A NEW study found that adults who increase their semaglutide dose are likely to achieve significant weight loss.
The study suggests that escalating semaglutide therapy may be a viable option for achieving blood sugar control and weight loss, information that is very significant to Filipino healthcare professionals and patients seeking effective strategies to manage Type 2 diabetes.
According to the Epidemiological Burden and Cost of Obesity in the Philippines, 41 percent of Filipino adults — or 29 million individuals — are living with obesity and are overweight.
Semaglutide is a weekly prescription injectable medication that mimics the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone, which is responsible for regulating appetite and blood sugar produced by the body.
The study, presented at the 2026 Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, includes a retrospective analysis of more than 64,000 US adults and examined two common treatment approaches for patients already receiving semaglutide therapy.
Participants either escalated their semaglutide dose to 2 mg or switched to tirzepatide, starting at 2.5 mg with the option to titrate up to 15 mg.
After one year, 74.7 percent of patients who increased to semaglutide 2 mg achieved an HbA1c level below 7 percent — a commonly recommended target for many adults with Type 2 diabetes — compared with 75.1 percent of those who switched to tirzepatide.
However, when it came to weight loss, semaglutide demonstrated a clear advantage. Among more than 56,000 adults evaluated for weight loss outcomes, 60.5 percent of patients who escalated to semaglutide 2 mg achieved at least 5 percent weight loss after one year, compared with 55.3 percent of those who switched treatments.
Patients who increased their semaglutide dose were significantly more likely to reach this weight-loss milestone over time.
The findings of the study align with recommendations from the American Diabetes Association, which advises many adults with Type 2 diabetes to target an HbA1c below 7 percent alongside a 5 percent reduction in body weight.
However, researchers cautioned that the findings have limitations and cannot establish direct cause-and-effect relationships.
Factors such as incomplete laboratory data, insurance coverage differences and social determinants of health may influence treatment outcomes and medication adherence.
Additionally, the use of retrospective claims data may exclude certain patient populations, potentially limiting how broadly the findings can be applied.
But despite these limitations, the study made an important contribution to individualized treatment in diabetes care.
