See which GLP-1 drugs are currently approved (along with their cost)

A 201-level at how GLP-1 drugs lead to appetite reduction

It's well-established that drugs which mimic the hormone GLP-1 can help people lose weight and control blood sugar levels, primarily through appetite reduction. This technical review provides an overview of how both natural and therapeutic GLP-1 interacts with the gut and brain to produce its effects.

Medicare does not pay for GLP-1 for obesity

Coverage for GLP-1s for obesity treatment is limited. It's barred under Medicare, and it's only covered under Medicaid in 13 states as of January 2026, since states can choose whether to cover weight-loss drugs under Medicaid. Coverage with private insurers also remains limited.

Diabetes drug GLP-1 is a peptide (that's what the 'P' is for)

Glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, is one of the most well-known peptides in common use. In 2024, 26.5% of all adults with diagnosed diabetes used the substance. GLP-1 was particularly popular among people with diabetes aged 50-64, followed by younger adults and then seniors aged 65+.

GLP-1 drugs are under investigation for treating Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and drug addiction

Researchers are investigating GLP-1 applications for a variety of chronic conditions. One area of interest stems from how study participants using GLP-1 for diabetes and obesity reported describing less longing for wine and cigarettes while taking the medication—intriguing researchers about using the drugs for addiction applications. The drug, they theorize, could bind to receptors that mediate desire. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Debunking myths about weight loss drugs

Business Insider delves into the research on GLP-1 to highlight the good and bad aspects other stories overlook. Few make it clear that GLP-1 drugs simply don’t work for many people. This deep dive raises a number of questions about the future of GLP-1 and how they will be used.

What do people do once GLP-1 medications succeed at weight loss?

The drugs have been adopted by 1 in 8 Americans, with many achieving their prescribed weight loss. They now face the question of how to keep the weight off, the key issue with any weight loss program that researchers have known about for decades. Each case is unique. Some folks continue to use GLP-1s like Ozempic in minuscule doses, while others taper them off over time.

GLP-1 helps reduce obesity through a number of mechanisms

Clinical studies show GLP-1 drugs, including semaglutide, promote weight loss through a number of effects. These include reduced appetite, slower emptying of the digestive tract, increased insulin production, and more.

12% of adults were taking injectable GLP-1 for weight loss according to 2025 survey

Weight loss injectable use rose sharply between 2024 and fall 2025. The percentage of adults who reported taking this class of medicine specifically for weight loss increased to 12.4%, compared with 5.8% in February 2024 when Gallup first measured it.

When people stopped using GLP-1, they regained two-thirds of the weight back

Research from 2022 found that when people stopped using the injectable form of the medication, they regained up to two-thirds of lost weight within a year. The finding suggests ongoing treatment will be required for weight loss.

Risks of GLP-1s include health side effects, counterfeit drugs, and more

This episode interviews researchers and patients who have used semaglutide to explore some of the potential risks associated with using the drug to lose weight. These include insurance challenges, health scares related to counterfeit versions of these drugs, and some users lose their ability to enjoy food.

Read the FDA's statement on concerns over compound pharmacies

GLP-1 drugs popularity for weight loss and treating diabetes, led to a significant supply shortage and the rise of compound pharmacies, which produce customized drug formulations but lack formal approval from regulators. The drugs are ostensibly the same, but manufacturing methods lead to variations in concentration, filler compounds, and more.

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s for weight loss is booming as consumers seek easier access.

Food companies are exploring 'GLP-1 friendly' diet labels

Producers of foods like Healthy Choice frozen meals are placing "GLP-1 friendly" labels on their food, but there's no regulation about what that label means. Nutritionists say that GLP-1s can help reduce appetite, but healthy, balanced diets are a necessary complement to the medications. Data shows that about half of GLP-1 users quit these medications within a year and then rapidly regain weight, underscoring the importance of also prioritizing healthy eating.

Tirzepatide: A GLP-1 drug that also acts on separate receptors to promote weight loss

Tirzepatide, like semaglutide, is a GLP-1 drug used in diabetes treatment and for weight loss. Unlike semaglutide, it also acts on glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptors, proving a second route to reducing appetite as a means to treat diabetes and promote weight loss.

GLP-1s are netting interest for treating autoimmune diseases, but are considered experimental

Already used to treat type 2 diabetes, the novel medications are showing some early promise in experimental studies at reducing inflammation and treating autoimmune conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel conditions. But researchers caution that side effects are still under investigation—rarely the medication has caused lupus, an autoimmune disease.

The lack of guidance on getting off GLP-1s leaves patients at risk

Dr. David Kessler, former FDA Commissioner and public health leader, explores how these drugs override the brain’s reward-driven eating habits but have notable side effects. These include developing eating disorders, muscle loss, and intestinal obstruction.

Not everyone who is a candidate for GLP-1 is choosing to use the drug

One person writes about why, although she's a good fit for the medication on paper, she's decided not to take GLP-1 due to concerns about mental health and other side effects, among other reasons.

GLP-1 drugs, first used to manage diabetes, were derived from Gila monster saliva

Scientists studying the barely-there feeding frequency of the Gila monster found its saliva had a hormone regulating blood sugar and appetite. Further research revealed this hormone resembled a human one known as GLP-1, giving rise to the modern wave of diabetes and weight-management drugs.

The popularity of new weight loss drugs has led to a diabetes treatment shortage

The FDA approved Ozempic to help patients with diabetes, but the popularity of semaglutide as a weight loss drug led doctors to prescribe Ozempic to nondiabetic patients who needed to lose weight. Ozempic became so popular that manufacturers could not keep pace with demand, posing risks for Ozempic-users with diabetes.

How weight loss drugs could reduce obesity costs

A detailed analysis from finance giant ING finds semaglutide and other weight loss drugs could significantly drive down global costs stemming from heart disease and other health problems associated with obesity. The benefits will vary, depending on each country’s demographics and drug and healthcare costs.

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s is booming as consumers seek easier access

Telehealth companies are rapidly expanding access to GLP-1s, but some doctors and researchers worry that these services are inadequately screening patients, skipping follow-up care, and prescribing cheaper compounded versions with little regulatory oversight—setting the stage for troubling medication errors and serious adverse events.

Companies developing new weight loss drugs

In recent years, weight loss drugs made a tremendous amount of money for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Other companies are developing new drugs to break into the market. This piece is a concise overview of companies creating and testing new drugs, how far along they are, and what Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are doing to compete with these emerging rivals.

An overview of 200 years of diabetes treatment

Diabetes treatment became truly effective after the advent of insulin injections in the early 1900s. Diabetes is becoming increasingly common. Current trends estimate one in three Americans will have diabetes by 2050. This overview explores two centuries of diabetes treatment—starting in 1812—and outline potential challenges to treatment and prevention.

Blood Pressure and Diabetes

New meta-analysis shows blood pressure reductions with ACE inhibitors and ARBs are associated with a lower diabetes risk, but other types of antihypertensive agents have the opposite effect.

See how sugar stacks up against the sweetness of sugar alternatives

This US Food and Drug Administration graphic compares different approved sugar alternatives to give the public a sense of just how intensely sweet these sweeteners are compared to table sugar. Aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), for example, is 200 times sweeter, Sucralose (Splenda) is 600 times sweeter, and Saccharin (Sweet'N Low) is between 200 and 700 times sweeter.

Mifepristone, approved in 2000, is used to end early pregnancies

The drug works by blocking progesterone, a hormone that is needed to support pregnancy. Mifepristone is typically used in combination with a second drug, misoprostol, because this regimen often causes less cramping and bleeding than just using misoprostol alone.

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