Weeks 1 to 4
Initiation
If your provider determines you're eligible, treatment typically begins at the lowest titration step. Many clients report reduced cravings within the first two weeks; some experience GI adjustment.
Your healthiest weight is within reach.Semaglutide
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. At Marek, every prescription is preceded by complete labs and reviewed by a partnered licensed medical provider, so eligibility, dose, and monitoring are determined by your data, not a template.
HSA/FSA eligible · No commitmentHSA/FSA eligible · No commitment
Weight · GLP-1
Semaglutide
Marketing purposes only. Actual medications, if prescribed, are dispensed by a licensed pharmacy.
Why Semaglutide
What makes it different.
GLP-1 receptor agonist
Appetite regulation
Insulin sensitization
Muscle-sparing coached protocol
What to expect
Your Semaglutide timeline.
Months 1 to 3
Active weight loss
Your provider may adjust dosing based on tolerability and response. Your coach supports protein-forward nutrition and resistance-training guidance to preserve lean mass.
Months 3 to 6
Metabolic improvement
Follow-up labs help your provider evaluate metabolic markers, insulin sensitivity, HbA1c, lipids. Body-composition shifts become visible. Protocol refined.
Month 6+
Maintenance & off-ramp
Long-term planning is individualized. Some clients continue on a maintenance plan; others taper. Your coach helps build the lifestyle infrastructure that supports results.
How it works
From sign-up to treatment.From sign-up to your first dose.
Take the assessment
45-min intake with your dedicated health coach. A free health-score quiz is available before the paid intake.
Get your labs drawn
Complete lab panel ordered by your provider, drawn at any of 4,000 partnered lab locations nationwide. Results typically return within 14 days.
Provider reviews your results
A licensed medical provider reviews your labs and history to evaluate whether Semaglutide is appropriate for you. Eligibility and any prescription are determined at the provider's discretion.
If eligible, treatment ships to your door
If your provider prescribes Semaglutide, it ships from a licensed pharmacy. Your coach supports you through follow-up labs and ongoing monitoring.
The baseline panel.
Every Marek client receives this baseline panel before a provider review. Your provider may add additional biomarkers based on your health history, symptoms, and goals, pulling from 1,000+ available markers. See more biomarkers →
Hormone Profile
12 markers
Sex hormones
- Total TestosteroneLC/MS
- Free TestosteroneEquilibrium Dialysis
- Estradiol, Sensitive / UltrasensitiveLC/MS
- Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)
- ProgesteroneLC/MSFemale panel
- Prolactin
- Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
- hCG, Total, QuantitativeFemale panel, pre-menopause
Adrenals & neurosteroids
- Cortisol
- DHEA-S
Growth hormone / IGF-1
- Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (IGF-1)
Thyroid Status
3 markers
Thyroid hormones
- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
- Free T4
- Free T3
Heart Health
9 markers
Cardiovascular health
- Total Cholesterol
- HDL Cholesterol
- LDL Cholesterol
- LDL:HDL Ratio
- VLDL Cholesterol
- Triglycerides
- Apolipoprotein-B (ApoB)
- C-Reactive Protein, High Sensitivity (hsCRP)
- Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a))
Metabolism
3 markers
Insulin sensitivity
- Blood Glucose
- Fasting Insulin
- HbA1c
Organ Function
26 markers
Liver & pancreas
- AST
- ALT
- Bilirubin, Total
- γ-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT)
Kidney function
- BUN
- Creatinine w/ eGFR
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
- Glucose
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
- Creatinine
- eGFR
- BUN/Creatinine Ratio
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Chloride
- Carbon Dioxide, Total
- Calcium
- Protein, Total
- Albumin
- Globulin, Total
- Albumin/Globulin (A/G) Ratio
- Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
- AST
- ALT
Prostate health
- Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)Male panel
- Free PSAMale panel
- % Free PSAMale panel
Nutrient Status
31 markers
Vitamins & minerals
- Vitamin D, 25-OHD (25-Hydroxy)
- Magnesium, RBC
Iron status
- Iron
- Iron Saturation
- TIBC
- UIBC
- Ferritin
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- White Blood Count (WBC)
- Red Blood Count (RBC)
- Hemoglobin (Hgb)
- Hematocrit (HCT)
- MCV
- MCH
- MCHC
- Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW)
- Platelets
- Neutrophils
- Neutrophils (Absolute)
- Lymphocytes
- Lymphocytes (Absolute)
- Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio
- Monocytes
- Monocytes (Absolute)
- Eosinophils
- Eosinophils (Absolute)
- Basophils
- Basophils (Absolute)
- Immature Cells
- Immature Granulocytes
- Immature Granulocytes (Absolute)
- NRBC, w/ Reflex for Immature Cells
The science
How Semaglutide works.
