Weight-loss medications, also known as anti-obesity drugs, aim to help individuals reduce body weight by suppressing appetite, modifying metabolism, or blocking fat absorption. These drugs have become crucial in addressing the global obesity epidemic, which is closely linked to chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. The development of weight-loss medications such as semaglutide increase the level of hormones that are naturally produced in the stomach while you eat. They help your body to produce more insulin and slow down how quickly food is digested.
Leading pharmaceutical companies such as Novo Nordisk have been instrumental in developing these medications. Indeed, at one point, the Danish company become the most valuable in the world (2024) based on market capitalisation ($427 billion). The market’s enthusiastic response underscores the growing demand for effective weight-loss treatments and this type of medication is likely to expand in the future, especially if it becomes possible to take the medication orally instead of via an injection, which is how it is administered at present.
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