What GLP-1 Actually Is
Glucagon-like peptide-1 is a hormone your small intestine already makes. It releases after you eat, signals the pancreas to produce insulin, slows how fast food leaves your stomach, and tells the brain's hypothalamus that you've had enough. GLP-1 receptor agonists, drugs like semaglutide (sold as Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for weight management) and liraglutide (Saxenda), mimic this hormone at a far higher concentration and for far longer than your body would sustain on its own.
