As a aggressive bodybuilder, you will have a tremendously troublesome job main as much as a contest. It’s important to current a physique with most muscle and minimal fats. You undertake a strict chopping course of within the weeks main as much as present day to realize the specified ripped mass look. You may take any benefit you may get that is protected and authorized, proper?
So what about Semaglutide? As you are little question conscious, this GLP-1 receptor agonist, as present in Ozempic and Wegovy weight reduction medicines, is the most well-liked weight reduction medicine on the planet. However is it any good for bodybuilders chopping for a contest?
On this article, we go on to the supply to search out out. Learn on for actual experiences, actual recommendation, questions, and solutions from bodybuilders who’ve been and are utilizing weight reduction medication containing semaglutide to get shredded for competitors day whereas sustaining lean muscle mass.
This text will cowl:
Actual Bodybuilder Experiences with Semaglutide
What’s Semaglutide?
What Sort of Bodybuilder Will Profit From Semaglutide?
How Can Bodybuilders Get Semaglutide Prescribed?
Is Semaglutide Price The Value?
Can Bodybuilders Get Semaglutide Lined By Insurance coverage?
Semaglutide Dosages
Semaglutide Aspect Results
Different FAQs
Wrap Up
Actual Bodybuilder Experiences with Semaglutide
There are some very energetic semaglutide and bodybuilding discussions on such platforms as Reddit and bodybuilding boards. I’ve spent a number of hours studying these feedback to get a basic taste of individuals’s experiences with the compound.
Case Research
One bodybuilder tracked his weekly expertise with semaglutide injections. This man’s beginning weight was 240 kilos, and his objective weight was 215. He went to a clinic as soon as per week and was given a .25 mg injection of Ozempic.
Along with a weekly semaglutide injection, this man was taking the next dietary supplements: Males’s multivitamin 10-15 grams of fiber a day (psyllium husk), Whey protein isolate, Fish oil, Vitamin D3, CoQ10, Zinc, Magnesium.
He was additionally on the next Anabolic steroids: Testosterone propionate: 350mgs per week, Nandrolone Phenylpropionate: 350mgs per week, Winstrol: 50mgs/day.
At a .25 mg weekly dose, he was feeling the urge for food suppression results for the primary three days, however then they wore off, and his starvation cravings returned. After a few weeks, he determined, in session along with his physician, to extend the dosage to .5 mg. The .25 mg injections didn’t give him any unwanted effects.
The day after upping the dosage, he had misplaced three kilos. Twenty days after starting his semaglutide injections, he had misplaced a complete of 10 kilos, which was greater than he had anticipated.
When questioned as as to if the load loss could be partly attributable to lack of muscle, the OP wrote:
My fasted weight is 234.7lbs. I began at 244lbs so I’m down virtually 10lbs in 20 days.
That is fairly aggressive and greater than I anticipated. Some could say it’s muscle loss- it isn’t. I do know it isn’t as a result of I devour 225-250 grams of protein a day, plus I’m utilizing anabolic steroids to protect muscle mass.
I’m persevering with to maintain my food regimen dialed right into a T and I do know precisely how a lot I’m consuming daily.
I’m attributing the large weight reduction outcomes to the food regimen, 30-40 minutes of cardio 5x per week, and weights 5x per week.
I’ll in all probability solely use this for an additional 2-3 weeks to drop one other 7-10lbs. At that time will probably be time to let my physique relaxation, get blood work carried out, and put together for my low season and pack on one other 20-25lbs to shoot for muscle development.
(Supply)
After three weeks at a dosage of .5 mg, the dosage was elevated to .75 mg per week. He achieved his 15-pound weight reduction objective and didn’t expertise any important unwanted effects.
What’s Semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a kind of quick chain of amino acid often called a peptide. It falls inside a classification of peptides often called a GLP-1 receptor agonist. These peptides mimic the results of a hormone known as GLP-1, which the physique releases into the intestine after consuming. It makes you’re feeling full, however solely lasts for a few minutes.
