GLP 1 Agonists News and Research

Latest GLP 1 Agonists News and Research

Exercise remains essential alongside GLP-1 obesity treatments

As GLP-1 receptor agonists reshape obesity treatment, a new medical perspective published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, underscores a persistent gap in care: integrating exercise into weight management in ways patients can sustain.

5 May 2026

GLP-1 use surges as surgery rates drop for severe obesity

Drawing on electronic health records from nearly 20 million patients with severe obesity, researchers from University of California San Diego find that GLP-1 prescriptions have grown exponentially -- from less than 4,600 prescriptions in 2018 to more than 1.4 million in 2025 -- according to a new real-world analysis presented today at the annual scientific meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

5 May 2026

GLP-1 drugs combined with surgery yield superior weight loss results

People who begin obesity treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) and then undergo metabolic and bariatric surgery achieve substantially greater weight loss than with the medications alone, according to new research presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

5 May 2026

A new tool that predicts obesity-related disease risk beyond BMI

OBSCORE is a data-driven tool that identifies high-risk individuals for obesity-related diseases, enhancing treatment targeting beyond traditional BMI metrics.

5 May 2026

Semaglutide as a promising new treatment for alcohol use disorder

Research indicates semaglutide can significantly decrease alcohol consumption and cravings in individuals with comorbid obesity and alcohol use disorder.

4 May 2026

Five-target drug beats GLP-1/GIP therapy in obese diabetic mice

A Nature study reports a single-molecule GLP-1–GIP–lanifibranor quintuple agonist that targets incretin receptor-expressing cells while activating PPARα/γ/δ pathways. In obese and insulin-resistant mice, the compound reduced body weight, food intake, and hyperglycaemia more effectively than semaglutide or GLP-1R–GIPR co-agonism, while remaining a preclinical finding.

30 Apr 2026

GLP-1 drugs reduce risk of major adverse cardiovascular events

New research has shown that GLP‑1 weight-loss drugs deliver protection against heart attacks, strokes and premature death over a sustained period of time.

30 Apr 2026

Obesity may leave immune cells stuck in inflammatory mode after weight loss

A new EMBO Reports study suggests that obesity can leave a lasting epigenetic imprint on CD4 T cells, delaying the restoration of adaptive immune balance after weight loss. Using mouse models and human cohorts, researchers linked this immune “memory” to DNA methylation changes, saturated fatty acids, autophagy, and immune senescence.

28 Apr 2026

GLP-1 drugs promise wider health benefits, but experts urge caution on use

GLP-1 receptor agonists are reshaping care for type 2 diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, and obstructive sleep apnea, with evidence for glycemic, weight-loss, cardiovascular, and renal benefits. The review urges nurse practitioners to balance expanding clinical promise with careful prescribing, patient education, monitoring, access advocacy, and vigilance for gastrointestinal, endocrine, pregnancy-related, and rare serious risks.

27 Apr 2026

GLP-1 weight loss is driven mainly by fat loss, not muscle loss

GLP-1-based therapies helped adults with overweight or obesity lose weight mainly by reducing fat mass and visceral adipose tissue, while lean body mass losses were generally modest. The findings suggest these treatments can support higher-quality weight loss when paired with individualized care, nutrition, and resistance training.

27 Apr 2026

Tirzepatide significantly reduces cardiovascular risk in high-risk patients

Two new studies show that tirzepatide, a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (RA), significantly reduces cardiovascular risk in high-risk patients, including those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and those with obesity undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

23 Apr 2026

Tirzepatide vs. semaglutide: Study compares cost and health outcomes in obesity

In a US societal-perspective lifetime simulation based on SURMOUNT-5 data, tirzepatide was projected to deliver lower total costs and better health outcomes than semaglutide for adults with obesity or overweight without type 2 diabetes.

22 Apr 2026

NHS grant funds study on the use of weight-loss drugs for treating PCOS

Dr. Shagaf Bakour, a gynecologist and director of medical education at Aston Medical School, has won an NHS research grant to investigate the use of weight-loss drugs in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

21 Apr 2026

Semaglutide improves liver function independently of weight loss

Researchers at Toronto's Sinai Health have found that semaglutide – the active ingredient in popular weight loss drugs that mimic the gut hormone GLP-1 – acts directly on a subset of liver cells to improve organ function and does so independently of weight loss.

15 Apr 2026

AI analyzes Reddit posts to find underreported GLP-1 side effects

By using AI to analyze more than 400,000 Reddit posts, Penn researchers have identified patient-reported symptoms associated with GLP-1s, the popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide, that may not be fully captured in clinical trials or regulatory documents.

10 Apr 2026

GLP-1 and dual GLP-1 / GIP drugs help lose body fat while preserving lean mass

New research to be presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025, Malaga, Spain, 11-14 May) shows that patients using GLP-1 or combined GLP-1 / GIP receptor agonist therapy for weight loss experienced minimal lean muscle mass loss as they lost weight across 6 months of treatment.

10 Apr 2026

Study finds nutritional risks in users of GLP-1 drugs

Adults with overweight or obesity taking the new generation of weight loss drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide tend to eat significantly less, leaving them vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies, according to one of the first real-world studies to examine dietary behavior in people using glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) dual agonists RAs (collectively referred to as GLP-1 RAs) with the help of an AI-powered nutritional tracking app.

9 Apr 2026

Genetic overlap links psychiatric disorders with many physical ailments

For centuries, mental illness and physical disease have been viewed as two distinct categories, each with its own field of study, its own doctors, and its own menu of treatments.

8 Apr 2026

Insilico Medicine nominates AI-driven drug candidate for cancer, Cushing's syndrome and obesity

The NR3C1 (nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 1) gene encodes the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a nuclear receptor vital for maintaining physiological homeostasis, and inhibition of NR3C1 could increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to standard chemotherapy, particularly in ovarian cancer.

8 Apr 2026

Study finds genetic basis for GLP-1 weight loss efficacy and side effects

23andMe Research Institute, a nonprofit medical research organization, announced the publication of a study that identifies genetic predictors for GLP-1 weight loss efficacy and side effects.

8 Apr 2026