Medical Weight Loss

Today it is estimated that over 42% of American adults have obesity and 30.7% are overweight … this is more than 2/3 of adults in the United States! Of these Americans 49.1% try to lose weight each year spending more than $40 billion annually with the weight loss industry valued at $160 billion. One of the most common complaints from patients at HRT-MD is that no matter what they do they cant lose weight. At HRT-MD we use a comprehensive integrative approach to weight loss with an emphasis on hormone balance and metabolic optimization.

As we age our hormones change radically from birth all the way through to our most advanced years of life. For women Menopause may happen abruptly but it can also occur slowly over time during the Peri-Menopausal period. For men Andropause (or the decline of testosterone) occurs much more slowly starting in the early 30s with a man’s testosterone level falling by more than 50% by the time he is in his 50s. These associated hormonal changes affect metabolic rate and hence the body’s ability to burn fat. Also your body may develop insulin resistance with increased blood glucose levels being stored as fat. People with obesity are more likely to have heart disease and strokes, high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels, diabetes, sleep apnea, many forms of cancer, mental illness such as depression, and an increased “all-causes of death” mortality rate. The list is seemingly endless.

HRT-MD has been extremely successful with weight loss because we target the root causes behind the obesity epidemic. We identify and correct hormonal imbalances which increases your metabolism and your body’s ability to burn excess calories. We educate patients on healthy life style choices and offer customized fitness programs that are supervised by board certified physical therapists and professional bodybuilders. We offer advanced laboratory testing to identify nutritional deficiencies and to create a customized nutraceutical plan for our patients. Finally we offer GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Semaglutide to reduce insulin resistance and reduce hunger along with Lipotropic injections of vitamin B12, and other B vitamins and amino acids to boost energy, catalyze fat metabolism and protect lean mass during the weight loss process.

What is Semaglutide?

Semaglutide belongs to a class of medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1 RAs. This means it acts like the GLP-1 hormone which is produced in the gut when you eat. GLP-1 stimulates our bodies to make more insulin to reduce blood sugar (glucose). Semaglutide also reduces Ghrelin, a hormone produced in the stomach - this “hunger hormone” is what makes you hungry and want to eat. Gastric motility is also reduced meaning you get full faster and physically cant eat as much as you normally would.

The Proof?

In March 2021 the New England Journal of Medicine published a study of 1,961obese adults who were given a diet, exercise and lifestyle modification program. Half were given Semaglutide and the other half a placebo. After 68 weeks, half of the semaglutide group lost 15% of their body weight, and a third lost 20%. Non-semaglutide members only lost 2.4% of their body weight.

What Is “Compounded” Semaglutide?

Compounded medications are prepared by a licensed pharmacist to provide a solution to each patient’s unique needs. At HRT-MD, in addition to semaglutide we prescribe a special compounded lipotropic injection of amino acids, B12 and other B vitamins designed to increase energy, help the metabolism of fat and protect lean mass during the weight loss process. Our semaglutide is not semaglutide sodium (the salt form of semaglutide) and is compounded only at the largest, most-respected compounding pharmacies in the United States.

What Are Common Side Effects and Contraindications?

Some patients will experience minor side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and constipation which is managed by our HRT-MD healthcare providers by adjusting the dose, modifying dietary habits and by using supplements such as vitamin B6 and magnesium. Some symptoms may require a temporary prescription antiemetic.

More severe (but much less common) side effects include acute pancreatitis, acute gallbladder disease, dehydration and hypoglycemia. Semaglutide is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), or in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN-2), and in patients with a prior serious hypersensitivity reaction to semaglutide.

Weight Loss and HRT-MD

As we age our hormones change radically from birth all the way through to our most advanced years of life. Most of these changes are expected and considered “normal” or “natural” by traditional doctors. We are living longer than ever so people are no longer willing to accept the adage from doctors of years past: “I’m sorry but you’re just getting old”. People are looking for solutions and they want to maintain a healthy quality of life for decades after they have otherwise been written off by traditional medical dogma. At HRT-MD, our clinicians in Myrtle Beach and Little River, SC will assess your individual needs and create a treatment plan that includes bio-identical hormone therapy, semaglutide (and other GLP-1 RAs), nutraceuticals, and life style changes for patients from Myrtle Beach, Horry County, Brunswick County and throughout South and North Carolina. Our mission is to create the best version of YOU to promote health and wellness while curtailing chronic disease and improving quality of life. This is the role HRT-MD. We invite you to join us as we help you enjoy what should be the best years of your life.