at a upkeep weight or are underweight.
Don’t use it for weight reduction if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to develop into pregnant.
Trulicity could trigger severe (however uncommon) unwanted side effects, together with thyroid C-cell tumors and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).
If you’re on insulin, remember that Trulicity could enhance the chance of low blood sugar. Think about using a steady glucose monitor (CGM) if you happen to cope with frequent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), particularly hypoglycemia unawareness.
Can Trulicity change insulin?
No, this drug is just not an insulin substitute. It really works in another way and doesn’t rapidly decrease blood sugar like insulin. Should you’ve just lately been prescribed Trulicity, don’t cease taking your different diabetes medicines except directed by your healthcare supplier.
The treatment lowers blood sugar ranges over time, however you’ll nonetheless must take insulin if you happen to usually do. Whereas Trulicity could step by step cut back your insulin wants, it hardly ever eliminates the necessity for insulin completely.
Should you expertise frequent low blood sugars whereas taking this medication, it possible means your insulin sensitivity has elevated, and also you’ll must lower your insulin dose. Speak to your physician about adjusting your medicines to keep away from hypoglycemic occasions.
Can I take Trulicity if I don’t have diabetes?
It’s best to by no means take any treatment that hasn’t been prescribed to you.
Trulicity is just FDA-approved for treating sort 2 diabetes, however it’s more and more prescribed “off-label” (in a way not formally authorised by the FDA) for weight reduction in folks with continual insulin resistance, sort 1 diabetes, prediabetes, or those that are chubby or overweight.
Should you shouldn’t have diabetes, remember that this treatment could cause adversarial unwanted side effects, together with low blood sugar and low blood stress, each of which will be harmful if not handled appropriately.
For weight reduction, ask your physician about FDA-approved medicines that could be a more sensible choice.
Is Trulicity best for you? Ask your physician
No healthcare answer is one-size-fits-all. Converse together with your healthcare supplier to find out if a Trulicity prescription is the proper weight-loss technique for you.
Be taught extra in Every little thing You Must Know About Trulicity. Did you discover this text useful? Click on Sure or No beneath to tell us!
