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

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

Can you microdose GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic?

GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic can help with weight loss, diabetes, and anti-inflammation. For some users, normal doses are too much. So, they've started "microdosing"—taking a smaller amount than the lowest increment of the drug available. While not yet backed by clinical trials, some doctors observed positive effects for certain people.

In 2023, Americans spent more than $50B on weight loss drugs, a number expected to triple or more by the end of the decade.

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.

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.

GLP-1 drugs mimic a natural hormone that triggers appetite-suppressing effects

Ozempic, one of the brand names for the drug semaglutide, was originally developed in 2012, to help treat Type 2 diabetes. Among other effects, the drug mimics a naturally produced hormone known as GLP-1, which is released while eating to let our bodies know we are full.

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.

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

Around 75% of prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs are used to treat diabetes, while the remainder is used for weight loss. This overview from GoodRX includes a list and overview of currently available options along with prices for each.

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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.

Insurance coverage for GLP-1s remains uneven, but Medicare began covering it in some instances in July 2026.

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.

GLP-1s are linked to reduced worker illness and cost savings—a 2026 economic analysis finds the weight-loss drugs are tied to a 17% drop in worker sick leave days.

Research suggests Ozempic has benefits beyond weight loss

Semaglutide, the key ingredient in Ozempic, is proving to be more than just a diabetes and weight loss drug. Research suggests it may also help prevent strokes, improve heart health, and slow Alzheimer’s.

Medicare in early 2026 did not pay for GLP-1 for obesity treatment, and coverage under Medicaid varied widely by state.

How self-care led to Ozempic's success

Self-care has become a $1.5T economy that idealizes restraint and willpower, leaving behind those who can't shake off human nature. This article explores how Ozempic and similar weight loss medications pick up where self-care left off.

Semaglutides, which belong to a class of drugs called GLP-1s, are prescribed for weight loss in combination with diet and exercise because they trigger the release of the appetite-suppressing hormone incretin.

Weight Watchers began offering access to GLP-1 weight-loss medications in 2023 after losing more than 1.5 million members over the previous two years.

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.

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

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.

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 on the rise as people seek it out for myriad reasons—the proportion of non-obesity and non-diabetes-related prescriptions for the drug soared from 4.5% in 2018 to 17% in 2023.

How to properly use semaglutides

This podcast with a nutritionist and a medical doctor discusses how useful semaglutide can be for weight loss. It also outlines the need for patients to set reasonable expectations and to make changes to both diet and exercise as part of an overall weight management strategy. The experts note that failure to make meaningful changes outside of using semaglutide may mean patients need to stay on the drug in order to keep the weight off.

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.

Some Ozempic users lose their desire to eat

This essay follows a writer whose Ozempic journey involves a dramatic loss of appetite, leading them to stop compulsive snacking and even lose some of the joy of eating. As a result, he becomes fixated on watching food videos and eventually tries to "beat" an all-you-can-eat steak buffet. The experience leaves him feeling disappointed and lacking in desire.

GLP-1s may lower inflammation, possibly helping to combat cognitive decline

An analysis of existing GLP-1 research, published in April 2025, indicated that GLP-1 drugs reduce inflammation, with numerous health benefits. The work notes that GLP-1s were linked with a statistically significant reduction in dementia in randomized clinical trials.

GLP-1s may weaken the effectiveness of birth control and affect other medications, hindering how and when they circulate through the blood.

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.

From Ozempic to Wegovy, see the $58B weight loss drug market visualized in one chart.

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

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.

'Weight cycling'—when someone repeatedly loses and gains weight—can harm an individual's metabolism.

How semaglutides are both better and worse than we know

The drugs were developed for use treating diabetes and, later, weight loss, but they have proven helpful with the heart, kidneys, and colon. On the flipside, it may slow digestion and lead to gastroparesis, or stomach blockages, and unexpected babies resulting from the slow effect of birth control pills.

Peptides like GLP-1 account for 31 of 370 new drugs approved by the US FDA between 2016 and 2023.

Talk show host Oprah Winfrey spent about $43M in 2015 to buy a 10% stake in Weight Watchers and join its board of directors, going on to lose 40lbs using the program.

Semaglutide treatment extended the lifespan of female mice by about 12% in research published in 2026.

In 2025, Weight Watchers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after reporting revenue and profit losses for multiple consecutive years, with its stock price losing about 99% of its value between 2018 and 2025.

In June 2026, EU food safety regulators approved sales of a GLP-1-inducing food additive, a change that may lead to 'supercharged' cereals and breads in Europe within a year. (free w/email)

It's been about 30 years since a new hair loss drug was approved in the US, and women currently have no approved pills for hair loss.

Artificial sweeteners aren't very helpful for weight loss.

Celebrities are able to promote prescription drugs on social media without any required mention of potential side effects due to a legal loophole.

Is metabolism related to weight loss?

Read this article to better understand metabolism and why doctors say it's only one piece in the puzzle to managing weight. Metabolism breaks down and converts what we consume into energy, which provides fuel for all of our body's functions—both...

Compounding pharmacies make custom drug formulations during drug shortages

Compounded semaglutide refers to customized versions of the medication prepared by pharmacies, especially during shortages of FDA-approved products like Ozempic and Wegovy. While compounded forms of brand-name medications can make it easier to access the drugs, the quality of such medications often varies.

History's weirdest weight loss fads, fact-checked

Nothing catches popular attention more than a claim to have found a quick weight-loss technique. History shows us such claims are often unfounded. Dr. Michael Mosley explores extreme weight-loss tips from history, from tapeworms to vinegar diets.

How quickly does semaglutide work?

While semaglutides begin working almost right away, it may take days or even weeks to notice physical effects. Here, three patients describe their own personal experience with the medications, side effects, benefits, and more.

Can we speed up our metabolisms?

Listen to this 31-minute podcast to better understand what science knows and doesn't know about metabolism, as well as the only thing that seems capable of changing it. Scientists understand that the difference between a so-called “fast” and “slow” metabolism does not affect one’s ability to lose weight.