NOVA Health Medical Weight Loss Programs
Obesity is a disease
- 100 million Americans are obese
- 13 cancers are associated with obesity
- Obese patients had 4x the risk of becoming depressed
- Obese patients have higher healthcare costs
- Obesity is associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, back pain, arthritis, COPD, Venous stasis and swelling in the legs, fatty liver, heart disease, cancer, Gout, and others.
- Higher death rate when obese – a 30% increase in mortality every 5 BMI points above normal
Assess your risk from obesity here: Risk Tool
Assessment of metabolic risk is important during weight loss.
- Lab testing to assess items such as thyroid function, cortisol excess, kidney, and liver function. Also may include lipid panels, inflammatory markers, MTHFR.
- Pharmacogenomic studies to assess genetic risk for nutritional deficiencies and risk of weight gain through Nutritional Health Panels and Genetic Risk Panels which assess genes such as FTO, ADRB2, and MC4R.
- Nutrigenomic studies to assess supplement choices that suite the individual’s DNA pattern best
- Also, of value are mood related genetic assessments which include Vitamin D genetic markers, MTHFR, and COMT which is associated with low mood or anxiety.
There are treatment options available for weight loss which include:
- Behavioral assessment and interventions
- Exercise – resistance training
- Dietary choice changes – Eating habit changes
- Intermittent fasting
- Circadian eating strategies – chose not to eat after 7 P.M.
- Hormonal manipulation (thyroid , adrenal, and sex hormones)
- Medication to suppress appetite, increase metabolism, and burn fat
- Medical meal replacements
Metabolic assessment is key to successful weight loss. Poorly controlled diets lead to muscle mass loss as well as fat loss. This causes the body to lower its resting metabolic rate through a process of adaptive thermogenesis in which your metabolism slows down so much that you may be hungry all the time, eating fewer calories, exercising, and yet gaining weight. The key to successful weight loss is to preserve your lean muscle mass.
The other goal is to preserve your resting metabolic rate. An important component to any diet is not just to eat less. Any diet can make you lose weight, but by the third month, the body starts to go into starvation mode, and you will gain your weight back as your body dispositions calories for storage into fat instead of productive processes such as building muscle.
Well-rounded protein and a balanced diet are important to successful weight loss. This is the basis for medical meal replacements which have FDA oversight to ensure the blend of amino acids in the meal replacements as well as vitamins are sufficient for the body to register the food intake as being adequate in nutrition.
Poor quality food may have calories, but the body will see the need to get more of it to supply necessary amino acids and minerals. When we diet, we have fewer calories coming in and so we have fewer of the essential proteins and minerals which results in the body adapting by storing what little energy is eaten into fat (starvation mode) and triaging those same substances from within by breaking down internal muscles and damaging lean mass to get the essential amino acids. This lowers the resting metabolic rate which is determined by our muscle mass.
Metabolic Measurements with SECA scales and KORR Calorimetery
- SECA scale measurements are periodically checked during Weight Loss
- Measurements include weight, BMI, Fat Mass, Muscle mass, and location of fat within the body
- The machine also calculates the resting metabolic rate, and this can be compared during weight loss to be certain that the program is appropriate.
- Health risk can be assessed with this
- KORR calorimetry allows DIRECT measurement of the Resting Metabolic Rate
Medication Assisted Weight Loss Goals:
- Increase Satiety to decrease caloric intake
- Reduce appetite
- Decreased macronutrient absorption
- Increase metabolic rate
Options for treatment include:
FDA Approved Medications:
- Orlistat
- Lorcaserin
- Phentermine-Topirimate
- Bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave)
- Liraglutide
- Phentermine
- Diethylpropion
Metformin can aid in treatment of metabolic syndrome and increase insulin sensitivity.
Combinations of the above medications may be used to decrease appetite, increase metabolism, and increase weight loss.
Cytomel augmentation of thyroid function to increase weight loss.
Increases resting energy expenditure
HCG Therapy for weight loss:
- Protects Lean mass while allowing fat to be burned. Mobilizes fat.