Semaglutide is a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist. Activating GLP-1 receptors in the hypothalamus reduces hunger signaling and increases satiety; slowed gastric emptying extends the feeling of fullness after meals.
GLP-1 activation also engages pancreatic beta-cell function and improves glucose-dependent insulin secretion. The combined effect is the mechanism by which semaglutide is associated with weight reduction and metabolic improvement in published trials.
In the STEP 1 trial, average body-weight reduction reached approximately 15% at 68 weeks. The SELECT trial also demonstrated a reduction in major cardiovascular events.
Considered for: obesity (BMI ≥30)Overweight (BMI ≥27) with comorbidityType 2 diabetesMetabolic syndrome
Eligibility, dosing, and outcomes vary. Any prescription is at the discretion of a partnered licensed medical provider based on your labs and medical history.
Clinical evidence
The research behind Semaglutide.
STEP 1: Semaglutide for weight loss
New England Journal of Medicine (2021)
1,961 adults with overweight or obesity. The treatment group experienced a mean body-weight reduction of approximately 14.9% at 68 weeks.
Read study →SELECT: Cardiovascular outcomes in non-diabetic patients
New England Journal of Medicine (2023)
17,604 adults with overweight or obesity and pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Semaglutide was associated with a ~20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events.
Read study →SUSTAIN-7: Semaglutide vs. dulaglutide
Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (2018)
1,201 patients with type 2 diabetes. Semaglutide showed greater A1c reduction and weight loss than dulaglutide across study doses.
Read study →Safety profile
Monitoring & safety information.
Commonly reported side effects
- Nausea, especially during titration
- Reduced appetite / early satiety
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Fatigue (typically resolves)
Less common but serious risks
- Pancreatitis
- Gallbladder disease
- Severe gastroparesis (rare)
Generally not appropriate for
- Personal/family history of medullary thyroid cancer
- Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2)
- Pregnancy / planning pregnancy
- History of pancreatitis
Typical monitoring
- HbA1c and fasting glucose
- Lipid panel
- Thyroid function (TSH)
- Body composition / lean mass
FAQ
Quick answers.
Eligibility, dose, and duration are determined by a partnered licensed medical provider based on your complete labs and medical history. A prescription is not guaranteed, your provider may recommend Semaglutide, a different therapy, or a non-pharmacologic approach.
Clinical trials (STEP program) showed average weight loss of 15 to 17% of body weight over 68 weeks. With Marek's coached approach, including nutrition guidance and muscle preservation, many clients achieve similar or better results while maintaining lean mass. Individual response varies.
Some lean-mass loss is possible on any rapid weight-loss intervention. Marek's coached approach emphasizes protein-forward nutrition, resistance-training guidance, and body-composition tracking, supporting lean-mass preservation rather than just scale weight.
Commonly reported side effects include nausea, reduced appetite, and other GI symptoms during titration. Less common but serious risks include pancreatitis and gallbladder disease. Your provider reviews your history to evaluate whether Semaglutide is appropriate, and your coach helps monitor symptoms throughout.
Studies show some weight regain after discontinuation. Your protocol includes an exit strategy: gradual taper, established nutrition habits, metabolic-health monitoring, and optional maintenance dosing. The goal is sustainable results, not medication dependence.
Pricing starts with a $299 intake assessment with your dedicated health coach. Lab pricing starts at $450. If your provider determines a prescription is appropriate, medication cost is separate and varies by dose. HSA/FSA eligible.
Eligibility, dose, and duration are determined by a partnered licensed medical provider based on your complete labs and medical history. A prescription is not guaranteed, your provider may recommend Semaglutide, a different therapy, or a non-pharmacologic approach.
Treatments are dependent on licensed clinical prescription. Client costs vary based on individual labs and panel in treatments and services.