37.3 million people in America have diabetes, which means about 1 in 10 people have the condition. 1 in 5 people live with diabetes and are unaware of the disease. Diabetes is a long-lasting condition that affects how your body uses food to produce energy. A person with diabetes doesn’t have enough insulin, the hormone in the pancreas that regulates glucose in the blood. Or a person with diabetes may produce enough insulin, but their body isn’t sensitive enough to it, resulting in unbalanced blood sugar.

In 1994, the CDC declared diabetes a significant public health problem. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, making the development of new obesity drugs promising for those with diabetes directly related to the extra weight they find hard to lose.

Obesity Drugs

Doctors prescribe new anti-obesity medications to treat obesity as a chronic metabolic disease instead of treating it as a problem that, with willpower, people can overcome. Weight loss medications are not new; however, a new generation of hormone-based obesity drugs is proving to work effectively.

A new drug on the market, semaglutide, is making news for decreasing the risk of type 2 diabetes by 60%. Recently approved in the US to treat obesity, Dr. W. Timothy Garvey from the University of Alabama Birmingham, Department of Nutrition Sciences states:

“Semaglutide appears to be the most effective medication to date for treating obesity and is beginning to close the gap with the amount of weight loss following bariatric surgery.”

Type 2 Diabetes

Obesity is known to increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes significantly. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces insufficient insulin levels. The proper amount of insulin is needed to help the body create energy from food by regulating the movement of sugar into the cells. With type 2 diabetes, a person’s cells do not respond appropriately to insulin, resulting in slower sugar metabolism and excretion.

Currently, there is no drug-based cure for type 2 diabetes. People with the disease can manage it by losing weight, eating well, and exercising. The dangers of not addressing the disease include complications such as nerve damage in the limbs, kidney disease, eye damage, and skin conditions. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can lead to severe, life-threatening conditions such as an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, a high risk of depression, and kidney failure. There are many medical complications and symptoms associated with diabetes that, at the very least, disrupt a person’s daily life and, at worst, can be life-threatening.

R2 Medical

At R2 Medical, we are serious about helping patients with diabetes. Our Optimal Wellness Paradigm has helped many people reach their weight loss and health goals. If you are suffering from diabetes and want to overcome the symptoms contact us today! Our expertly trained healthcare professionals are ready to help you on your health optimization journey.