By making alterations on the molecular stage, scientists have been in a position to lengthen the half-life of the peptide. Because of this, while you take semaglutide, you’re feeling fuller for longer after consuming. That is as a result of it slows gastric emptying by lowering the velocity with which meals strikes by means of the intestinal tract.
Semaglutide additionally impacts leptin sensitivity. Leptin is a hormone produced by the mind while you eat. It alerts that you’re now not hungry. It seems that semaglutide will increase leptin receptor sensitivity. This contributed to the sensation of not being hungry.
A 3rd method that semaglutide helps you drop some pounds is by selling extra insulin secretion from the pancreas. It additionally prevents the liver from releasing extra quantities of glucose. This helps to scale back the chance of glucose being saved as extra fats. It additionally lowers blood sugar ranges.
A 2020 Step 1 Trial, printed within the New England Journal of Medication, confirmed important weight reduction ends in individuals with persistent weight administration wants. 1961 overweight individuals got 2.4 mg of semaglutide or a placebo for 68 weeks.
The semaglutide group misplaced a mean of 14.9% of their physique weight, in contrast with 2.4% for the placebo group.¹
There have been different GLP-1 receptor agonists. The factor that has set Semaglutide half is that, fairly than requiring every day injections, it solely must be taken as soon as weekly. That makes it way more accessible and acceptable for many individuals, resulting in the worldwide Ozempic frenzy.
The underside line is {that a} Semaglutide weight reduction drug helps you’re feeling fuller for longer after consuming a meal. Because of this, you’re more likely to devour fewer energy, resulting in important weight reduction, particularly when mixed with a wholesome way of life.
What Sort of Bodybuilder Will Profit from Semaglutide?
The principle good thing about taking semaglutide is that it’ll stop you from dishonest in your food regimen and snacking between meals. If you happen to occur to have iron willpower who would fairly dive into shark-infested waters than cheat in your food regimen, then you do not want semaglutide.
Nonetheless, in case you occur to be like most mere mortals and end up tempted past restraint in these days and weeks main as much as competitors day, semaglutide could possibly be the answer to holding on monitor.
As a private coach who works with aggressive bodybuilders, I’ve seen guys who change into obsessive about meals over the last couple of weeks of their chopping part. All they give thought to is with the ability to swap their hen and rice for ice cream and donuts. Inevitably, they find yourself dishonest.
I’ve additionally seen firsthand how taking Ozempic can flip that script. Instantly, these identical individuals are now not food-obsessed. They’re in a position to eat their scheduled lower meals and go on with their day, not even fascinated about snacking or taking in unscheduled energy.
However I’ve additionally seen the unwanted effects of that benefit. These embrace nausea, diarrhea, and abdomen ache. That is not what you wish to be coping with while you’re peaking for a contest.
How Can Bodybuilders Get Semaglutide Prescribed?
If you happen to’re a bodybuilder who has determined to take semaglutide throughout your chopping cycle, you should make an appointment to see a medical skilled. As imposed by the FDA, the factors are to have a physique mass index of 27 or increased together with a weight-related well being concern. This could possibly be elevated blood stress or excessive LDL ldl cholesterol.
Alternatively, you would have a BMI of 30 or increased with no related weight-related medical situation.
The medical skilled will completely assess your medical historical past and take into account every other medicines you take that will work together with semaglutide. She or he may even talk about your consuming habits and way of life to make sure that you’re doing every part you should do to advertise wholesome weight reduction naturally.
If he’s happy that you just meet the factors for semaglutide for weight reduction, the physician will prescribe a course of therapy for you. This may contain once-weekly injections, which could be carried out at house. You’ll usually begin with a dosage of 0.25 mg per week. Your physician will monitor your outcomes, week to week, and will improve the dosage in case you are not losing a few pounds.
Is Semaglutide Well worth the Value?
Semaglutide, whether or not within the type of Ozempic or Wegovy, is dear. If you’re lucky, it is possible for you to to assert a big proportion of that price in your insurance coverage. In any other case, you’ll be forking over a hunk of money each month.
