GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss: Overview
Drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, sold under brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy, have changed the game when it comes to weight management — and they may help reduce cancer risk as well, but more research is needed. Here, we consult top specialists to look into the science.
A class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), have become a popular tool to help with weight loss.
Explore common topics related to GLP-1RAs:
What are GLP-1RAs?
A class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), have become a popular tool to help with weight loss.
Explore common topics related to GLP-1RAs:
What is a GLP-1RA?
GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are a group of medications primarily used to manage type 2 diabetes. They help lower blood sugar levels by mimicking a natural hormone in the body that regulates insulin release and appetite. In recent years, these drugs — like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda) — have also gained popularity for their effectiveness in promoting weight loss.
In the past year or so, story after story has been published about the surprising effects these drugs can have. In addition to weight loss, there have been reports that the drugs can reduce people’s desire to drink, help them quit smoking, and even resolve certain fertility issues. They have been touted in the media as a sort of miracle drug, however, much more research is needed.
Scientists have long known that obesity is linked to higher cancer risk, but whether GLP-1RAs could reduce this risk had not been extensively studied until recently.
NYU’s Dr. Holly Lofton explains what we do know about GLP-1RAs and cancer risk.
Navigating the Claims About Weight Loss Drugs
There have been many claims beyond weight loss about drugs like Ozempic. There is some validity to claims that the drugs can help reduce cancer risk, but there are important caveats to be aware of.
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Lose Weight, Drink Less, Stop Smoking— New Research Suggests Anti-Obesity Medications, Such As The Semaglutide Injection Ozempic, May Lead To Less Tobacco Use & Alcohol Consumption -
Ozempic Rebound: People Who Stop Blockbuster Weight Loss Drugs Gain The Weight Back, Says New Research– So What’s the Answer To Staying Lighter & Healthier? -
The Weight Loss Drugs Ozempic and Wegovy May Strengthen The Immune System And Potentially Fight Cancer -
Warning: Copycat Ozempic Weight Loss Drugs Are Spreading— The Risks Associated With ‘Chasing Thinness’
What Are The Risks of GLP-1RAs?
While this class of drugs has helped many people embark on successful weight loss journeys, the drugs do come with a handful of potential side effects.
The most commonly reported include:
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
- Stomach discomfort or reflux
- Possible increased risk of gallstones due to rapid weight loss
“The most commonly reported side effects with GLP-1 agonists tend to be gastrointestinal in nature because this is a gastrointestinal hormone. What’s commonly reported is nausea and patients tend to have more side effects the first time they take medication, and it tends to decline as they take that same dose again,” Dr. Holly Lofton, director of the Medical Weight Management Program at NYU Langone in Manhattan, tells SurvivorNet.
One challenge with GLP-1 RAs is that their benefits can fade quickly if the medication is stopped. Unlike bariatric surgery, which creates lasting changes in the digestive tract, GLP-1 drugs need to be taken long-term to maintain their effects. Once a person discontinues them, the body no longer receives that constant boost of hunger-suppressing signals, and weight regain can happen quickly.
Navigating the Claims About Weight Loss Drugs
There have been many claims beyond weight loss about drugs like Ozempic. There is some validity to claims that the drugs can help reduce cancer risk, but there are important caveats to be aware of.
- Lose Weight, Drink Less, Stop Smoking— New Research Suggests Anti-Obesity Medications, Such As The Semaglutide Injection Ozempic, May Lead To Less Tobacco Use & Alcohol Consumption
- Ozempic Rebound: People Who Stop Blockbuster Weight Loss Drugs Gain The Weight Back, Says New Research– So What’s the Answer To Staying Lighter & Healthier?
- The Weight Loss Drugs Ozempic and Wegovy May Strengthen The Immune System And Potentially Fight Cancer
- Warning: Copycat Ozempic Weight Loss Drugs Are Spreading— The Risks Associated With ‘Chasing Thinness’
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