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Certain medications are currently taking over the weight loss industry, and many of them contain semaglutide. Semaglutide helps people with type II diabetes, and it helps people lose weight. People often use it for one, both, or the other, and it leads to dramatically positive results. People with type II diabetes get to enjoy bodily functions that had once been lost, and people with a lot of excess weight on their bodies can lose a lot of weight fast.
All the potential benefits makes semaglutide a really attractive option, but like every medication with benefits, it can also come with some side effects, and one of those possible side effects is constipation. Constipation is an uncomfortable bowel issue that most people would rather avoid, but you’ll have to weigh out the pros and the cons to determine if semaglutide is right for you despite it. So what is semaglutide’s relationship with constipation and can you do anything about it? We will inform you about all of that and more.
What Is Semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a medication that is used to treat type II diabetes and used for weight loss. It comes in the form of many different brand names, like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, and as a generic label as well. Some of these drugs are used to treat only diabetes, some are used only for weight loss, and some are used for both. What you can be prescribed semaglutide for depends on a few different factors. You have to fit the right criteria to have access to it, and for some people who fit the criteria, the cost can be prohibitive.
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and that is a substance that is made as a replacement for the GLP-1 hormone in the body. GLP-1 is released into the intestines upon eating, and it helps to control blood sugar by prompting the release of insulin. GLP-1 receptor agonists will enter your system and do what the natural GLP-1 in the body isn’t doing. Semaglutide can be taken in milder or higher dosages, and it all depends on the brand and what it is being used for, whether for weight loss, diabetes, or both.
On top of controlling blood sugar levels, semaglutide also reduces the appetite. It reduces the appetite by inducing a feeling of fullness within the stomach. It forces the hormone levels in the body to rise, and when those levels rise, they travel up to the brain to give it the signal of fullness. Another way semaglutide induces feelings of fullness is by slowing down the digestion process. Then when food takes a lot longer to exit your system, you will end up feeling full for a lot longer, causing you to eat a lot less.
Semaglutide’s Side Effects
The side effects of Ozempic can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation. All of these side effects are more likely to occur at the beginning of treatment or every time you take a higher dose, and nausea is the most common. Other side effects can include dizziness, fatigue, and low blood sugar. The most serious potential side effect of using Ozempic is thyroid cancer. Past studies have found that Ozempic caused thyroid cancer in a percentage of the rodents used in their experiments. But while experts make sure to warn about this potential problem, the risk of this happening in humans is low, especially if you don’t have a family history of it.
Ozempic can also cause cosmetic side effects that affect the skin. Because of the rapid weight loss, it can cause you to have loose skin. The skin will sag wherever there was the most fat, and that often includes the face and backside. Another potential side effect is fatigue, and it is also something that often happens in the beginning of treatment. There is an additional potential side effect of Ozempic that is malnutrition. Since Ozempic decreases your appetite, if you don’t stay on top of eating, you can forget about eating and not get enough nutrition over time. You won’t be tempted to eat nearly as much as usual, and it can lead to unwanted effects if you don’t pay attention to your food and nutrient intake.
What Is Constipation?
If constipation is the side effect you are worried the most about, you need to know about how it works and what you can do about it. Constipation is a bowel issue that can cause you to have bowel movements less frequently, and also cause that bowel movement to have problems coming out. It is an uncomfortable condition that can be quite debilitating and can lead to further issues. When you are constipated, you can end up having less than three bowel movements per week, which is not ideal. Constipation can also include having your stool be the wrong texture. Constipation can make stool hard, lumpy, dry, and painful to expel.
Constipation can be caused by several things. It can be caused by a change in diet, medical condition, changes in routine, and medication. It can also be caused by chronic or brief illnesses. It can cause abdominal pain and bloating as well as all the other symptoms, and it can be painful to deal with, but there are potential solutions.
Semaglutide and Constipation?