The precise worth varies in line with the particular drug and producer. Listed below are a few typical experiences from Reddit customers:
Sup guys, went to my doc and received it for weight problems (lol BMI occurred to be 30 on the dot (6’1 230) trigger I used to be on the finish of the majority, my combating weight is about 200.
He subscribed me an ozempic pen and it was 25 bucks after insurance coverage. (This prices actually $1300 within the US with out ins). Been injecting .25 per week and it’s working OK. Nausea is annoying, however I’m hoping that subsides.
u/Environmental Rule 525
I positively wish to maintain working this after I end my vial however at ~$1000 for 10mg from Empower Compounding Pharmacy (Marek‘s supply) it’s simply an excessive amount of, as a result of the minimal efficient dose for me at 1mg/week can be $100. I haven’t discovered a less expensive supply but so extra updates to come back.
u/Twiggy Sawdust
(Supply)
The query you need to ask your self is, ‘Am I ready to pay within the neighborhood of $300 per week for an appetite-suppressing drug?’ After all, whether or not you may afford to is one other query solely.
Can Bodybuilders Get Semaglutide Lined by Insurance coverage?
Ozempic, Wegovy, and different semaglutide-based prescription medicines are being prescribed for weight reduction if the affected person is clinically overweight. It’s as much as every insurance coverage firm to resolve as as to if they’ll cowl these medicines.
To be prescribed for these medication within the first place, bodybuilders will should be labeled as being ‘overweight.’ That is not that troublesome. The fully irrelevant weight problems scale (BMI) doesn’t take into physique composition. Because of this, a bodybuilder with an honest quantity of muscle mass might be labeled as overweight, regardless of having decrease physique fats ranges than 99% of the inhabitants.
Semaglutide Dosage for Bodybuilders
Semaglutide dosage schedules contain steadily rising the injection to present the physique time to get used to it. There are normal dosage protocols for Ozempic and Wegovy, the most well-liked types of taking the drug.
Here is a chart exhibiting the everyday dosing schedules for each medicines:
Week #
Wegovy Dosage
Ozempic Dosage
1-4
0.25 mg
0.25 mg
5-8
0.5 mg
0.5 mg
9-12
1.0 mg
1.0 mg
13-16
1.7 mg
1.0 mg
17+
2.4 mg
1.0 mg
So, how does this evaluate to the quantities that bodybuilders are taking?
There’s fairly a bit of dialogue relating to dosing protocols on the Extra Plates Extra Dates Reddit thread. Most bodybuilders appear to start with a .25 mg dosage. That is taken as soon as weekly by injection. Nonetheless, fairly a couple of individuals have commented that the urge for food suppression impact wears off after two or three days. Because of this, they elevated the dosage to .5 mg per week.
Some individuals have needed to improve the dosage to 1 mg for the fullness impact to final for your complete week. Right here is one consumer’s expertise:
After a couple of days on the primary week the efficiency of .25mg/week rapidly wore off, and the next week I virtually barely felt it. I upped it to .5mg, and the impact was additionally minimal, lasting possibly a couple of days. This week I went as much as 1mg and now I can really feel the urge for food suppression final for the entire week.
(Supply)
It is attention-grabbing to notice that Derek from Extra Plates Extra Dates personally makes use of a 2 mg dosage. This didn’t produce any untoward unwanted effects, although the long-term results are unknown. That is the dosage he must have the urge for food suppression impact final for the complete seven days till the following injection.
It ought to be famous that the dosage used within the Step 1 Trial referred to earlier was 2.4 mg, taken as a once-weekly injection. Nausea and diarrhea have been the principle unwanted effects, although, for many examine individuals, these went away after two to a few weeks.
Consider, too, which you can’t arbitrarily resolve on the semaglutide dosage you’ll take. This can be a prescribed medicine. So, the dosage quantity is a call that’s made in collaboration with the medical skilled who prescribed the drug to you.
What Aspect Results Have Been Reported?
Not everybody who takes semaglutide will expertise unwanted effects. My casual evaluation exhibits that about half of commenters on Reddit haven’t any hostile results when taking the drug. The opposite half report nausea, diarrhea, abdomen ache, and elevated coronary heart price as the most typical damaging reactions.