- May restore a higher metabolism
- Suppresses Appetite
- Curbs Cravings
- Treatment with HCG can be in nasal spray, injections, or oral formula
- HCG therapy is utilized with diet and exercise changes
Ancillary Medications and vitamins
Lipo-Lytic Capsules:
- Caffeine 50mg + Ephedrine 5mg + 5-HTP 100mg +Chromium Picolinate 200mcg Caps
- Caffeine 100mg + Ephedrine 12.5mg + 5-HTP 100mg +Chromium Picolinate 200mcg Caps (stronger)
Ingredients:
- Ephedrine can produce modest weight loss when used with exercise and a low-fat diet. Taking ephedrine seems to produce statistically significant weight loss of up to 6 months. Taking ephedrine along with limiting fat intake to 30 percent of calories and moderate exercise, also seems to reduce body fat, lower “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and raise “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. There are blood pressure and arrythmia risks if excess ephedra is taken. Oral ephedrine seems to produce weight loss of approximately 0.9 kg/month for up to 6 months
- Caffeine : Caffeine 192 mg in combination with ephedra 90 mg per day for 6 months seems to cause a modest weight reduction (5.3 kg) in people with a BMI between 25 – 40 kg/m2. This combination, along with limiting fat intake to 30 percent of calories and moderate exercise, also seems to reduce body fat, decrease LDL cholesterol, and increase HDL cholesterol.
- 5 HTP : Oral 5-HTP may help reduce appetite, caloric intake, and weight in obese patients. 5 HTP use results in decreased carbohydrate intake, earlier satiety, and better diet adherence was noted.
- Chromium : is essential for carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Low chromium results in in-clude elevated blood glucose, insulin, cholesterol, and triglycerides and decreased high-density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol. Chromium increases insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia and increases muscle sensitivity to insulin.
MILC Capsules
Methionine 100mg + Inositol 100mg + L-Carnitine 125mg + Chromium Picolinate 100mcg
Lipotropic agents are a class of substances (of which inositol and methionine are among the most effective )that play an important role in the body’s control of fat. Through their involvement in lipid/fat metabolism, lipotropics help maintain a healthy liver. The liver plays a major role in human metabolism and has a number of important functions, including glycogen storage, plasma protein synthesis and detoxification.. They metabolize fats and cholesterol and aid in transporting and removing fat in the bloodstream, thus enhancing reduction of fat in the body. They also increase average daily energy level and physical sense of well-being.
GOAL Capsules :
Glutamine 75mg + Ornithine 75mg + L-Arginine 75mg + Lysine 75mg
This formulation includes a combination of amino acids which are used use for post-workout recovery and muscle restoration. In addition to assisting in healthy hormone release and vascular function, GOAL therapy provides a source of energy in times of fatigue. Best taken before or after a workout session, GOAL promotes healthy cellular pathways, increasing the overall quality and outcomes from the actions at the muscle.
GAC Capsules
Glutamine 175mg + L-Arginine 100mg + L-Carnitine 200mg : This combination is used to help enhance fat metabolism, promote lean muscle mass and add a boost to any weight loss program or healthy diet and exercise regimen. This formulation best used prior to exercise to increase performance.
Methionine provides several benefits in metabolism for weight loss including reduction of fat mass:
- Lipotropic
- •Reduces Fat
- •Lowers Cholesterol
- •Support Liver Health
- •Antioxidant Effects
- •Improved Collagen Synthesis
- •Immune System Support
- •Mood Support
Methionine has been shown to increase glutathione, homocysteine, and taurine levels and supports the absorption of selenium and zinc. Methionine is needed to synthesize new proteins. Methionine is one of the nutrients required during the body’s manufacture of choline and a deficiency of this amino acid will adversely affect fat metabolism.
Levo-Carnitine:
• Increases Fat Metabolism
•Decreases Food Cravings
•Insulin Support
•Regulates Cholesterol, Triglyceride, and HDL Levels
•Helps Decrease Satiety
•Increases Thermogenesis
L-carnitine facilitates beta-oxidation of long-chain fatty acids by transporting them into the mitochondria to be oxidized for energy. Levocarnitine increases androgen receptors in the muscles, helping tissues use testosterone.
Inositol:
•Lipotropic
•Support Liver health
•Aids in Fat Processing
•Supports Healthy Mood
•Food Into Energy
•Immune System Support
•Hair and Nail Support
Contact us at 703-844-0184 for an immediate consultation: