Natural GLP-1 Weight Loss Guide

How do GLP-1s Work?

GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1. While they’ve been all the rage in the media lately, they’ve actually been around for a long time. In fact, they were discovered in 1986 - almost 40 years ago.

Since the discovery of GLP-1, they’ve been primarily used to treat Type 2 Diabetes by helping with blood sugar management and overall metabolic health. However, as doctors used these medications for their patients with diabetes, some of the beneficial side effects made them wonder about using these medications to help people lose weight.

While GLP-1 is found in medications, it is also a naturally occurring hormone produced by the body. The medical-grade GLP-1 is formulated to resist breakdown by the body, which is one reason it works so effectively.

Your body makes GLP-1 to help with weight management by: 

• Slowing digestion: Specifically, it slows down how fast food moves from your stomach into your small intestine.
• Regulating appetite: Because GLP-1 slows down your stomach emptying, you feel fuller longer. This means you naturally eat less and don’t feel deprived.
• Improving insulin function: GLP-1 medications increase the release of insulin, which helps move glucose from the bloodstream into cells, resulting in improved blood sugar regulation. GLP-1s also improve insulin sensitivity.
• Inhibiting glucagon release:  Glucagon is a hormone that increases the amount of sugar and lipids in the bloodstream. GLP-1 medications keep your body from releasing glucagon. In addition to improving insulin function, this means that GLP-1 makes it easier for your body to burn fat efficiently while managing blood sugar levels.

When taking pharmaceutical-grade GLP-1 medications, a weekly injection is made into the fatty tissue of the body. The injections are usually done in the belly, thighs, arms, or upper buttocks.

While giving an injection may seem scary at first, with practice, it becomes easier and a part of your weekly routine. The injections also aren’t painful. Many people describe them as no worse than a mosquito bite.

Now that you understand how GLP-1 medications work, you may be interested in learning how they aid in weight management.

How Do GLP-1 Medications Help With Weight Loss?

Before GLP-1 medications were commonly used for weight loss, most people had never heard of them. Maybe they’d seen an ad on TV for Ozempic, but that was an ad for diabetes. Now, it seems like ads for GLP-1 medications are everywhere you look.

The reason for the meteoric rise in GLP-1 awareness is that it has been shown in clinical research studies to help people lose weight, manage their blood sugar, and maintain a healthy weight. The FDA has approved these medications for weight loss, and some insurance plans cover their use for this purpose. By the way, the GLP-1 medications used for weight loss are the same medications used to treat diabetes, just at higher doses.

The key to the weight loss seen in those who use GLP-1 medications is in the delayed stomach emptying, which keeps you feeling fuller longer. This helps you regulate your appetite. When your stomach is full, it and the medications send messages to the brain saying “I’m full,” which means you eat less.

The weight loss seen in those using GLP-1 medications is compelling. Some clinical studies have shown that people using GLP-1s lose an average of 10% to 15% of their body weight over the course of a year. Some people may lose over 20% of their weight using GLP-1s.

Losing 5 to 10% of one's body weight can improve blood sugar control, insulin sensitivity, and blood pressure. It may even decrease the risk of conditions such as fatty liver disease and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).  This is why some insurance plans cover GLP-1 medications for those diagnosed with OSA.

While all of this may sound attractive, it is also important to understand whether GLP-1s are the best and safest choice for you to use.

Are GLP-1s Safe?

GLP-1 medications are considered safe when prescribed by a healthcare provider and with ongoing monitoring. These medications have been studied for almost 40 years!

Just like with any other medication, there are potential side effects to be aware of. These include:

• GI issues, including nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea
• Fatigue or dizziness (especially as your body adjusts to being on the medications and eating less)
• Muscle loss (if food intake is low, especially protein)

Those using these medications find that many of the side effects go away after becoming used to them.

Maximizing GLP-1 Producing Medications and Supplements 

While it may seem like GLP-1 medications and supplements are the magic bullet for weight management and improving metabolic health, combining them with healthy habits can help you achieve the best long-term results and maximize the benefits of GLP-1 medications. These habits include:

• Eating balanced meals: Ensuring you’re eating protein at every meal will help minimize muscle loss. Adding vegetables and fruits rounds out a balanced diet.
• Keeping things moving:  Including plenty of fiber in your diet will help with constipation (a common side effect of these medications). The recommended intake is 25 grams per day for women and 35 grams per day for men. Fiber can also help regulate appetite and improve cholesterol levels. One simple way to increase your fiber intake is to ensure half of the grains you eat are whole grains.
• Maintain a healthy gut environment: Your fiber intake helps keep your gut bacteria, also called your microbiome, healthy. If you want to take it a step further, developing eating habits that include fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurts with live cultures can all help populate your microbiome with beneficial bacteria.
• Including healthy fats: Including healthy fats, fatty fish like salmon and tuna twice a week, will help you get protein and fats that help reduce inflammation and may help with blood sugar management.
• Moving your body: Finding an activity you enjoy and can incorporate into your daily routine will help you stay energized and maintain your muscle tone. Moving doesn’t mean an hour-long sweat-fest in the gym. Going for a walk, practicing yoga, a HIIT workout, or strength training all provide the benefits your body needs.
• Working with a dietitian: Many people taking GLP-1 medications believe that eating a lot less is a good thing. But that isn't necessarily the case. That's why working with a registered dietitian (RD) is critical for your success. An RD will work with you on dietary changes, including ensuring you're eating enough of the right foods to help you stay healthy while losing weight.

Some people don't want to take medications, including GLP-1 medications, and are looking for alternatives. They don't want injections or trips to see a healthcare professional, and they're looking for a more affordable option. That's where GLP-1-stimulating supplements come in.

Where Can You Get GLP-1-producing Supplements?

The ROOT Brands Sculpt product contains ingredients that help stimulate the body's production of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1. Sculpt may also improve blood sugar balance, enhance insulin sensitivity and metabolic health, and reduce the body’s ability to digest and absorb carbohydrates, thereby limiting glucose production. 

More than one active compound in Sculpt has been used in complementary and integrative health for years. All of the ingredients are plant-based compounds that work together to help support weight management. It's how ROOT Brands creates all of its dietary supplements—combining natural alternatives that work synergistically together to achieve results.

If you’ve been interested in trying GLP-1 medications but want a natural alternative, Sculpt may be just what you’ve been looking for