GLP-1

GLP-1 Medications for Weight Loss

injection, oral

GLP-1s mimic a gut hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1). When you eat, GLP-1 slows digestion and helps you feel full. It also:

Reduces appetite

Regulates insulin

Balances blood sugar

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Everything you need to know about
GLP-1

What is

GLP-1

Benefits How it works How to use it

What is
GLP-1
?

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist) is a hormone released by the gut after eating. It encourages the pancreas to release the right amount of insulin when blood sugar levels are high, and it also slows food’s movement through the digestive system.

GLP-1 receptor agonist medications, including semaglutide, liraglutide, and dulaglutide, are synthetic versions of the body’s natural hormone. They are available as injections and a pill.

Tirzepatide, a dual receptor agonist, combines the synthetic version of GLP-1 with the synthetic version of the hormone GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide).

Benefits of
GLP-1

Various brand names for GLP-1s are FDA-approved for chronic weight management, Type 2 diabetes, and/or reducing major heart events in adults with cardiovascular disease.

Expected weight loss depends on the drug and dosage. Research shows patients who took liraglutide for a year, along with an exercise program, lost an average of 15.7% of their starting body weight. In a study of semaglutide, people who took 2.4 mg of semaglutide every week for 68 weeks lost an average of 14.9% of their total weight. (Safe weight loss is one to two pounds per week.)

Because many GLP-1s are approved to treat diabetes, they can improve A1c. GLP-1s can also improve heart health by lowering blood sugar and helping people lose excess weight. Some GLP-1 medications can reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in adults with Type 2 diabetes and known heart disease, and in adults with obesity who do not have Type 2 diabetes.

Notably, some patients have reported reduced cravings and “food noise” while using GLP-1s for weight loss.

How does
GLP-1
work?

When you eat, your food stimulates your gut to release the GLP-1 hormone. GLP-1 helps lower blood glucose (blood sugar) by prompting insulin release, which helps blood glucose enter your body’s cells for later energy use.

In some people, the gut doesn't make enough natural GLP-1, or the brain isn't sensitive to it.

Synthetic GLP-1 RAs (receptor agonists) work in the gut like natural GLP-1. Because GLP-1 slows digestion, it helps curb hunger and signal fullness to the brain. As a result, some people with obesity have lost weight while taking them.

Because GLP-1 drugs support a process the body isn’t doing well on its own, they may require long-term use.

It’s important to note that GLP-1 medications don’t work for everyone. There are many biological reasons why people struggle to lose weight. Found’s clinicians, trained in obesity medicine, can help patients identify the root cause of their weight gain and personalize a prescription to target it. All prescriptions are up to a medical provider’s discretion.

More on personalized treatment with Found

How to use it

There are different prescribing guides for the different brand names of GLP-1 medications. Follow your care provider’s instructions and read the pharmaceutical packaging.

Rybelsus®, a semaglutide pill, is typically taken once a day. Store it at room temperature.

Other brand-name GLP-1 medications are injections, typically taken once a week. Depending on the manufacturers’ instructions, patients inject the medicine under the skin in the upper arm, upper thigh, or stomach. Store injectable GLP-1s in a refrigerator.

Dosing

Dosing depends on your specific prescribed medication and your care provider’s instructions. Please also read the pharmaceutical packaging.

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Side effects

Rapid or significant weight loss can lead to too much muscle loss. It’s important to start a strength training program and exercise regularly to protect your muscles while taking GLP-1s.

Tell your health care provider if you have severe stomach problems that won’t go away, including abdominal bloating or pain, acid reflux, a feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites of food, nausea, and vomiting, including vomiting undigested food eaten a few hours earlier. These may be symptoms of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis).

Use effective birth control while taking this medication. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant, do not take GLP-1s.

GLP-1s are not appropriate for those with insulin-dependent diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. So, if that’s you, GLP-1s aren't the right fit.

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Black Box Warning

Although rare, GLP-1s have caused thyroid C-cell tumors in animal studies. All GLP-1s have a “black box” warning of the risk of these tumors. If you have trouble swallowing, develop hoarseness, or feel swelling or a lump in your neck, contact your health care provider immediately.

The FDA also warns not to take these medications if you have a personal or family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome Type 2 or medullary thyroid cancer.

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Precautions

Rapid or significant weight loss can lead to too much muscle loss. It’s important to start a strength training program and exercise regularly to protect your muscles while taking GLP-1s.

Tell your health care provider if you have severe stomach problems that won’t go away, including abdominal bloating or pain, acid reflux, a feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites of food, nausea, and vomiting, including vomiting undigested food eaten a few hours earlier. These may be symptoms of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis).

Use effective birth control while taking this medication. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant, do not take GLP-1s.

GLP-1s are not appropriate for those with insulin-dependent diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. So, if that’s you, GLP-1s aren't the right fit.

‍

Interactions

Some drugs can also interact with GLP-1s, including:

Insulin
Sulfonylureas (when combined, these can cause blood sugar levels to drop dangerously low)
Some birth control pills
Other GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist medications (don’t combine them)

You should not drink alcohol while taking these drugs because it can lower blood sugar. Combining alcohol with these medications may cause blood sugars to fall too fast, leading to fainting and dizziness.

about
found

Found is an online weight loss program offering personalized care for every member. Some of the nation’s top obesity medicine specialists helped design our program. Our approach is based on science, and we’re committed to clinical excellence.

Members get access to: Clinicians trained in obesity medicine 1:1 health coaching Self-paced lifestyle change program designed by doctors, psychologists, and behavioral scientists Exclusive in-app community.

Found’s comprehensive program is designed to work with your body—so you can achieve lasting results and enjoy better health.

Alternative medications

Depending on your health history, weight history, and MetabolicPrint^TM assessment, your Found health care provider may consider other alternatives to help you lose weight. Some are FDA-approved for weight loss. Others are used off-label and have strong clinical evidence supporting their use for weight loss.

Unfortunately, there are no generic versions of Ozempic currently on the market.
However, your health care provider might consider alternatives such as Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Saxenda, all of which are GLP-1 medications but not all are FDA-approved for weight loss specifically.