Semalulitide can cause constipation, but it is not as likely to cause constipation as it is to cause other bowel issues. Bowel related issues are common on Semaglutide but constipation is not one of the most common ones. The most common is nausea, which can affect nearly 50 percent of users, while constipation often affects about 5 percent of users. Other bowel related side effects that are also more likely to happen over constipation are diarrhea, heartburn, and stomach pain. It is a much smaller amount of people affected, but it can still impact you. So if you are suffering through constipation on semaglutide, it can definitely be the culprit.
Studies have shown that Semaglutide can potentially cause constipation in more than just 5 percent of cases, and that is especially the case when you use it for off label reasons. This side effect can also last for a few weeks at a time. It can potentially last for six weeks, or sometimes for more or less time. It can depend on a few factors, including dosages. Some people end up feeling better fast, and for others it can take a really long time. There is a chance that this is something that you can play a part in fixing with the right remedies.
Semaglutide can cause constipation because of how it affects the gut. It slows down how the stomach empties itself and that can cause changes in how your gut processes food. This slowing down of digestion causes people to feel full for longer as well, leading them to eat less, which causes them to have less fiber in their system. Less fiber means bowel movements that are not as easy to pass since it is essential for proper stool consistency. It adds girth to your stool so that it is expelled easier, and when you don’t get enough fiber, stool becomes stiffer and less likely to exit. Another issue that can contribute to constipation is not getting enough fluids. Fluids are also important for proper bowel movements.
How to End Constipation
Constipation is difficult to deal with, but the good news is that you can do something about it. Adjusting things about your life and diet from day to day can bring about the change that you need. Changing your habits can go a long way towards improving your digestive system even if the problem was originally caused by medication. Sometimes medication leads to issues that can be fixed through other means, and the constipation caused by semaglutide is one of them.
The first thing you need to focus on if you want to end constipation is getting enough fluids day to day. To get enough fluids, you need to consistently watch your water intake, and you might have to set up ways to do that. If water intake isn’t something that is consistently on your mind, you will need to put it there. You can set up alarms to remind you to drink water, or make sure to carry a bottle of water with you everywhere you go. There are even water bottles that measure how much you drink throughout the day so you can keep track of your intake.
Another thing you need to do is make sure that you always get enough fiber. You need to add fiber rich foods to your daily diet, and those foods include vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. It is ideal that you get at least two servings of each every day for the best results. When you eat enough fiber, your stools will become the right consistency over time. Your bowel movements will also be more regular, which is necessary when you want to have consistent stools. Going at regular times is really helpful for that.
Something physical that can help your bowel movements is changing your positioning on the toilet seat. You can do this by using a stool or a squatty potty, which is a stool specifically designed to hold your legs up while you use the toilet. If you are having trouble making bowel movements, lifting your legs up can help you out a lot. Any stool can work for this, but you may find that one designed especially for this works even better.
And sometimes when you want some extra help, a supplement could be your best option. The right supplement can help your system run smoothly again, and all it would take is taking a pill a day. Dr. Emil has supplements that are made to help with gut health. They are natural supplements that come with very little side effects if any, so can easily be taken alongside your semaglutide. These supplements can help make you feel better after days or weeks of suffering, and they won’t take any additional toll on your body.
Dr. Emil’s Multi Collagen Plus has a number of gut benefits that make it worth taking to aid your constipation. It contains five different types of collagen that help the gut in many kinds of ways, and that includes problems with constipation. This supplement comes in a container of fast dissolving capsules that support healthy joints, bones, and digestion, and it will help every function in your body run more smoothly.
This supplement is made with premium grass fed beef, high dose capsules, and a fast absorbing formula. Results can come on quickly and lead to a more positive bathroom experience in the future. That is this supplement’s goal and you will know just what it can do when you try it.
Semaglutide is a drug that comes with a lot of benefits and can also come with some downsides. And when those downsides include constipation, it can cause you a whole lot of uncomfortable problems. Though with just a few tweaks to your day, you can change things for the better and avoid the dreaded constipation you can experience on this medication.