Here is a sampling of feedback from bodybuilders who’ve been taking semaglutide throughout their chopping part:
I additionally battle with train induced nausea. I maintain my coronary heart price decrease, don’t get on my Peloton as a lot and go lots slower on hikes. If I get close to 170 I get very nauseated and lightweight headed, typically have to sit down down till it passes. I haven’t pushed it to the purpose of puking. I’ve maintained lifting 3x week however go slower and never as many bursts to maintain my coronary heart price a bit decrease. I don’t assume I’ve sacrificed any muscle mass however I’m additionally don’t thunk I’m constructing extra. Pleased with that as I spent the yr previous to semaglutide targeted on energy fairly then cardio and am in a energy place I’m total proud of.
u/Deamyn
Good luck with the exercise-induced nausea. I genuinely imply it; it was a ache within the ass for me. It took twice as lengthy for me to get my exercises in. I did discover although with extra water consumption it wasn’t as unhealthy; nevertheless, it was nonetheless current.
u/Grymreifer
Be careful for the unwanted effects, they suck. I had complications for the primary month or so and nausea, and that was on low dose (.25mg)- i’m simply now on 1mg (truly .75 as i’m simply going up 10 ticks on slin pin each few weeks to get to increased dose slowly). Def works quick with urge for food suppression initially however i discovered that you just get used to it and that i are likely to eat extra.. however nonetheless losing a few pounds and garments match higher.
u/RAL1111
From the above feedback, we see that these unwanted effects have been skilled at dosage ranges starting from a low of .25 to a excessive of 1 mg. The reactions appear to be extremely particular person dependant. Simply because one individual experiences nausea and complications does not imply that you’ll. The one approach to discover out is to present it a trial.
Different FAQs
Can I construct muscle mass with semaglutide?
Semaglutide just isn’t a muscle-building drug, so no, it is not going to enable you construct muscle. Slightly, it can enable you to remain true to your chopping food regimen by holding you full. This may enable you to withstand the inevitable temptations to interrupt your food regimen that occur within the days and weeks main as much as a bodybuilding competitors.
Will semaglutide affect my exercise means?
Whether or not or not semaglutide impacts your exercise is dependent upon how your physique responds to the medicine. Some bodybuilders will expertise nausea, complications, and basic malaise through the first few weeks of therapy. This might properly have an effect on the power to work out. Others is not going to expertise any unwanted effects. Actually, they won’t be as food-obsessed through the closing weeks of contest prep, permitting them to focus extra absolutely on their exercises.
Are you able to get ripped on semaglutide?
Semaglutide may help you to get ripped by staying strict to your chopping food regimen. It’s going to maintain you full between meals, making you far much less more likely to cheat in your food regimen.
Is it protected to take anabolic steroids with semaglutide?
Some sorts of steroids could negatively work together with semaglutide. For instance, Prednisone (a corticosteroid fairly than an anabolic steroid) could negatively have an effect on semaglutide’s means to manage blood glucose ranges. If you’re taking steroids in addition to semaglutide, it is best to usually have your blood sugar ranges checked.
Wrap Up
Semaglutide just isn’t a “magic” chopping formulation for bodybuilders. Its key profit lies in its means to maintain you feeling full between meals, making you much less more likely to cheat in your food regimen. If you happen to’re a kind of uncommon people whose dedication to eat clear does not want any boosting, you do not want it. Nonetheless, in case you’re like most bodybuilders who battle with their food regimen main as much as competitors, semaglutide can positively enable you keep on monitor.
If you’re inquisitive about pursuing a prescription for semaglutide, however aren’t positive about the most effective place to get it, you may learn our article on The place to Purchase Semaglutide.
If you happen to’re a bodybuilder who’s been taking semaglutide throughout your chopping cycle, we would love to listen to the way it’s been going for you. Share your expertise within the feedback beneath.
References
Wilding, John P. H., et al. “As soon as-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Obese or Weight problems.” The New England Journal of Medication, vol. 384, no. 11, 10 Feb. 2021, pp. 989–1002, www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183,