The Science Behind Compounded Semaglutide: How Does It Work?

The Science Behind Compounded Semaglutide: How Does It Work?

Table of Contents


I. Understanding Compounded Semaglutide

II. How Is Compounded Semaglutide Made?

III. Efficacy, Clinical Outcomes, Safety, and Side Effects

IV. Wrapping Up


Semaglutide is a medication originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes by mimicking the function of the hormone GLP-1, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. Since then, semaglutide has also been found to aid in weight loss, making it a popular choice for managing obesity. This has created a massive surge in its use and demand.

In turn, compounded semaglutide—or semaglutide combined with other ingredients—has become an important solution for enhancing personalization and accessibility. Understanding the science behind compounded semaglutide is crucial for healthcare providers and patients for informed decision-making regarding its use, safety, and effectiveness.

By understanding how semaglutide works, the process of compounding it, and regulatory considerations, individuals can better appreciate its potential benefits and limitations in managing their health.

Quick Takeaways:

  • Semaglutide is popular and effective for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity.
  • Compounded semaglutide is customized by pharmacies to meet individual patient needs, often including ingredients like vitamin B-12 to enhance effectiveness and reduce side effects.
  • Compounding semaglutide also helps address frequent shortages of branded medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus, ensuring patients can maintain their treatment regimens.
  • While effective, semaglutide can cause side effects, which compounded versions aim to mitigate, but it's crucial to source these from reputable, FDA-compliant pharmacies.

Understanding Compounded Semaglutide

Compounded semaglutide is a customized version of semaglutide created by compounding pharmacies to meet specific patient needs. This often involves mixing semaglutide with other ingredients, such as vitamin B-12, which can enhance the drug's effectiveness and mitigate certain side effects. Compounding allows for personalized dosages, ensuring treatment is more precisely tailored to each patient.

There are several reasons for compounding semaglutide. One significant factor is frequent shortages of branded semaglutide medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. High demand for these drugs often leads to supply constraints. When branded medications are in short supply, compounded versions provide a crucial alternative, ensuring patients can continue their medication regimen uninterrupted.

Specific benefits of compounded semaglutide include:

  • Personalized dosages: Allows for more effective treatment and reduced likelihood of side effects, as the medication can be adjusted to fit the unique needs of each patient
  • Cost-effectiveness: Can lower costs for more affordability than branded counterparts, making essential treatments accessible to a broader range of patients
  • Combating side effects: Can reduce nausea and other GI issues commonly associated with semaglutide, improving patient comfort and adherence to the treatment
  • Addressing medication shortages: As mentioned, provides an alternative when branded medications are unavailable, ensuring continuous patient care

How Is Compounded Semaglutide Made?

Compounded semaglutide is distributed by specialized pharmacies called compounding pharmacies. The process begins with obtaining semaglutide and other necessary ingredients from FDA-registered suppliers. These ingredients are then mixed according to a precise formula. The compounded medication is carefully measured and packaged to ensure accurate dosages for individual patients.

Compounding pharmacies are staffed by licensed pharmacists trained in compounding. They work closely with healthcare providers to create medications that are not commercially available or to provide alternative formulations that better meet patient needs.

Compounding pharmacies operate under strict guidelines set by state boards of pharmacy and the FDA to ensure the safety and quality of the medications they produce.

Regulatory considerations and safety measures are integral to the compounding process. Compounded medications are not subject to the same premarket approval process as commercial drugs, but they must comply with rigorous standards to ensure patient safety.

Compounding pharmacies must adhere to Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs). 1 The FDA regularly inspects compounding pharmacies to ensure compliance with these standards and mitigate risks associated with compounded medications.

Efficacy, Clinical Outcomes, Safety, and Side Effects

Clinical studies have consistently shown that patients using semaglutide experience substantial weight loss. The STEP 1 trial found that patients taking semaglutide lost 15% body weight, compared to just 2.4% for the placebo group. 2 The SUSTAIN 6 trial showed that patients taking semaglutide reduced HbA1c levels (a crucial marker of long-term blood sugar control) compared to placebo groups. 3

This proven efficacy laid the foundation for compounded semaglutide development, showing it could be combined with other safe ingredients to treat patients.

Still, like every medication, semaglutide is associated with some side effects, including GI issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation, as well as fatigue. These can be challenging for patients and may affect their adherence to the medication regimen.

Compounded semaglutide can help mitigate side effects of traditional semaglutide. For example, by combining semaglutide with vitamin B-12, compounded formulas can help to reduce fatigue and support digestive health.

It’s important to note that there are some concerns to keep in mind about compounded semaglutide, particularly as it relates to regulatory oversight. The FDA has cautioned both patients and providers to be careful in accessing compounded semaglutide, ensuring they work with certified pharmacies and that compounded formulas are always created in partnership with licensed physicians and pharmacists.

Wrapping Up

Compounded semaglutide has proven highly effective for weight loss and type 2 diabetes management. It meets modern standards for value-based and personalized care customized for each patient, and it can help mitigate common side effects of traditional branded semaglutide.

To ensure medication safety, it’s critical to always access compounded semaglutide through a prescription from a licensed physician and an FDA-registered compounding pharmacy.

ScriptsMD makes semaglutide access safe and easy. Patients with our monthly plan have access to 24/7 support from our partnering board-certified physicians, and medication is shipped directly from an FDA-approved pharmacy. Learn more here about how to get started today.

References

  1. FDA Facts About the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP)
  2. John Wilding, Rachel Batterham, Salvatore Calanna, et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity
  3. Steven Marso, Stephen Bain, Agostino Consoli, et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes