Considering they’re a class of drugs known for making you smaller, GLP-1 receptor agonists are only getting bigger. As many as one in eight Americans are taking drugs like semaglutide, commonly known by their brand names Ozempic and Wegovy.
First developed as diabetes medicines, the drugs have metabolic effects but also suppress appetite, leading to widespread use in recent years as a weight-loss aid.
The results are usually fast and profound. Patients routinely see 15 to 20 per cent reductions in body weight in clinical trials, while the term ‘miracle drug’ comes up a lot in the accompanying news coverage.
Semaglutide molecules (red) surround a GLP-1 receptor (blue) - Image credit: Getty Images
But as the evidence mounts, it’s beginning to look as though that term isn’t complete hyperbole.
