GLP-1 Weight Loss Treatment: Wegovy, Mounjaro, Ozempic and Next-Generation Therapies
WEIGHT LOSS INJECTIONS
Wegovy, Mounjaro, Ozempic and Next-Generation Incretin Therapies
Medical treatment of obesity has changed dramatically with the introduction of GLP-1 receptor agonists and newer incretin-based treatments.Medicines such as Wegovy® (semaglutide), Mounjaro® (tirzepatide), Saxenda® (liraglutide) and other next-generation treatments act on hormonal pathways involved in appetite, satiety and food intake.
Many patients also recognise semaglutide by the brand name Ozempic®. However, there is an important distinction: Ozempic is primarily authorised for type 2 diabetes, whereas Wegovy contains semaglutide and is specifically authorised for weight management in people with obesity or eligible overweight patients.
At Soma Bariatrics, these medicines are not considered simply “weight-loss injections”. They form part of a structured, medically supervised and personalised obesity treatment programme.
From single to dual and triple agonists
Modern obesity pharmacotherapy is evolving from medicines targeting a single hormonal receptor to treatments capable of activating several metabolic pathways simultaneously.
Single GLP-1 receptor agonists
These primarily target the GLP-1 receptor.
Semaglutide: Wegovy® and Ozempic®
Liraglutide: Saxenda®
Dual agonists
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist.
By targeting both pathways, tirzepatide has powerful effects on appetite, satiety and metabolic regulation. Mounjaro is authorised in Europe for type 2 diabetes and for weight management in eligible adults with obesity or overweight and associated weight-related conditions.
Other dual combinations, including GLP-1/glucagon agonists, are also being investigated.
Triple agonists: the next generation
The next generation of obesity medicines aims to target three hormonal pathways simultaneously.
The best-known example is retatrutide, which activates:
GIP + GLP-1 + glucagon receptors
Retatrutide is being studied as a once-weekly injection. It remains investigational and is not currently approved for routine clinical use; Phase III clinical development is ongoing.
Losing weight is not enough — we need to know what you are losing
A conventional scale can tell us that someone has lost 15 kg.
It cannot tell us whether those 15 kg were predominantly: fat, muscle or water.
This becomes particularly relevant with highly effective treatments such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, where substantial weight loss can also be accompanied by some loss of lean tissue.
A major 2025 multidisciplinary advisory on GLP-1 treatment specifically recommends assessment of body composition, muscle strength and function, alongside nutritional strategies and resistance exercise to help preserve muscle during treatment.
Why Soma Bariatrics monitors body composition
At SOMA Bariatrics, patients undergo serial multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) during medical weight-loss treatment.
This allows us to monitor changes in:
body weight and BMI;
fat mass;
body-fat percentage;
visceral fat;
lean mass;
muscle mass;
body water and fluid distribution;
and additional body-composition parameters where appropriate.
We therefore assess not only how much weight a patient is losing, but also the quality of that weight loss.
Our objective is:
To maximise excess fat loss while preserving as much muscle mass as possible.
If serial measurements suggest disproportionate muscle loss, treatment can be adapted through nutritional intervention, protein optimisation, resistance training, changes in physical activity and, where clinically appropriate, modification of pharmacological treatment.
More than a Wegovy or Mounjaro prescription
At Soma Bariatrics, medication is only one component of obesity treatment.
Our programme can combine:
Medical assessment
Wegovy, Mounjaro or other appropriate treatments
Serial body-composition analysis
Nutritional support
Protein optimisation
Resistance and physical activity programmes
Behavioural and psychological support
Long-term medical follow-up