Metabolic Enhancement FAQs

What is Semaglutide®?

(semaglutide) injection is an injectable prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity:

• to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
• that may help adults and children aged 12 years and older with obesity, or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems, to help them lose excess body weight and keep the weight off.

semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.

It is not known if semaglutide is safe and effective for use in children under 12 years of age.

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about semaglutide®?

semaglutide may cause serious side effects, including:

• Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, semaglutide and medicines that work like semaglutide caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if semaglutide will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people
• Do not use semaglutide if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)

Do not use semaglutide if:

• you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
• you have had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or any of the ingredients.

Before using semaglutide, tell your healthcare provider if you have any other medical conditions, including if you:

• have or have had problems with your pancreas or kidneys
• have type 2 diabetes and a history of diabetic retinopathy
• have or have had depression, suicidal thoughts, or mental health issues
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. semaglutide may harm your unborn baby. You should stop using semaglutide 2 months before you plan to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if semaglutide passes into your breast milk

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. semaglutide may affect the way some medicines work and some medicines may affect the way semaglutide works. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking other medicines to treat diabetes, including sulfonylureas or insulin. semaglutide slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly.

What are the possible side effects of semaglutide?

semaglutide may cause serious side effects, including:

• inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using semaglutide and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without vomiting. You may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back
• gallbladder problems. semaglutide may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Some gallstones may need surgery. Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms, such as pain in your upper stomach (abdomen), fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or clay-colored stools
• increased risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), especially those who also take medicines for diabetes such as insulin or sulfonylureas. This can be a serious side effect. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before you start and while you take semaglutide. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include dizziness or light-headedness, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability or mood changes, sweating, slurred speech, hunger, confusion or drowsiness, shakiness, weakness, headache, fast heartbeat, or feeling jittery 
• kidney problems (kidney failure). In people who have kidney problems, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration), which may cause kidney problems to get worse. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration 
• serious allergic reactions. Stop using semaglutide and get medical help right away, if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat; problems breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting or feeling dizzy; or very rapid heartbeat
• change in vision in people with type 2 diabetes. Tell your healthcare provider if you have changes in vision during treatment with Semaglutide
• increased heart rate. semaglutide can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel your heart racing or pounding in your chest and it lasts for several minutes
• depression or thoughts of suicide. You should pay attention to any mental changes, especially sudden changes in your mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any mental changes that are new, worse, or worry you

The most common side effects of semaglutide may include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach (abdomen) pain, headache, tiredness (fatigue), upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and runny nose or sore throat.

semaglutide  is a prescription medication.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

This site is intended for US patients only.

What is Tirzepatide?

tirzepatide is an injectable prescription medicine that is used along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar (glucose) in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

It is not known if tirzepatide can be used in people who have had pancreatitis. tirzepatide is not for use in people with type 1 diabetes. It is not known if tirzepatide is safe and effective for use in children under 18 years of age.

Select Safety Information

tirzepatide can cause serious side effects, including:
Inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using tirzepatide and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without vomiting. You may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Your risk for getting low blood sugar may be higher if you use Mounjaro with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include dizziness or light-headedness, sweating, confusion or drowsiness, headache, blurred vision, slurred speech, shakiness, fast heartbeat, anxiety, irritability, or mood changes, hunger, weakness, and feeling jittery.

How tirzepatide works

tirzepatide is an injectable prescription medicine that is used along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar (glucose) in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

It is not known if tirzepatide can be used in people who have had pancreatitis. tirzepatide is not for use in people with type 1 diabetes. It is not known if tirzepatide is safe and effective for use in children under 18 years of age.

tirzepatide helps your body both regulate blood sugar and decrease how much food you eat. It may start working to lower blood sugar from the first dose

The 2.5 mg starting dose is not meant for blood sugar control.

tirzepatide works in multiple ways. It helps:

THE BODY RELEASE INSULIN WHEN BLOOD SUGAR IS HIGH

THE BODY REMOVE EXCESS SUGAR FROM THE BLOOD

STOP THE LIVER FROM MAKING AND RELEASING TOO MUCH SUGAR

REDUCE HOW MUCH FOOD IS EATEN

SLOW DOWN HOW QUICKLY FOOD LEAVES THE STOMACH. THIS LESSENS OVER TIME

Managing possible side effects

Talk to your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.

Everyone can have a different experience, but here are the most common side effects experienced by patients taking tirzepatide:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Decreased appetite
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Indigestion
• Stomach Pain

In studies, most nausea, vomiting and diarrhea events occurred while the dose of tirzepatide was being increased. These events decreased over time.

In studies, GI side effects were more common in people taking tirzepatide than people taking placebo, and people taking tirzepatide were more likely to stop treatment because of these side effects.

Select Safety Information

Kidney problems (kidney failure). In people who have kidney problems, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration), which may cause kidney problems to get worse. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration.

Severe stomach problems. Stomach problems, sometimes severe, have been reported with tirzepatide. Tell your health care provider if you have stomach problems that are severe or will not go away.

If you experience nausea, talk to your doctor. In the meantime, some people find the following tips may help:

Eat smaller meals–try splitting your 3 daily meals into 4 or more smaller ones

stop eating when your full

avoid fat or fatty foods
Try eating bland foods like toast, crackers, or rice

Select Safety Information

Serious allergic reactions. Stop using tirzepatide and get medical help right away if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including:
swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat, problems breathing or swallowing, severe rash or itching, fainting or feeling dizzy, and very rapid heartbeat.