Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) used to treat type 2 diabetes by enhancing insulin secretion, reducing appetite, and promoting weight loss. It is administered as a subcutaneous injection once weekly and has shown significant efficacy in improving glycemic control and reducing body weight.

Semaglutide and Type 2 Diabetes: Efficacy, Safety, and Outcomes

Semaglutide offers a multifaceted approach to type 2 diabetes treatment, enhancing insulin release and reducing blood sugar through glucagon suppression.

What's Next for Semaglutide? Beyond Diabetes and Weight Loss

GLP-1RAs linked to lower risk of amputation in diabetes with PAD

Research indicates GLP-1RAs may decrease limb complications in type 2 diabetes with PAD, though more randomized studies are required to confirm efficacy.

10 Jul 2026

GLP-1 exposure in pregnancy does not clearly raise major birth defect risk

A systematic review and meta-analysis of seven cohort studies involving more than 40,000 GLP-1 receptor agonist-exposed pregnancies found no statistically significant increase in major congenital malformations or several other adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, the evidence was low or very low certainty, and a urinary malformation signal based on unadjusted data requires cautious interpretation.

10 Jul 2026

Semaglutide outperforms other GLP-1 drugs for weight loss in psychiatric populations

A network meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials found that once-weekly semaglutide showed the largest estimated weight-loss effect among GLP-1 receptor agonists tested in adults with mental illness and obesity or related metabolic risk. The authors cautioned that the findings remain preliminary because the evidence base was small, heterogeneous, and largely indirect.

9 Jul 2026

GLP-1 drugs may reduce lung scarring from Long COVID in diabetic patients

GLP-1 agonists have become popular treatments for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, and newer studies suggest other health benefits as well.

9 Jul 2026

Medicare prescriptions for Wegovy spike after heart disease coverage expansion

Medicare prescriptions for Wegovy increased sharply after the program started covering the anti-obesity medication to prevent heart problems, but just a fraction of beneficiaries likely eligible received the treatment, according to new research from the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics.

9 Jul 2026

GLP-1 medications may improve long-term health for people with peripheral artery disease

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) medications were shown to reduce the number of deaths, amputations and hospitalizations among people with Type 2 diabetes who also had narrowed leg arteries associated with PAD (peripheral artery disease), according to new, independent research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

1 Jul 2026

Study links semaglutide and tirzepatide to fewer anxiety and depression diagnoses in obesity care

A US electronic health record study found that adults with obesity who started semaglutide or tirzepatide had lower recorded hazards of anxiety and depression than matched patients using naltrexone-bupropion. However, among adults without type 2 diabetes, tirzepatide was linked to higher recorded hazards of anxiety and insomnia than semaglutide, underscoring the need for cautious monitoring.

1 Jul 2026

Simple blood test could identify the most effective obesity drug

Fasting blood tests measuring GLP-1 and GIP levels may predict obesity treatment response to semaglutide and tirzepatide, enhancing personalized therapy.

29 Jun 2026

Single DNA injection provides long-lasting weight loss in mouse study

Scientists at The Wistar Institute have shown that a single injection of a small, circular piece of genetic instructions can produce weight loss and blood glucose control in murine models that lasts up to 10 times as long as incretin-mimicking drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.

26 Jun 2026

Semaglutide approval drove a surge in GLP-1 poison center exposures

Following semaglutide's approval, poison center reports of GLP-1 RA exposures doubled, revealing critical trends in patient safety and healthcare utilization.

26 Jun 2026

Researchers trace soaring poison control calls to semaglutide approval for weight loss

When semaglutide's popularity exploded following FDA approval for weight management in 2021, so too did a wave of calls to poison control centers.

23 Jun 2026

Experts outline a multidisciplinary approach to managing clinical obesity

The rapid rise of GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide has transformed obesity treatment.

17 Jun 2026

Semaglutide, omega-3s and diet shift epigenetic aging clocks in human studies

A systematic review identified 41 human studies evaluating interventions targeting next-generation DNA methylation-based aging clocks. Pharmaceutical, lifestyle, supplement, clinical, and psychosocial interventions shifted some clock outputs, but these biomarkers remain investigational rather than proven clinical surrogates.

16 Jun 2026

Tirzepatide outperforms semaglutide for real-world weight loss

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have become massively popular for weight loss, but results vary from person to person and drug to drug.

16 Jun 2026

GLP-1s may improve testosterone levels and sperm quality in men with obesity

GLP‑1s do not harm male hormones or fertility after long-term use, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

15 Jun 2026

Study reveals frequent stop-and-start patterns with GLP-1 drugs

People prescribed GLP-1 medications are more likely to start-and-stop than most people assume, according to a study being presented Sunday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

14 Jun 2026

GLP-1 therapy associated with more dizziness and fainting

Northwestern Medicine scientists have identified a safety concern associated with GLP-1 drugs. Using health record data, the research team tracked more than 42,000 adults already taking at least two types of blood pressure medications.

14 Jun 2026

Physical activity declines after starting GLP-1 obesity treatments

Adults with obesity losing weight with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medications significantly decreased their physical activity, which is essential to protect muscle, according to a study being presented Saturday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

14 Jun 2026

Oral semaglutide improves blood sugar, weight, and liver markers in real-world diabetes care

A nationwide Finnish registry study of 7,249 GLP-1RA-naïve adults with type 2 diabetes found that once-daily oral semaglutide was associated with 12-month improvements in HbA1c, body weight, lipid markers, and ALT.

11 Jun 2026

Injectable semaglutide may improve fertility outcomes in PMOS

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz have published a proof-of-concept study in Fertility and Sterility demonstrating that injectable semaglutide may offer meaningful reproductive benefits for women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

9 Jun 2026