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Research · GLP-1 Medications
FDA Approved, Ozempic & Wegovy
FDA approval applies to the branded versions only. Compounded semaglutide has a limited, specific allowance under FDA rules. Gray market semaglutide is never FDA approved.

Semaglutide, Where It All Started

The drug behind Ozempic and Wegovy, and the one that started a revolution in weight loss medicine.

🍐 Pear It Down ,

Semaglutide is a synthetic version of GLP-1, a hormone your gut naturally releases after eating. It slows digestion, reduces appetite, and helps regulate blood sugar. FDA-approved as Ozempic (diabetes) and Wegovy (weight management). STEP 1 trial: average 14.9% body weight loss over 68 weeks.

Not medical advice. Educational content only, not medical advice. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting any medication.
What It Is

A GLP-1 Receptor Agonist

Semaglutide is a synthetic version of GLP-1, a hormone your gut naturally releases after eating to signal your brain that you're full. By mimicking that hormone, semaglutide slows digestion, reduces appetite, and helps regulate blood sugar. First approved for type 2 diabetes (Ozempic), later approved at a higher dose for chronic weight management (Wegovy).

It targets one receptor pathway. That single pathway was enough to produce weight loss results that, at the time of approval, were unprecedented outside of bariatric surgery.

14.9%Avg. body weight lossSTEP 1 Trial
68Weeks of treatmentSTEP 1 Trial
86%Achieved 5%+ weight lossSTEP 1 Trial
Cliff's Note

Cheryl and I both started on semaglutide in late 2022. She took Ozempic, I took Wegovy. Over about 18 months, we each lost roughly 100 pounds. I hit 282.6, a weight I hadn't seen in 25 years. Then our insurance stopped covering it. What had been a $25 copay became over $1,300 a month. We went without for a year and watched the progress reverse. That experience is part of why BritePear exists. Nobody should have to navigate that alone.

Sources & Citations

  1. Wilding JPH, et al. (2021). Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med, 384, 989–1002.